By: John S. Morlu II, CPA
👓 The Interview Olympics: Job seekers in Nairobi prep for interviews like it’s the World Cup — full suit, CV printed five times, backup flash drive, and a list of ‘strengths’ longer than a Bible genealogy.
🥸 Degrees Everywhere: In Nairobi, almost everyone has a degree. Even the shoe shiner has a diploma in supply chain logistics. But the job market is so tight, the best-paying gigs don’t even ask for papers — just grit.
🧙♂️ Motivational Speakers: When jobs get scarce, career coaches multiply. They tell you to ‘speak your future into existence’ — usually while selling you a course on ‘financial breakthrough through vibes and branding.’
📲 WhatsApp Job Groups: Everyone is in one. Or ten. New jobs are posted, ‘urgent vacancies’ shared — and someone always replies asking, ‘Is this real or scam?’ The answer is usually: Both.
🎨 Creative Titles: Some CVs now list ‘Director of First Impressions’ (aka receptionist) or ‘Chief Happiness Officer’ (aka social media intern). You gotta admire the marketing effort.
🚨 Application Fees Trap: Some scams now ask for ‘training fees’ or ‘commitment deposits.’ Rule of thumb: If you have to pay before you’re paid, it’s not a job — it’s a financial robbery in daylight.
👂 Hidden Talent Markets: Want a serious hustle? Visit downtown Nairobi at 6am. People line up by hardware stores hoping to be picked for daily work. No apps, no CVs — just hope, boots, and faith.
📸 Instagram Resumes: Some job hunters are now making reels of themselves explaining their skills with background music and transitions. TikTok meets HR. The future is weird — and wonderful.
Welcome to Nairobi’s most crowded market — the job market. Here, unemployment meets innovation, and everyone’s hustling to be something — even if that something is suspiciously vague.
👔 Title Inflation: Everyone is a “consultant,” “strategist,” or “founder.” There’s even a guy who calls himself a “Vision Execution Engineer.” No one’s quite sure what that means — including him.
📝 The CV Olympics: In Kenya, your resume is a masterpiece. It may say “project manager,” but the project was helping an auntie run her vegetable stall for two weeks in 2018. Still counts.
📉 Job Boards of Hope: LinkedIn is the new national prayer altar. People post graduation photos with captions like “Ready for opportunities!” and pray someone, somewhere, is hiring.
🎣 Fake Job Scams: One of Nairobi’s cruelest hustles. “Interviews” held in buildings that look like abandoned warehouses. You’re asked to pay for “registration” or “uniforms,” then ghosted faster than a bad Tinder date.
🚶♂️ Street Hustles: From selling socks to solar panels, Nairobi youth can pitch you anything. At any bus stop, someone might try to sell you an app idea, a savings plan, or herbal toothpaste with “government approval.”
💼 Overqualified, Underemployed: You meet a guy with two degrees and a master’s in finance — operating a boda boda because that’s where the real money is. Welcome to real-world economics.
👀 Everyone’s Watching: Parents ask, “Have you heard back from that application?” every two hours. Meanwhile, your younger cousin just got a job — as a TikTok influencer.
🧠 Survival Jobs: Being a brand ambassador for detergent, passing out fliers in traffic, selling airtime — all honorable, all temporary. The Kenyan motto? “Kazi ni kazi.” (Work is work.)
🔍 Scam Watch: Some scammers now use fake recruitment firms with slick websites and job offers that sound too good to be true. Hint: They are. If the first step involves a mobile money number, run.
📈 Side Hustle Nation: Everyone has a side hustle. The accountant sells clothes online. The lawyer bakes cakes. The teacher runs an errand service. If you don’t have a side hustle, are you even Kenyan?
Nairobi’s job market is wild, witty, and sometimes ruthless. But the spirit of hustle — of refusing to give up — is what makes it electric. The struggle is real, but so is the resilience.
About the Author
John is an entrepreneur, strategist, and founder of JS Morlu, LLC, a Virginia based CPA firm with multiple software ventures including www.FinovatePro.com, www.Recksoft.com and www.Fixaars.com . With operations spanning multiple countries, John is on a mission to build global infrastructure that empowers small businesses, entrepreneurs, and professionals to thrive in an increasingly competitive world. He believes in hard truths, smart execution, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. When he’s not writing or building, he’s challenging someone to a productivity contest—or inventing software that automates it.