The Real Reason Kenyan Employers Are Not Hiring Fresh Graduates

By Selipha Kihagi

Kenyan employers will not be hiring graduates to positions that need experience, if they do not have it. This has been said over and over, and from research conducted to identify what qualities employers look for when hiring, it has emerged that experience comes first for any job. But most graduates do not think this is fair, or at least most of those who write to us don’t think it is.

Others are still wondering where to get the experience needed if they won’t get hired, and yet this information is available on many career websites in Kenya. This article, for example, answers the question how can I get a job without experience, while this one takes graduates through the best process to kick off a career after graduation. 

So, why are graduates still asking the same question? Why are they stuck on the unfairness of employers not hiring them on the basis of experience? Probably because they are yet to grasp the reality of things in the current job market and this is what this article is about to uncover.

Why Employers Will Not Hire Fresh Graduates

1. Most employers want to hire people they won’t have to train

While this may not be admitted openly, most employers are looking to hire people who already have a grasp of what is expected of them in the practical world and who won’t quit in the first months. While you may be well qualified and determined to learn and even a fast learner, employers do worry about what they have to lose if they hire a candidate without experience.

That is why graduates are advised to seek out internships, trainee programs and even volunteer opportunities. Here you are trained directly and given a platform to discover what area you want your career to progress.

2. You lack the soft skills needed in an office environment

Many ask why experience is so important in almost every job and the truth cannot be explained in one paragraph. Every company and organization has a structure that is ridden with different policies and rules. Just because you are well qualified for a job does not mean you qualify to be employed in a certain company. You need ability to relate well with other co-workers, which means you need to learn to deal with a bad attitude, high expectations (salary and otherwise), tolerance for what you don’t believe in and patience.

Work experience helps people develop soft skills such as being adaptable, collaboration and teamwork, great communication skills and problem solving skills among others; all of which are necessary in a job success.

3. No one can vouch for your productivity at work

Again, employers will want to know exactly what they are getting into by hiring you. This is why most employers see it necessary to ask for referees. Remember that apart from the grades you have on your CV and the internship experience that you had in school (the compulsory attachment), there is no other proof of your achievements or your character as an individual. This then makes what your referees say about you an important factor to the hiring process, and other employers will even ask that you take a psychometric test to evaluate your suitability.

So, without experience, you end up in a situation where no one can vouch for your work ethic or productivity, making you a risky hire and no employer wants that.

4. Most employers do not want to break from the norm

Unfortunately for fresh graduates, most employers will always go with the trend as is available to them either through research or prior experiences. If an employer once hired a fresh graduate that disappointed them or have heard this before, then chances of hiring fresh graduates is nil. They will not want the situation to repeat.

Also, if research as reported through the various media channels confirms that hiring graduates without experience will lead to a more costly venture, almost no employer will want to put themselves in this situation.

So, when all this is said and done, fresh graduates without experience need to be smart and stop applying for jobs they are not qualified for. Unless you network right and someone asks for your CV because they believe you can do it, avoid sending random applications or you will end up frustrated. Apply for internships or graduate trainee programs, write to companies for volunteer opportunities or even walk up to someone and ask them for an opportunity to gain experience.

Think about how you can meet the requirements that employers want instead of asking why employers are not hiring you. Do research on the options you have, and however unfair it looks, remember that only when you have what employers are looking for will you get the job. All the best!

 Do you have andy queries? Email selipha@corporatestaffing.co.ke

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