When George William Oluoko picked up his phone one quiet afternoon and opened WhatsApp, he wasn’t expecting much more than the usual stream of family group chats, forwarded memes, or perhaps a link to a trending YouTube video.
Instead, what he found was a job poster, a message sent directly to him by a former colleague from five years ago. A message that would, within a week, lead him to a new job.
“I work in customer service now,” says Oluoko, 36, “But I got this job because someone I used to work with at Airtel Kenya just sent me a WhatsApp poster and said, ‘Contact this person they’re hiring.’ That was it.”
He didn’t hesitate. “After I got the poster, I dropped my CV, made a phone call and within a week, I was called in for an interview. A few days later, I had the job.”
It is a story that is becoming more and more common in Kenya’s evolving professional landscape: WhatsApp, once primarily seen as a space for family conversations and casual chatter, is now quietly emerging as a powerful networking tool one where jobs are shared, referrals are made, and careers are redirected.
For Oluoko, the experience has changed how he views the app. “That one message turned into a new job. I wasn’t even actively looking,” he says.
The referral didn’t come from a stranger in a large WhatsApp group. It came as a personal message from someone Oluoko hadn’t worked with in half a decade.
“We worked together at Airtel. He knew I was capable. “Even though we hadn’t worked together in a while, I guess he still remembered my work ethic. That’s why he sent me the post directly.”
What followed was a rapid chain of events and a reminder that even long-dormant professional connections can bring new opportunities, if nurtured the right way.
“Sometimes we overthink job hunting,” Oluoko reflects. “We imagine it has to be this long, strategic plan. But opportunities can also come through people who just happen to know your value and who still have your number.”
But for every job landed through WhatsApp, there’s another that gets ignored often to one's own disappointment.
“I still regret one particular job I ignored,” he says, shaking his head.
Just a few weeks ago, he received two job links via WhatsApp. He applied to one and decided to pass on the other. That second one, as it turns out, was an embassy role and his friend, who did apply, was invited for an interview.
“He even called me to ask a few questions about the job, the same one I’d ignored,” Oluoko recalls with a faint smile. “It hit me hard. I was like, ‘Wait… you got called for the interview? I should’ve applied.’ Because I realised I actually had most of the qualifications.”
The regret lingers. “I just assumed it wasn’t serious. But now I’ve learned if someone shares a job with you, take it seriously. Even if it’s on WhatsApp. You never know.”
Oluoko is part of a growing cohort of older millennials who are beginning to rethink what professional networking looks like, especially in Kenya.
“Most people over 35 still view WhatsApp as just a chatting app,” he observes. “But I encourage people in that age group to use it more. LinkedIn is good, but it’s mostly for show. People posting their CVs, achievements, work anniversaries. WhatsApp is more targeted.”
He believes employers, too, should rethink their approach. “Most people are active on WhatsApp. So why not advertise jobs there? It’s direct. It reaches the people quickly.”
And while some in his age bracket are slowly catching on, he sees younger professionals using the platform far more proactively.
“Young people are aggressive,” Oluoko says. “They’re not waiting around. They’ll join WhatsApp groups, ask about job leads, and share tips. The older generation leans more on LinkedIn, but LinkedIn is passive. WhatsApp is immediate.”
He’s noticed a generational divide not just in where professionals network, but in how.
“The older ones still stick to formal platforms, but younger people are getting creative. You’ll find them in niche WhatsApp groups, connecting, sharing gigs, freelancing opportunities, and even government roles.”
For Oluoko, who now works in Nairobi handling customer needs, the takeaway is simple: WhatsApp may be informal, but it works.
“It doesn’t have to be some grand job portal. One poster on WhatsApp changed my life. And that came from someone I hadn’t worked with in years.”
And yet he is cautious not to idealise the process. He admits that many still miss out on opportunities simply because they underestimate the platform.
“We ignore messages thinking they’re spam, or unserious. But some of those posters are legit. Some of those jobs are exactly what we’ve been looking for.”
So, what advice would he give to someone in their mid-30s or older who still associates WhatsApp with casual conversations?
“Start using it intentionally,” he says. “If you’re in professional circles, don’t shy away from WhatsApp groups. Don’t mute them. Be present. Sometimes, the next job is just a forwarded poster away.”
He adds, “And please don’t ignore the links. That embassy job still haunts me.”
While George Oluoko’s job came through a one-off WhatsApp poster sent by an old colleague, Princess Anne Kageha’s journey is shaped by something even more powerful – word of mouth. A tutor and special needs education (SNE) specialist with over seven years of experience, Anne has taught neurodiverse learners — children with autism, Down Syndrome, ADHD, and other learning differences — across various institutions in Nairobi.
But even with her deep credentials, she says she has never landed a job through a formal application. Not once.
“Actually, there's no job that I've ever applied for that I've gotten,” she says with a smile, a tone of resolve beneath her words. “It’s been referrals upon referrals.”
And in most cases, those referrals came — or were amplified — through WhatsApp.
She recounts how one parent, impressed with how she handled his son’s tutoring in the international curriculum, introduced her to another. That parent, too, needed a homeschooling tutor. Then there was a colleague who referred her to a family with a neurodiverse child. All of them contacted her directly through WhatsApp.
“All they did was mention my name, give my contact details, and the person trusted that I would deliver,” she says. “A high school principal once told me, if you do good work, you’ll always be referred. And honestly, that’s been true except for these last 10 months out of work.”
