Free tool · Updated October 2026

Free CV and Cover Letter Builder for Kenya

Fill in your details once, pick one of three clean layouts and download a professional CV and a matching cover letter as PDF files. Everything happens in your browser. Your details are never uploaded to our server.

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How to Build Your CV

  1. Tab 1, CV details. Add your name, a short headline such as “Certified Accountant, CPA K” or “Diploma in Clinical Medicine”, your phone, email and town. Then add your jobs, starting with the most recent, your education, your key skills and three referees.
  2. Tab 2, cover letter. Enter who you are writing to, the position and any reference number from the advert, then write three short paragraphs. The prompts in each box tell you what to cover.
  3. Tab 3, layout and download. Choose Classic, Modern or Compact, preview the result, and download your CV and cover letter as separate PDF files ready to email or upload.

The builder saves your work in this browser as you type, so you can close the page and come back later on the same phone or computer to update it for the next application.

The Three Layouts

  • Classic centres your name and contacts at the top with simple black section headings. It suits government, county, teaching, banking and NGO applications, where formal documents are expected.
  • Modern puts your name in a coloured header band. It works well for private companies, sales, marketing, hospitality and technology roles.
  • Compact uses a slightly smaller font so a full career fits on fewer pages, which is useful for experienced candidates.

All three produce real text PDFs, not pictures of text, so applicant tracking systems used by larger employers and recruitment agencies can read every word.

What Kenyan Employers Look For in a CV

  • Two pages or fewer for most roles. Recruiters often scan dozens of CVs for one vacancy.
  • Achievements, not duties. “Cut debtor days from 60 to 35” says more than “responsible for debt collection”. Use one line per point in the experience box.
  • Three referees with phone numbers. Most Kenyan adverts, especially in the public sector, ask for them. Use former supervisors or lecturers, and tell them before you list them.
  • Relevant certificates. List professional qualifications such as CPA, CIFA or a nursing licence, and short courses that match the job.
  • No unnecessary personal details. You do not need your ID number, date of birth, religion or marital status on a CV. Share them only when an employer formally asks.

For more detail, read our guides on how to write a CV in Kenya and how to write a cover letter.

Writing a Cover Letter That Gets Read

A cover letter should fit on one page. In the first paragraph, name the position and where you saw it. In the second, match two or three of your strongest achievements to what the advert asks for. In the third, say that your CV is attached and that you are available for an interview. The builder adds the date, the recipient’s details and a reference line in the “RE: Application for the position of” format many Kenyan employers expect.

Before You Send It

  • Save the file with your name in it. The builder names it automatically, for example “Jane-Wanjiru-CV.pdf”.
  • Check whether the employer wants one combined PDF or separate files, and whether there is a size limit on the portal.
  • Many public service applications also ask for a KRA PIN certificate, a certificate of good conduct, HELB and CRB clearance. See our list of documents required for jobs in Kenya, and use the free good conduct upload compressor on our sister site if a portal rejects your scan.
  • Watch out for adverts that ask you to pay for an interview or a job. Our guide on how to spot fake job adverts explains the warning signs.

Is the Builder Free?

Yes. Downloads are free for now. We may later add a small M-Pesa fee for downloads to cover running costs, and the page will say so clearly before you pay anything. The editor and preview will stay free.

Find Your Next Job

Once your CV is ready, browse the latest jobs in Kenya, prepare with our list of common interview questions, and check your expected take-home pay with the net salary calculator.