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How many jobs have you applied for and not heard from the recruiter? Next question….What job search methods are you using? If you been job hunting without success it could be because of you are using one of these outdated job search techniques that are hindering you from getting invited for interviews .

Here is a list of some of the outdated job search techniques

1. Relying on just one job search technique

In this digital era it is very foolish to think you will find a job using one technique. By there are so many places you can find job adverts such as, Facebook , Twitter, Linked in, company websites, job websites, and Recruitment agencies.

This is because just because a company is hiring does not mean they have put it up on their website. Most organisations are using Recruitment Agencies to hire people anyway. Therefore vary your options you may be surprised.

2. Having only one standard CV and Cover Letter

We have heard this so many times but for some reason people still make this mistake

You cannot assume that the cover letter you wrote when applying for a job at company A one year ago, can still be used to apply for a similar position at company B.

This is because every position varies no matter how similar the titles. This is due to different company policies as well as expectations.

A generic Cover Letter or CV will be obvious to spot and the recruitment manager will most likely throw your application out.

Sit down and write a specific cover letter for every job you apply for and tailor your CV to highlight the requirements of the job as well. You could also have these professionally written and save yourself the hustle.

3. Applying for advertised jobs only

Most people assume that because an organisation has not advertised a position then there is no opening available.

Do not limit yourself by believing that the only jobs out there are the ones advertised. Sometimes companies may not know they need someone with your skills and your application may show them that you will be a great addition.

4. Applying for many (or just any) jobs to increase your chances

Why do you need to apply for over 20 positions? Most people believe this will increase their chances of getting an interview. Sadly this is a misconception.

While you are applying for all these jobs, you are probably sending the same CV and cover letter. This as discussed earlier will not add any value. Instead pick a few jobs you truly are interested in and fit your qualifications and spend all your energy and time on them.

Zeroing in on a specific target offers you a better chance as opposed to applying for every job you see. Not to mention this can even lead to demoralization especially if you do not get any interview.

5. Not applying for jobs during the holidays.

We all assume that during the holidays no one is hiring. Which is mostly true, however if you happen to apply for a job when a majority of people are not doing the same, you increase your chances of getting picked.

Think of it this way, if you apply during the holidays, then there is minimal competition and your application will definitely get looked at. But if you wait to apply in January, there will be hundreds of applications and yours could get swallowed by the rest.

Do not take a break just because it’s a holiday. That is the perfect time to apply.

Landing a job might be as simple as you changing your ways. All the best in your job search.

By Lilian Wamaitha 

Are you attending an interview soon? Looking for tips or advice on how to prepare for an interview? Whether you are a fortnight away from your big interview, you can still beat the competition through preparation.

When it comes to interview, this is your one chance to shine and convince the interviewer that you are the best candidate. Preparing for any interview is therefore key to succeeding and finally landing a job.

Mistakes job secrets make when preparing for an interview

There is never a second time to make a first lasting impression. You therefore need to keep the interviewer hooked from the moment you enter that room to the minute you leave.

These mistakes can kill a job interview and they are common among Kenyan job seekers.

1. The dressing

The first impression an interview gets from you before you even talk is the way you are dressed. If you dress in shady outfit that proves that you never thought this through, you have already killed the interview before it even starts.

If nobody has ever told you, t-shirts, short skirts, jeans, sandals, hats among others are never acceptable in an interview. Ladies, that kinky latest hairstyle that seems like you spent an entire day in the salon doesn’t do well for you. It’s an interview not a socialite audition!

2. Coming unprepared

Lack of preparation is an automatic opportunity killer. Think of an interview as an exam. Research the company; go over the job description again. This way you won’t appear uninterested in the interview.

3. Getting angry

Sad to say that, angry people are not what employers are looking for. Yes the interviewer may have gone overboard in the questions by bringing in some personal issues (but rarely will this happen). Don’t show him/her that you are annoyed. Instead if you can’t answer a question give them a reason why and let them move on to the next question (not clear consider revising). Getting angry will only cut your interview short and you won’t get the job.

4. Negative body language

Body language determines to a large extent whether you get a job or not. Let your actions portray what a positive person who is interested in the job and what the interviewer is saying.

5. Sharing too much

Some job seekers tend to think of an interview as tell the truth and nothing but the truth sort of situation. So they end up spilling their guts and sharing too much unnecessary information. Not useful or relevant in any way!

