Scholarships_CareerTips
4 Attitudes That Are Slowly Killing Your Career
By Sera Kazungu
“I feel like my career path has taken a turn for the worst. I don’t progress anymore. Please help, I don’t know what is going wrong” says Selina Aduor via email
Have you found yourself in a similar situation? Do you suddenly feel like your career is not progressing as it should? Chances are, your attitude is the problem.
Attitudes play a major role in how you behave and have a very big impact on your career.
Watch out for these attitudes that could end your career
1. You are too comfortable
Are you surprised? Being too comfortable leads to so many problems. You end up thinking you know everything and this makes you resist any suggestions that you get. It makes you not grow in your career because you believe that you are fine just as you are.
No one is perfect. There is always room to improve on your skills.
2. You have a don’t care attitude
Do you go into work just because you have to? Do you do things in a hurry just to get them done? This is the worst attitude to have towards any job. It will make your work wanting and in most cases, could lead to you losing the job.
Try to put some consideration into your work. Think about why you are doing it and what outcome you are expecting from it.
3. You are always focusing on the negatives
You have done this at one time or another. Every time you think of your job, you place negatives first. “The salary is too low” “the hours are unbearable” “I have terrible workmates”
Instead of focusing so much on these, you should try focusing on the positive things that your job is adding to your life. This helps you focus on being the best at what you do.
4. Jumping to conclusions
Are you the kind of person who always observes something and then decide you know all the meaning behind it; often without of facts? A good example is concluding that since your boss did not say hello to you in the morning, you conclude that he hates you and that was why you missed a promotion
Such an attitude is wrong as it leads to bitterness and eventually,you will become unproductive.
Strive to change your attitude this week and witness first hand how much you will grow in your career.
“You Don’t Need Connections!” How I Got A Job Before My Graduation
By Selipha Kihagi
Kenya’s job market can be a difficult one, and if you have been searching endlessly for jobs without any luck, then you can attest to that as being true; and this has rendered most youth jobless.
This becomes frustrating, especially when the state of being jobless extends to more than 2 years after a candidate’s graduation.
CareerPoint caught up with Sandra Mwangi, a lady who is already in her first job but has no graduation papers to show for. She is still waiting for her graduation, but is ecstatic about her new job.
How I Got A Job Before My Graduation
“When I finished campus late last year, I did not know what to do or where to begin but I knew I did not want to stay home and help out with the daily chores until my graduation, like most of my schoolmates decided to do. I wanted a job and I wanted it fast,” says Sandra.
“Like most jobseekers in Kenya, I started going through job adverts in the Newspapers, Social Media (Facebook & Twitter) and every career website I could find. For every job I thought I was qualified for, there was an application sent out. After a month of sending applications to different organisations on a daily basis, not even one person called for an interview or replied to my emails.
Nothing was working out and frustration was now kicking in, but i knew I could not allow myself to give up. I had gone through so much advice with my parents to despair, so I decided to reach out to friends and those I knew for help . That incase they heard of an opening they should let me know.
2 weeks later, I was told about an internship position. It wouldn’t pay much, but I was promised experience and an opportunity to grow. That it would steer up my career, after all, there was nothing else I was doing.
At first I was skeptical, why would I agree to an internship that wouldn’t pay enough to keep a house, afford partying on weekends and buy nice things? No one wants that.
But I decided to talk to a close friend of mine about it, and like any accomplished person would say – or so I’ve learnt, he told me to take it and look for other opportunities while at it. So I took the internship.
The internship was a good idea to keep my mind busy, but not without challenges. There were times I didn’t know where fare to work would come from. The pay was not enough and asking for money from my parents was met by rejection since they were of a different opinion, they wanted I stay home and wait upon the graduation.
Still no job offers after 4 months into my internship, I knew I was doing something wrong.”
How I Got A Job After My Internship
“I got myself a mentor, a close friend of mine who I am still grateful for until this day. He told me to take a break from sending applications. I was confused at first but he knew better, so I allowed him to explain what he meant by that.
I realised I was doing everything wrong. I was applying to the wrong jobs, some which i was not even qualified for. I also realised I had been applying to scam jobs because I was not selective on the websites I got the job from, i would just apply because it was open to applications. While my CV was good and updated, and my Cover Letters good enough to get me interviews, they were going to the wrong organisations.
