Labor Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has slammed Kenyans who showed up wearing casual clothes, including hoodies and sneakers, to job interviews held by a Qatari company over the weekend.

The interviews, which took place from Friday 25 October to Sunday 27 October, aimed to recruit talent for roles in the hospitality and construction sectors.

Mutua on Monday condemned the unprofessional presentation of many job seekers, stating that many were rejected due to inappropriate attire.

“People were showing up to interviews in hoodies and sneakers. Can’t you even borrow a suit from someone?” CS posed.

He emphasized that Kenyans must understand the high standards required of a first world country like Qatar.

The interviews, held at the Kenyatta International Conference Center (KICC) for hospitality roles and Kabete National Polytechnic for technical positions, were intended to provide opportunities in areas such as nursing, kitchen support, construction and technical services.

Mutua said only a small percentage of candidates were selected.

“And unfortunately a lot of people failed. You see maybe five out of 100 people interviewed were chosen because the standards were very high,” Mutua explained.

He added that job seekers should take interviews seriously and dress appropriately.

“Even for construction, you need to look presentable,” he said, noting that appearance is critical even in technical fields.

Mutua gave the example of a young man who was turned away because of his beard.

“They refused to interview him because he was bearded and angry. But you cannot start serving bearded people in a restaurant or a hotel. “This is the industry standard,” he said, drawing a comparison to strict maintenance policies in the military.

The Qatari company, which partnered with the Kenyan Ministry of Labor for the recruitment campaign, was looking to recruit for various positions such as waiters, chefs, electricians, plumbers and drivers.

Candidates were advised to wear black and white formal attire or overalls, depending on their sector, and were asked to bring a CV, passport photo and passport.

CS said arrangements will be made after recruitment for those who do not have a passport.

While Mutua warned candidates not to hand over their passports to anyone, he assured that “there will be no fee to attend an interview or be considered for a job.”

Successful applicants’ medical, visa and travel expenses will be covered by their employers.

This initiative is part of Kenya’s broader efforts to combat unemployment, especially among youth.

The Kenya Youth Employment and Opportunities Project (KYEOP), launched in collaboration with the World Bank, is one of the programs that provides training, grants and internships to young Kenyans.

But as this recent experience shows, professionalism and preparedness remain key to securing opportunities.

Mutua concluded his words by reminding job seekers that looking for a job is a job in itself and presenting oneself professionally is very important for success.

“People need to realize that you are employed to work for a company and that the company prefers the type of people it wants to employ,” he emphasized.