Recruiting in Kenya: Why Experience Matters

Why experience matters in the recruiting process

In a survey conducted among employers in Kenya on what they consider first when recruiting, the majority mentioned experience. For detailed information on the survey, you can click here to read more. As the job market in Kenya gets tougher and the shaky economy makes it harder to afford the luxury of training new employees, most employers want experienced candidates. It is a situation that continues to affect most fresh graduates in Kenya. 

But why is it that experience matters so much when recruiting in Kenya? Why are educational qualifications no longer enough? According to the latest trend in today’s job market, it is not surprising to find an internship position demanding at least 1 year working experience. Aren’t internships meant for fresh graduates?

Well, to help you understand this situation when recruiting in Kenya, this post explains why experience matters in the recruiting process.

Why Experience Matters When Recruiting in Kenya

1. Candidates with work experience are good for business

It is no secret that candidates with relevant work experience are better advantaged than those without. A candidate could have a good degree and great certifications but without work experience they will not be getting that interview. Alternatively put, candidates who have work experience are more attractive to most employers in Kenya. Think about it; candidates who have no work experience pose a risk to employers in various ways.

For starters, fresh graduates require relative training that not all organizations have the luxury to offer. They can also leave the job whenever they don’t feel motivated enough to stay. Also, most of them are not sure what they are looking for. These are some risks that most employers in Kenya are not willing to take and hence will prefer recruiting only those candidates with work experience.

Candidates with work experience have taken in the industry and understand what areas they are good at and which ones they aren’t. They have also acquired soft skills that will allow them blend easily to a new environment, making them the safer option.

2. Stipulating years of work experience helps ease the recruiting process

Like salary, work experience is a great factor when it comes to recruiting in Kenya. The years you put in your job description and the salary you offer for the position will go hand in hand. Depending on the industry and the current market, how you lay out the years of work experience required will determine the calibre of candidates you get in response. When done right, the recruiting process can take a short time and result to the employer getting quality candidates to hire.

A common mistake with most employers in Kenya is when they ask for a lot of work experience but offer little salary for a position. This kind of role will only attract the wrong candidates and prolong the recruiting process. While work experience matters in the recruiting process, it is important that employers in Kenya know where to draw the line.

You cannot ask for a candidate with a lot of experience yet offer little salary; it is not logical and will only lead you back to the recruiting process. This will then lead to more money spent and time wasted.

3. Candidates with work experience have soft skills to fit in

As mentioned earlier in the introduction, most employers in Kenya are looking to hire candidates who they won’t have to spend a lot of time training. This is why work experience is stressed during the hiring process and why recruiters are always reluctant to select candidates without experience.

While most job seekers may view this as unfair, it is a fact that everyone needs to accept and adjust accordingly. Instead of complaining because you lack in work experience, put in the effort to gain experience through internships and volunteer positions.

Work experience helps graduates transition from school mode to work mode. It helps candidates acquire various soft skills to help them blend in to any work environment such as teamwork, communication skills and even industry knowledge. With such skills, it becomes easier for a candidate to settle in a new job as they are work ready. This in turn helps save the employer time, money and resources that could have been used training a candidate without experience.

Bottom Line

While educational qualifications are not overlooked during recruiting in Kenya, work experience will almost always have an upper hand. Most employers are very keen on only taking in employees who know what they want and this means selecting those with work experience. By factoring in work experience, employers can have a glimpse of what candidates they expect for a role and their potential to perform.

The truth is that employers want to reduce the risk of new employees leaving and this is usually common with candidates who don’t have the experience. You can learn more about that in this earlier article here explaining the real reason employers are not hiring fresh graduates.

Are you looking for recruiting advice? Email muthoni@corporatestaffing.co.ke for assistance.