Finding a job can be a frustrating experience, especially in Kenya where, according to the 2020 labour report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), the unemployment rate was 10.4 per cent.

A group of young Kenyans have developed an app that they hope will help connect more Kenyans to jobs via a mobile application.

The app dubbed Talent Soko Africa offers on-demand employment via an iPhone, Android App or SMS.

After downloading the free app and signing up for the service, users can create their profile which will immediately be available to the employers who are recruiting for talent.

The app also offers a solution for job seekers who might be unable to raise the fee to cater for their transportation to job interviews, a factor that disqualifies a number of job seekers from potential employment.

Talent Soko was launched in December 2020 and has been downloaded more than a thousand times since.

The app is available to both employers and employees. An employer has the option of providing a fee to facilitate the candidates for the interview. The funds will sit in an escrow account.

"When they show up for the interview the bus fare of the interviewee will be refunded. We believe that if an employer truly wants to hire the people then they will let them show up for the interview," Victor Machoka, the lead of the team that developed the app said.

“We have designed a product that is going to bring you to a place where you are looking in the right place."

Once they sign up, users will be required to fill in their academic qualifications and biodata including a picture which is mandatory.

The app carries a disclaimer that dishonest or incorrect information will affect the performance rating of the user.

Users have the option to choose whether the work they are looking for is an attachment, temporary or an internship. They are also required to state their preferred salary, and whether they would prefer a daily wage or monthly salary.

The job seekers are also required to upload a short video explaining their qualifications and attach their social media handles.

Talent Soko Africa accommodates both the formal and informal sectors and acknowledges that Kenya’s job market is still largely informal where more than 80 per cent of those employed work.