Knowing this, I decided to write down open positions and compare the skills in my CV with the ones on the job advert. If they matched, then an application was sent out. After about 3 weeks of doing this, I got the first call ever to a job interview, one that got me the job I am at today. I didn’t have connections, It was all me! I am still on probation, but I believe in my skills and I keep learning every day.”
How To Decide If Going Back To School Is The Right Move
Source : https://careershift.com
When you realize the career you chose as an undergrad isn’t really the right one for you, the thought of going back to school can be comforting. After all, wouldn’t getting a graduate degree help refocus your career? With the Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting a decline in hiring rates, the idea of going back to school might seem like a no-brainer, but reality is never that simple.
If you’re thinking about putting your career on hold to get an advanced degree, consider these five things before making your decision:
1. Education cost vs. future potential earnings
Ideally, the costs of going back to school will be offset by your future career earnings, but that is not always the case. Take, for example, the average cost of attending the top 10 business schools in 2013. According to US News & World Report, average cost of attendance for a two-year MBA program was $111,418. Add that to the wages you’ll be forfeiting, and you’ve got alot of ground to recover.
Consider the opportunity cost of your new education. Will you be able to recover the lost income? Will your new education land you a job that can make up the difference?
2. What’s your financial situation like?
The second thing to think about is whether or not you can afford going back to school at all. As discussed above, graduate school is expensive, and you have to pay for it somehow. While there are definitely scholarships out there, not everyone is lucky enough to land one. How will you pay for your education?
If you’re thinking loans are the answer, be careful. A March 2014 policy brief by the New America Foundation found that 40 percent of the $1 trillion in U.S. student loan debt belongs to graduate students. Consider whether or not you can afford to give up your income while you’re in school and how you’ll pay for it before you head back to the classroom.
3. Are you attacking your issues head on, or avoiding them?
For many people, going back to school is a good way to avoid the discomfort of not knowing if they’ve made the right choices. Wouldn’t it be better to attack the issues head on?
Before you leave the workforce and go back to school, think about whether a new degree will really solve the problems you’re having. Have you just fallen out of love with your organization or do you really want a career change? Has your current position stopped offering the challenges that you relished when you started, or have you stopped applying yourself in a productive way?
If you’re not sure about the answers to these questions, or you’re just looking for a way to delay making important decisions about your career, going back to school might be an expensive detour.
4. Do you want to switch fields, or just find a new job?
You get the idea — putting your career on hold and going back to school can be an expensive endeavor. Shouldn’t you be 100 percent sure that it’s the right decision before you pull the trigger?
Think about whether or not you actually want to switch fields, or if finding a new job is the better answer. Sometimes finding a similar job with a different organization can be refreshing. Other times, incorporating the new skills you’re interested in into your current position can be the answer.
If you really do want to change fields, consider whether or not taking an entry-level position in your new field is a better option. Often, the experience you gain and the network you can build, working from the bottom up, can be more valuable than going back to school.
5. Are there other ways to get experience?
The last thing to consider is whether or not there are other ways to gain experience in the new field you’re interested in. Rather than jumping back into school, try volunteering or interning part-time with an organization, to gain experience.
If that’s not an option, look for courses you can take on weekends or online certifications that will give you the experience you need to start a career in your new field. There are plenty of online learning opportunities that can get you up to speed without having to spend thousands on further education.
Putting your career on hold to go back to school is not a decision to be taken lightly. If you’re considering it, keep these five things in mind to ensure you’re making the decision based on the right reasons.
3 Ways To Avoid Too Many Questions In An Interview
By Sera Kazungu
Being called for an interview is the most exciting thing to happen to a job seeker. It makes you hopeful of finally securing a job and joining the “working class”.
The problem with interviews is anticipating the kind of questions that a potential employer will ask you. Did you know that you could avoid being asked too many questions in an interview?
According to Muthoni Ndegwa, a recruitment manager at corporate staffing services,there are no set number of questions that a candidate should answer.
“When going for an interview,you need to be well prepared. Usually, the interviewer is looking for something particular. Once you give an answer they are looking for, there is no need to continue with the questioning”, she says.
Here are three ways you can go around answering too many questions
1.Avoid giving one word answers
The most common answers are “yes” and “No”. You can use these answers, but only if you elaborate further. For example, if you were asked if you have experience for the job, you could say
“Yes. Working at my previous company gave me an opportunity to grow and build my skill for 4 years now”
You will have answered the question and not oversold yourself.