Though she is currently job-hunting, Anne remains hopeful, even energised, because she knows the platform that helped her build her reputation is still within reach.
Anne, who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Special Needs Education and is completing her Master’s at Kenyatta University, didn’t always think of WhatsApp as a place to find work. But that changed quickly.
“Over time, I noticed people were sharing job openings, trainings, and opportunities in groups,” she says. “It may not be a formal networking platform like LinkedIn, but it functions powerfully because of trust and speed within small, focused communities.”
In fact, she believes WhatsApp has become a silent career driver, especially for professionals over 35.
“It is a platform where alumni can reconnect, where job leads are posted faster than on official sites,” she explains. “WhatsApp’s simplicity and speed make it appealing especially in fast-paced work environments. You don’t have to be tech-savvy, just intentional.”
Anne uses group platforms like Thriving Singles — a church-based WhatsApp group — and Kingdom Woman, where members are allowed to share professional services and business profiles weekly. Every Saturday or Friday, she posts about her work in special needs education, curriculum support, or training services.
“I don’t post every day,” she says, “But once in a while, I share something about what I do, maybe once a month, or once every three months. And that’s enough. People remember.”
That shift, from casual group member to intentional contributor, changed everything.
“There’s a difference between scrolling and being present,” she says. “You can be silent in the group, or you can use it to show what you do, share opportunities, or post insights. That small change in digital behavior can have a big impact.”
In addition to referrals, she has now seen peers land speaking opportunities, consultancy roles, and training invites all from WhatsApp groups. “Just by someone seeing their name or a comment they left,” she adds.
And she pays it forward. “I share vacancies and resources sometimes for neurodiverse learners, therapy programmes, or job links from KISE. I also post them on Facebook, LinkedIn, even TikTok. It’s always my joy seeing someone get something to do.”
Even if no one reacts, she knows people are reading. “That’s enough for me. Even if they don’t say thank you, the fact that they saw the opportunity is enough.”
Anne believes many older professionals are still underestimating the platform. “Most think it’s just for greetings and GIFs,” she says. “But WhatsApp reflects real-life networking. It is based on relationships, trust, and quick action.”
And recruiters, she notes, are catching on.
“Employers and recruiters in Kenya and across Africa are using WhatsApp to post jobs, ask for referrals, and even pre-screen candidates. The process is faster, more personal, and surprisingly efficient.”
So what’s her advice for the over-35 crowd?
“Start by joining a few professional groups. Contribute. Don’t just mute them,” she says. “Your next opportunity may come from a group you almost exited.”
She chuckles. “Honestly, I tell people, even sharing your CV via WhatsApp can be more impactful than uploading it to a cold job portal. Because someone who trusts you is likely the one forwarding it.”
It’s now been 10 months since Anne’s last formal job, but she’s not waiting passively. She continues tutoring when opportunities come up, and remains active in the same networks that got her jobs before.
“WhatsApp may not replace LinkedIn,” she says. “But its value is undeniable especially when used with intention. Whether you’re 25 or 55, there’s room for career growth in those group chats. You just have to show up.”
She concludes, “The next time you’re tempted to mute that group, pause. Your next breakthrough may just be one message away.”
Calvince Abok, a 26-year-old teacher, had a brush with what he describes as “the strangest interview of his life”—all thanks to WhatsApp.
The opportunity came through a friend from campus, who posted a teaching vacancy in a professional WhatsApp group called CEO Associates. The job was with Mission of Hope International. Calvince followed the instructions, reached out via WhatsApp, and was told to mention his friend as the referee.
“Honestly, I had never really taken WhatsApp seriously as a job-hunting platform before,” he admits. “Maybe 50-50. I had seen friends share links and referrals in groups, but I didn’t view it as direct or formal like LinkedIn or email.”
Still, something about this post made him curious. He reached out. What followed was swift, almost too swift. Within no time, he was scheduled for an interview via WhatsApp video call.
“I became skeptical immediately. Like, this is a video call? These people are really interviewing me on WhatsApp? I wasn’t prepared at all. I was just in the house,” he says.
The experience was disorienting. The questions felt unstructured. The setting felt informal. And Calvince wasn’t even sure he wanted the job at that point.
“They didn’t appear serious. The whole process was just off. I didn’t even follow up to ask how it went. I waited for feedback, but nothing came,” he says.
Despite walking away without an offer, the process challenged his assumptions about WhatsApp as a professional space. “It changed my thinking. A real interview can actually happen on WhatsApp, and someone can be hired. That alone was surprising to me.”
He now sees the value of WhatsApp in job networking, even if it didn’t work out for him personally. He's also become more cautious. After nearly falling for a scam he inadvertently passed on to others, Calvince is now the one warning peers to vet every post carefully.
“I once shared a chef job opportunity someone had sent me, but it turned out the guy was a con. He asked for money in exchange for a medical certificate. I got suspicious and asked two people to contact him separately. They got different stories. That’s when I knew he was fake,” Calvince recalls.
Still, he’s not entirely dismissive. “WhatsApp is useful, especially for posters or referrals. A friend can vouch for you and get you in. But if you compare it to LinkedIn, they’re not in the same league. LinkedIn is way ahead. WhatsApp just helps you get your foot in the door if you’re lucky.”