Ways in which smart job seekers prepare for an interview

Smart hob seekers know that an interview is a do or die kind of situation. This is why they go a notch higher when preparing for an interview. Here are a few tips on how to prepare for an interview that will guarantee you the job.

1. Prepare good responses

Most interviews involve basic questions based on your CV and some behavioral aspects. Knowing how to answer basic questions that interviewers ask before the interview is vital if you want to move past that stage.  This is where interview coaching comes in. Interview coaches prepare you by giving you responses to different interview questions in Kenya.

2. Prepare what to wear

As we mentioned what you wear portrays a lot about the inner you. What kind of an interview are you attending? Is there anything you can find online about what to wear to an interview at such a company? If not, dress very formally and make it simple.

3. Plan what to bring

This is one of the biggest challenges to most job seekers. Basically on the day of the interview, you are supposed to have an extra copy of your CV and documents. Don’t just assume that the interview already has your documents which you used to apply.

Make extra copies in case it’s a panel interview. Knowing what to bring and not bring beforehand will save you a lot of stress and embarrassment of explaining to the interview why you don’t have a copy of your CV when they ask for one.

4. Research the company

When asked ‘what do you know about us’ in a job interview’ what do you say? Don’t just walk into an interview room, not knowing anything about the company you want to work for. Nobody wants to hire a person who is not interested in their company.

The moment you get that call or email to attend an interview, go online. Learn everything you can about the company– their culture, their vision and setbacks they have had in the past, their employees and so on.

5. Analyze the job description again

How much do you know about the job you are interviewing for? A smart job seeker will analyze in depth the job description paying attention to the skills, knowledge and competencies required to perform the tasks. Determine where the job fall in the hierarchy or the company – managerial or supervisory.

Compare your qualifications to what the employer is seeking for. This will help you maneuver questions like ‘why should we hire you’ or ‘why do you think you are qualified for this role.’

When you know how to prepare for a interview, the interview stage becomes less stressful. If you put into consideration the tips discussed above, you are on your way to landing that dream job.

By Susan Gitonga

Receiving feedback at the end of your interview is a good way to gauge your performance. However, not all feedback ends up being good. With that in mind, here are 5 things you don’t want to hear at the end of an interview:

1. “I called company ABC and they have never heard of you.”

Imagine the shock you will receive when your prospective employer tells you that they one of the Companies you had indicated in your CV and they said they have never heard of you.

It is possible that the people who knew you and worked closely with you in that company left, but in most cases the interviewer will not take that as an explanation.

The obvious reaction and assumption from your interviewer is that you lied. In an interview, lying is one of the character traits an interviewer is wary of. At the end of the day, they want to give the job to someone who is honest and is full of integrity.
To avoid this from happening, ensure that your seniors at work know you enough to remember you.

2. “I’m concerned about the spelling errors and mistakes on your CV and cover letter”

Spelling mistakes might mean that you rushed through when writing your CV and Cover Letter and you did not put much thought and care into the writing process. On the other hand it might also tell the interviewer that you are not good in English which might disqualify you from getting the job.

In order to have a good CV and Cover Letter to show the interviewer, ensure that you are keen when writing. You can also ask a friend to go through your documents and correct any errors that may appear on them.

3.” Are you sure this is the right opportunity for you?”

What the interviewer is trying to say is that after looking after your CV, they feel like you might not be a good match for the position.

When this happens, however, give the interviewer confidence to hire you by telling them past work experience and roles that are related to the position you are currently hiring for. This is your opportunity to say what you can do for the company once the opportunity is given to you.

4. “Actually my name is…”

It could be that the interviewer said what his name was at the beginning of the interview and because of how anxious you were, you happened to forget.

At the end of the interview, you might think that thanking him referring to his name is a good idea that will make you both appear to be friends and you end up calling him a different name that is not his.

E.g. “Thankyou so much Mr. Kamau,” you tell him. And he responds by saying, “actually my name is Wambua.”

This is something you don’t want to hear because the interviewer will assume you were not paying attention, so much so that you forgot his name. To avoid putting yourself in this position, avoid referring to his name, or better still, ensure that you not down his name to avoid forgetting.

