A cover letter is not a repeat of your CV. Here is exactly how Kenyan HR managers expect it to be structured, and how to write one that actually gets opened.
Most Kenyan job seekers treat the cover letter as an afterthought — a formality attached before the CV. That is a mistake. Many recruiters read the cover letter first, and a weak one can mean your CV never gets opened at all. A good cover letter does something your CV cannot: it explains, in your own voice, why you specifically are a fit for this specific role.
Your CV lists what you have done. Your cover letter explains why it matters for this job. Employers advertising through job boards, LinkedIn or company career pages in Kenya routinely receive far more applications than open positions, and a cover letter that speaks directly to the advertised role is one of the fastest ways to stand out from applicants who send a generic, unedited CV to every listing they find.
Your contact details, the date, and the employer's details if known. Address a named person where possible ("Dear Mr. Otieno") rather than "To Whom It May Concern" — check the job advert or company website for the hiring manager's name.
State the position you are applying for, where you saw it advertised, and one strong sentence on why you are a good fit.
Two or three specific achievements that map directly to what the job advert asked for — not a summary of your whole career.
Restate your interest, mention availability for an interview, and thank them for their time.
Avoid opening with "I am writing to apply for..." — every recruiter has read that exact sentence thousands of times. Instead, lead with something specific: a relevant achievement, a shared connection to the company's work, or a direct statement of the value you bring.
"As a Credit Analyst who reduced loan default review time by 30% at [Company], I was excited to see KCB Bank's opening for a Senior Credit Analyst — a role that matches both my technical background and my interest in SME lending."
This is the part most Kenyan applicants get wrong: they repeat their CV in paragraph form. Instead, pick two or three specific requirements from the job advert and directly address how your experience meets each one. If the advert asks for "experience managing stakeholder relationships," don't just say you have that experience — give one sentence with a concrete example and, where possible, a number.
Keep the whole letter to three-quarters of a page to one page. Longer letters signal that you have not taken the time to edit, which is itself a negative signal for many roles.
End with a clear, confident closing line rather than an apologetic one. "I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my experience can contribute to your team" reads far better than "I hope you will consider my application." Sign off with "Yours faithfully" if you used "Dear Sir/Madam," or "Yours sincerely" if you addressed a named person — this small formal detail is still checked by traditional Kenyan employers, particularly in government, banking and education.
Save your cover letter as a PDF with a clear filename such as "FirstName-LastName-Cover-Letter.pdf" — this looks more professional than "Document1.pdf" and helps recruiters find your file again later in a crowded inbox.