Here is what top Kenyan CEOs love to ask job candidates during interviews

david nganga

July 3, 2018 4:03 PM

The favorite interview questions of top Kenyan CEOs

Job candidates prepare for a wide variety of job interview questions.

However,the situation becomes different when dealing with the upper echelons of the corporate ladder — CEO or president of a company.

In most cases CEOs have at least one go-to interview question that they believe reveals everything they need to know about a candidate.

Here are some of the favorite interview questions from Kenya's top executives as captured in How We Made It In Africa:

Dan Githua - CEO, Tuskys supermarket

Githua prefers observing an interviewee's body language as well as knowing his/her general attitude towards work.

"When I interview someone for a job, what I don’t ask is more important. I watch body language and I listen to them talk. I also like to know about a person’s general attitude towards work."

Phyllis Wakiaga - CEO, Kenya Association of Manufacturers

My favourite question is: “Who do you look up to?” You can’t really grow professionally without mentors.

Stanley Munyao - CEO, Musoni Kenya

Mr Musoni looks for candidates who can prove to him why they deserve the position.

"Why do you think you are the best person for this position? This is because I don’t need someone who can do a job that can be done by anybody. I need someone who can add value to me."

Nick Langford - Country Head Kenya, Rendeavour

"What do you want to be doing in five years time?"

Heril Bangera - CEO, Flame Tree Group

Mr Bangera tries to look at a candidate's ethics while seeking to know his/her goals in life.

When I am interviewing for a job....I try to understand their (candidate's) background, who their family is [and] what kind of upbringing they had. I also want to know what they are looking for in life, and if they are the kind of people who believe in using shortcuts or doing things the right way."

david nganga