5. “I was looking at your Facebook page and noticed…”

Do you remember the Social Media information you added to your CV? Well, believe me when I say that most of the time your interviewer will spare some minutes to see what you share online.

Imagine the interviewer saying that they noticed you are a party girl based from the photos of you drunk on Facebook. The interviewer might also comment about any negative information you have shared online which might make you appear unprofessional and questionable when it comes to your character.

That said, ensure that your social media profile is clean and simple. Remember that anyone can have access to the information you share online. Therefore, keep it clean.

I hope you enjoyed the tips and the enlightenment on the things you should ensure you don’t hear during your interview. All the best!

By Lilian Wamaitha

So you have gone through all the hustles of a job search and have finally landed your dream job. How do you move on from here? How to you grow your career to rise to a management position? All these are questions everyone needs to ask themselves. Basically, the main reason we chose our careers wisely is so that we may end up doing what we love. That way, we may wake up every morning looking forward to another day in the office because that’s simply where you would rather be. Nobody wants to be the only person in the office who will never get a promotion.

Having the right attitude to succeed cannot not only take you far in your chosen career path but can also be a door to so many other opportunities. You may even end up working for that multinational company you have always dreamt of. Wouldn’t that be nice? Here are therefore a few tips on how to stay ahead in your chosen career path and to keep growing in general.

1. Having the right mindset

Making clear career goals will enable you forge ahead in your career. Having the knowledge required to perform your duties to the best of your ability is the first step towards career growth. For instance you may have extensive knowledge in finance making you the ideal candidate when a finance position comes up in your organization. You need to go out of your way and gain more knowledge in your industry. Don’t fall into a comfort zone expecting things to happen their way. The current corporate world we are in does not work like that. Your actions indeed need to speak louder than your words.

2. Positive emotional outlook

Any career expert will tell you that holding on to your past does more harm than good. If you are the kind of person who holds on to things that happened in the past, you end up translating the same thing in your job. Say for instance you used to work in a company where the good things you need were never recognized but only the wrongs. This is not the time to decide to be arrogant and not make any effort in your current jobs since you feel that there is no need to try and you end up lagging. Instead be diligent in what you do, and who knows, someone will notice your effort and you may end up being the department head.

3. Have a mentor

One other way of making it in your chosen career path is to have someone you can look up to. Mentors go a long way in shaping who we become in future. You need to get someone in life you can look up to who has made it in their chosen career. This might be a professional contact, a family member or a friend from campus who has made it in their career.

4. Take failures as challenges to grow

Naturally no career is a smooth sailing all the way. Along the way you will encounter failures and disappointment. You will encounter rogue bosses or supervisors who make your life a living hell or that colleague at work who seems you can’t get along with. But do you allow anyone to define your life? Many of us are in the habit of treating failures as setbacks in life. We end up getting discouraged and not putting in as much effort in our jobs as we used to. When you chose the career you are in it’s because it’s what you wanted to do with your life. So what is the right way to deal with setbacks and failures? Always treat failures and setbacks as opportunities to grow and improve yourself. In short have that mental attitude that you can do anything no matter what comes along your way and who knows how far you will go in your career.

5. Have a thriving social life

Don’t be too stuck in your career that you forget yourself. There are instances when we are so much focused in our work that we end up messing up our social life. A little fun along the way has never hurt anyone. Learn how to make friends and have an amazing social life. After all, you need to think about other things rather than just those reports on your desk. Take time to have coffee with friends, cook yourself a delicious meal while sipping a glass of wine. Go and have mad fun with that gang of friends who are always asking you to loosen up. Go out on a date and meet the love of your life. It is only this way, you are able to face that weekday ahead with so much enthusiasm and strength carry out your duties diligently.

We all want to have a thriving career path. To have that managerial job and enjoy better benefits like a company car, travel allowance or good medical insurance. You can only grow in your career by having a holistic life and practicing all those tips mentioned above.

Peering out of the window of a skyscraper in New York City at the people hurriedly rushing to their jobs, I felt a sinking feeling in my gut. Just moments ago, I was one of them, and this had been my routine every day over the course of my career: dash to work to do a job that, even on the best days, felt like I was spinning my wheels. Deep down I knew something needed to change; I just couldn’t put a finger on it. I sat back in my chair, looked around at the white walls of my office, then back toward the window again. I thought: Is this really all there is?

