Job Hunting? 3 Things You Need to Know About Today’s Job Market

By Perminus Wainaina

Last week, Patrick Muthomi a Bachelor of Commerce graduate and a CPA Section 4 holder decided to try a different method in his job hunt. With a placard announcing his qualifications and contact details, he stood strategically in the busy Thika Highway during the morning rush hour.  I don’t know whether he was able to accomplish his mission of getting a job offer, but he did manage to get the attention of the media after his bold move was widely shared on social media.

Job hunting is  never easy and more so when you make the wrong assumptions. By his own admission, Patrick had sent over 200 CVs without getting an interview.  Interestingly, he had gotten a teaching job after graduation which he left to try for a “better one” in Nairobi. I wonder how he got the teaching job and why he couldn’t have applied the same strategy.

In this article, I would like to offer some advice to those who are in the job market. As a recruiter, I have met many candidates who despite their top qualifications and skills are not able to secure employment because they don’t understand the job market and keep repeating the same mistakes with the end result being frustration and bitterness.

Below are 3 things you need to know about today’s job market

1. Qualifications are important but are not everything

Blame our parents or the 844 system but since we were young we were made to believe that ‘studying’ is a sure ticket to success and riches. Our parents and society in general went a step further to ‘recommend’ courses that we should pursue.  The end product is you pursuing a profession that has no value in the job market. Some of the courses that are in demand are saturated and graduates don’t get jobs that easily. Even if a course is marketable and you have no passion for it, chances of you making a good career out of it are slim.  

Then you have those already employed and pursuing an MBA to make them ‘competitive’ as opposed to first gaining skills or specializing.  Take it from me, today’s employment market is more focused on what you can do and are passionate about than which school you attended and the certificate you got.  Many of us are fixated on getting certificates rather than taking time to learn how to do a good job.  You become competitive because of the skills you posses or your area of specialization. Bottom line; be open to starting at the bottom and keep learning practical skills.

2. Job hunt takes time and dedication

When I was in campus I was lucky enough to have gotten a part time job. I am saying lucky because the job though not well paying or glamorous was the foundation of my career.  I continued with the same job after graduation and the culture shock of graduating and sending CVs without getting a response did not hit me as hard. At least I could afford bus fare and brown envelopes for making applications.  Job search is a marathon and not a sprint. Unless you are desperate and willing to take anything, getting a new job can take a year if not more. Why? Because it takes proper planning and execution.

Remember this is not the 80s where you could count the number of graduates. Almost all professions in Kenya are saturated. It might mean you taking an odd job here and there. It might mean that your first job will not be in your area of training. It might mean working for an SME instead of a multinational. It might mean taking an unpaid internship.  Do anything you have to do but for God’s sake don’t be idle.  Desiring a new or better job is very different from doing something about it every day. From what I now know, you should embrace humble beginnings.

3. What do you want out of your career?

I have done an informal survey on what Kenyan professionals trained for vis a vis current job and my finding is that majority are working in careers that don’t match what they studied or trained on. Blame it on lack of jobs or the 8.4.4 system but it’s no use crying over split milk. If you narrow your focus and only want to work in your area of training then you’ll be in for a surprise.

In the modern job market, nothing prevents a law graduate from becoming an excellent customer service executive and making a good living out of it. I know of engineers who are excelling in sales and marketing.  Today’s job market rewards those who know what they want and are not afraid to go for it. An undergraduate in whichever field should be considered as a starting point to more than one opportunity.  

The above list is by no means exhaustive. My goal is to help you have a different mindset when it comes to job search by understanding the current job market. As the good Bible says, my people perish due to lack of knowledge. I hope you are now informed.