6 Career Misconceptions That Kenyans have and the facts

Are you trying to start a career or already in one?

There are many misconceptions that people have about careers. Some of them are rooted in us as we grow up, while others have been passed down to us from people who have already been here.

Here are the most common misconceptions that people have and the facts.

Landing a Job in a Multinational Will Guarantee You Career Success

Most graduates want to land a job at the likes of KPMG, Deloitte, and PWC among others and will often shy away from working for an SME or even a startup.

In addition to the salary perks and the travel opportunities, it will often look oh so glorious on the outside.

The facts

I do not wish to dissuade you from taking up employment in a multinational. However, if you are a mid-level professional who seeks to grow in your career, do not look down on that SME.

The truth is, most multinationals have most of their functions highly specialized due to the large volumes of work and a large workforce.

For example, if you are an accountant, you will find the department divided into highly specialized sections that handle very specific tasks e.g. Taxation alone or payments.

This is in contrast to an SME that will expose you to handling different tasks within the accounting department hence giving you more experience in the same field.

If you want to grow in your career, be sure to make an informed decision.

If your credentials look good on paper, you are likely to get the job

This is another misconception that Kenyans have where they believe that if they have all the qualifications the employer is looking for that they will certainly get the job.

For instance, most people believe that listing all that they think the employer wants to see on the CV in terms of work experience and education that the employer will surely consider them.

The Facts

“There is definitely more to hiring than just papers, if a candidate is not able to back up the good credentials with a demonstration of confidence in their capabilities then the employer is not going to be convinced.”

Says Muthoni Ndegwa, a Recruitment Manager at Corporate Staffing Services

“Your credentials may look good on paper but if you have little to show in terms of value added to a potential employer then you are unlikely to have a field day in the job market.”

Says Lucy Mutungi a Career & Interview Coach at Corporate Staffing Services.

“Some Candidates, however, may be very good at what they do but fail to bring that out in an interview. For such Candidates, I highly recommend interview coaching to guide them on how they can bring out their best in an interview” Continues Lucy.

So at the end of the day, it’s not about you being qualified for the job, because so many people are, so even more qualified than you, but it about demonstrating the value you are going to add to a potential employer if hired.

Related Article: How Successful Job Seekers use Keywords in their CV to Land Job Interviews

As long as I have a Degree, I will get a high salary even on my first job

This is one of the most common misconceptions that most fresh graduates have of the job market. Many candidates decline job offers citing poor pay. A number of Fresh graduates also fail to take internship seriously since it is little or no pay yet it is usually the gateway to better career opportunities.

The Facts

The days have changed from when a degree holder was rare to find to it now becoming the minimum qualification for a majority of jobs. When seeking growth in an industry, it is always best to give learning a priority because money comes with experience, growth and value addition to an employer.

As Harold Geneen once said “In the business world, everyone is paid in two coins: cash and experience. Take the experience first; the cash will come later” it is experience and lessons learned in the industry that will help you land greater opportunities.

You have to pursue a CPA to get ahead

Back in my campus days, I remember many of my friends struggling to maintain a balance between studying for their degrees and CPA exams at the same time.

This is a misconception that most university graduates have that you have to combine your course with CPA, CPS or any of those accounting and finance short courses to get ahead.

We see people combining all kinds of degree courses with accounting believing they will be at an advantage when the time comes to look for a job.

The facts

There are those qualifications that the employer is looking for in candidates and if CPA is not one of them, then it really will not matter.

Unless you are thinking of pursuing a career in accounting, try combining your course with short courses that are relevant to your field and not necessarily CPAs.

Carrying out research on what employers are looking for in your own field will help you align your qualifications to meet industry gaps and to also maximize your potential.

Carrying out research on what employers are looking for in your own field will help you align your qualifications to meet industry gaps and to also maximize your potential.

Suggested Read>> Hiring is Slowing Down as  Elections Approach. Here’s How to Survive.

Before making any career decision, my advice would be that you do your research, network and talk to more experienced people who can guide you based on the lessons they have gathered along the way.

Never let common misconceptions slow growth in your career journey.

Do you have any questions comments on the topic? Leave us a comment and we will get back to you.

 

One Comment

  1. An excellent piece that should be shared with all this in campus, or those who are soon graduating. Not to be forgotten are those who have already graduated but are yet to land jobs

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