At that point, I had a secure job in advertising backed by advanced degrees, I was making a good amount of money, and I was positioned to keep moving up within my company. To others, I had “made” it—but to me, I felt disconnected and disappointed day after day.

Wow, I thought. I was only five years into my career, and I could already sense that I was headed for crisis. Perhaps you can relate? Or fear that one day you’ll find yourself at that point?

Many of us start out our careers with lofty ambitions, high expectations, and optimistic pursuits, yet somewhere along the line we hit a lull of confusion, frustration, and feelings of failure. Although the stereotype is that this crisis hits folks in their mid-40s, it is also known to happen (as was the case for me) in your 20s and 30s. As a career coach to people of all ages throughout the years, I have seen this happen many times to individuals who were able to successfully navigate their way through it.

If you’re feeling on the brink of a job crisis or in the midst of one right now, you’re definitely not alone, but there are things you can do to help prevent or mitigate the event. No matter where you are on your professional journey or what age you happen to be, here are four steps I’ve found that will help you avoid the dip or get you through to the other side.

1. Take Time to Build Your Foundation

The best careers are built on a critical foundation that will stand the test of time and can weather the inevitable pitfalls you’ll encounter—things like your core values, passions, and strengths. Unfortunately, many of us dive straight into a job that we think looks good on paper and don’t take the time to build this foundation, which can lead to upset down the road.

But it’s never too late to go back to the basics. If you’ve never gone through this process or it’s been some time since you did, start by blocking out some quiet time to hone in on or revisit a few important things about yourself:

• What are your core values? Or, in other words, what matters to you most in life? Identifying your values can feel overwhelming, but there are plenty of resources to guide you along the way. Two of my favorites: the free core values workbook offered by Dawn Barclay of Living Moxie and Danielle LaPorte’s resources for finding your “core desired feelings”—essentially another way of identifying the same thing.
• What are your strengths? Sure, you probably know some of these offhand (hello, interview question prep), but sometimes it can be most helpful to get other people’s impressions of you. Try asking 10 friends, colleagues, or mentors what they think your three greatest strengths are, and you’ll likely start to see some patterns. And, truthfully, the answers might surprise you—often our strengths are the things we do so innately that we don’t even recognize them as something special.
• What are your passions? For some, this might seem like the easiest to answer, but a lot of people struggle with it. If you’re not 100% sure, ask yourself questions like: When do I find myself in the zone, both at work and in my personal life? What skills or talents come most natural to me? What gets me out of bed in the morning? What did I love as a child that still excites me?

Collect your answers to these questions in one central place so you can start to see a clear vision of yourself. Consider your current job satisfaction (or lack thereof), and see how this foundation relates. If you realize that key aspects of your situation aren’t aligning with your values, strengths, and passions, that’s a clear sign that it’s time to start making some changes. On that note:

2. Make Choices Based Off Your Core

Whenever you find yourself at a crossroads in your career—be it about accepting a new job, taking on new responsibilities, handling a conflict at work, or anything in between—remember to return to your foundation to help guide you. This way you’re not making decisions based on whims or out of stress, but on how you intentionally want to build your career for the long haul. Here are a few questions worth asking before you make a choice:

• How does this decision align with my core values, strengths, and passions?
• How do I truly feel about the decision I am about to make?
• How would the person I want to be handle this situation?
• How would I feel tomorrow if I make this choice today?

For example, I worked with a woman who was offered a promotion at a higher salary, but the new position would increase her already intense travel schedule. While she was excited about the idea of moving up, she was conflicted about spending more time away from home. She was able to assess her decision more thoughtfully, with her values and professional aspirations as a guide, and decided to negotiate the terms of her promotion to an arrangement that was mutually beneficial. She is much happier with her decision, and her employer gets to grow the company. Win-win!

Without this level of clarity, you may make a decision that will disappoint later on. When making choices from your core, you can even start small: As you face day-to-day decisions, like whether or not to delegate a task, do a quick gut check about whether it aligns with your core before proceeding.

3. Find Ways to Follow Curiosities

Even if you’ve chosen a career, a job, and a company based on your foundation, it doesn’t mean you’ll always feel like that’s the only gig for you. In fact, you’re bound to have other things pop up that spark your interests, and I always encourage people to find ways to pursue them.

After all, we tend to want what we don’t have, and ignoring these curiosities or letting them fester could leave you with a sense that there is something missing and cause you to make some drastic career decisions. But by giving them a little bit of attention, you can quiet that sense of FOMO and maybe even become more inspired at your day job. For example, early on in my career, I became curious about photography and took some lessons on evenings and weekends. Picking up the camera and tapping into my creative side satisfied a need I didn’t even know I had. After a couple of months of playing with the camera in my spare time, my co-workers even noticed a change in my mood and overall energy at work. I felt more inspired and less stressed because I had other interests in addition to my main gig.

So look for opportunities to explore other interests in your free time. Whether it’s picking up a book, taking an evening class, attending a meetup group, or starting a side project, a few hours each week is usually all the time you need to dip your toe in. Or, you could look for opportunities to bring these activities into your job by taking ownership of special projects and initiatives. If you have an idea for a new sales strategy or a women’s leadership program, for example, follow it! You never know where your curiosity might lead you.

4. Don’t Get Too Comfortable

Even if you’ve built your career based on your foundation, you’re making core-based decisions like a boss, and you’re following your side interests in your spare time, don’t stop there! When things are going well, it’s easy to coast and get a little too comfortable. While you should enjoy the ride, it’s equally important to resist the urge to become complacent and continue to seek out opportunities that will stretch you and keep your mind fueled with inspiration.

Continually checking in on your career journey allows you to stay on track or course correct if necessary, as well as explore the areas you want to push yourself to grow in. I recommend bi-annual career check-ins (put it on your calendar to stay accountable!) to think about:

• Your long-term goals, how you’re progressing toward them, and what next steps will get you even closer
• Your accomplishments from the past six months
• Areas or skills you’d like to learn or develop in the next six months
• What’s working in your career and what’s not (and how you can change that)

Of course, even if you’re doing all of the above, you may still find yourself in a place of uncertainty or unhappiness. If this happens, think of this as a great opportunity to slow down, reflect, and re-evaluate some things in your life and career. One way to move through this time is to revisit your core values. You may discover that somewhere along the way, you’ve drifted away from them—or that they’re actually not your values anymore! Set aside time to do a quick inventory: List out what is going really well and what is missing. For the items in the latter category, see if you can create mini goals that will allow you to actively address them.

Going through a professional crisis happens to the best of us and is just a sign of being human. For better or for worse, the pain brings with it an incredible gift to re-examine our lives and make better decisions. So while we do our best to avoid pitfalls in our career, rest assured that this period in time is a sign of better things to come.

Credit : themuse.com

One of the most dreaded interview questions by Kenyan job seekers is; Why did you leave your last job? Most people are not sure what to say because the answers given can change the interviewers perception of you either for better or worse.

No one wants to loose their chances at interviews because they did not know how to go about a certain questions. In this light, here is how you should go about answering the question.

How Best To Answer; Why Did You Leave Your Previous Job?

“The first thing you need to know when answering this question is not to lie. We always do a follow up with the previous company to confirm the grounds of a candidate leaving, so it’s best to always tell the truth.

While saying the truth is important in answering this question, people leave jobs because of different reasons and some could put you at a disadvantage and end up losing out on the job. It could be that you resigned because you hated your boss, or your job was too much or maybe the new manager made life difficult for you or you were fired for one reason or the other.

Whatever the reason, you will have to give a believable explanation if you really want the job and to guide you for your next interview, here is how you should go about answering this question.

How To answer If you resigned;

“I realized I had learned about everything in my position and was open to change. For this reason, I did not want to lose focus from my job so I decided it was best to leave and refocus on my career. I needed to find a job with more growth potential.”

This tells the interviewer you are not only applying for the job because you are jobless, but because getting that job now is part of your well laid out plan. Find here common interview Questions and Answers in Kenya

How to answer if you were fired;

“The way I envisioned my roles and the overall direction of the company was in contradiction to that of my manager/boss. So, after a number of meetings and talks, we decided that it would be best to part company.”

This answer does not lie, it tells that you were fired but also communicates that you know what you want in your career and are willing to work for it.

However you decide to go about this question, make sure it does not open up grounds for more questions from the interviewer. You do not want to say something you never planned to. Want to pass any job interview? This article demonstrates how.