2. Avoid talking too much
Talking more than you should, can be as a result of either nervousness or irrelevancy. When you are nervous, you tend to use verbal ticks like “um”,”like”, “you know” etc. These make you look like you have something to hide or that you are lying. As a result, the interviewer will ask you more questions to try and uncover the truth.
Taking too long to answer direct questions implies that you simply don’t know how to get to the point. This will force the interviewer to ask you more questions in order to get the information that they need.
3. Be brief and to the point
An interviewer is usually looking for something particular when they ask you a question. Keep your answers short and to the point to show that you were well prepared for the interview. This will give you an edge. It will also help you score points with your potential employer.
The trick to a successful interview is always research, research and more research. Good luck on your next interview.
3 Reasons Your Dream Job Will Remain Just That, “A Dream”
By Selipha Kihagi
Do you constantly spend time thinking about what it would be like working for a certain organization? Or are you constantly talking about that dream job to your peers and family, saying how you will one day work there?
If your answer to the above questions is Yes, then you are still not at your dream job and you are constantly wishing that an opportunity will present itself, that the numerous applications you keep sending will get noticed.
Well, the bad news is they won’t! You are probably going to keep dreaming about that job years and years to come, and this is why.
Why You Are Still Not At Your Dream Job
1. You don’t believe in yourself and your passion
Your dream job means that you have a passion to do a certain thing and you want to implement this passion on the job. The reason you are still sitting pretty waiting for an opportunity is because you don’t believe in your passion and yourself enough to do something about it.
‘Your greatest enemy is your belief that you cannot find a career that is linked to your passion,” says Phillipe Desrochers in his book ’99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Landing Your Dream Job”.
2. You Know nothing about the company you want to work for
Having a dream job is one thing, and doing something about it is another. No matter how many times you send applications to the organisation or go for interviews, if you don’t know what that company is looking for, you will not get the job.
This is not the usual company background before an interview, it is the IN and OUT of the company so you can communicate your value appropriately when time comes.
3. You are a Loner
Sometimes people want to keep to themselves, they want to mind their own business. While there is nothing wrong with this, it contributes greatly to how you progress in your career.
Talking to the right people about wanting to work for a certain company is what will get you there. Avoid being a loner, make the effort to interact with people who are familiar with that specific company – you never know who is listening.
To get that dream job, you must be a proactive jobseeker. Don’t just sit around and wait for the opportunity to come, go find the opportunity.
5 Reasons To Rethink Your Career Goals In 2015
By Sera Kazungu
Did you wake up this week and suddenly feel like the direction your career is taking isn’t working for you? How did you get to this point? Was your original career goal wrong to begin with? Should you really be thinking of reevaluating your career goals?
“Rethinking career goals is advisable as it helps you realign with the current trends and keeps you relevant at your job,”says Justus Ng’etich, a recruitment manager at corporate staffing services.
However, it is only for specific career paths as others like medicine, already have set goals from the onset.
The following is a list of reasons why you should consider re-thinking your career goals this year.
Why You Must Rethink Your Career Goals
1. The Job Market has changed
As competitive as the Job market is, it keeps evolving. If the current job market no longer holds your qualifications, you can either strive to grow with it and up your game or you could find a new career path.
2. You have never been promoted
Have you been working for several years but have never gotten a promotion? Is there a valid reason for it?
If you truly believe that you are doing a good job and yet, you have been passed up for promotions frequently, it is time to re-check your goals. There might be something wrong with you or the quality of your work.
3. You hate your Job
The truth is that when you are not happy at your job, you become less productive. This will make the work you do wanting. This is a recipe for being fired. Find something that will excite you as a career.
4. Your priorities have changed.
In everyday living, your priorities change from one day to the next. If the career path you had chosen before does not fit into your priorities anymore, it is time for a change. Whether you need more money or more experience than you are getting
5. You are following the crowd
Did you venture into your career path just because it was popular? Just because it is good for someone else does not mean that it is good for you. Everyone has skills that are unique to them. If you realize that you were influenced by crowd psychology, it is time to make a career change.
If the following list describe you to the tee, then it is definitely time for you to start reorganizing your goals.
How to handle salary negotiations like a pro
If you have to list the most nerve-wracking situations in your life, salary negotiations will most likely be one of the top five. How do you ask for a better deal? Will they turn you down or bend to suit you? What if you come across as greedy and only in it for the money? At least one of these questions has crossed your mind, right? Well, here are a few tips on how to handle these awkward situations.
Research the market
Don’t get caught tongue-tied when asked about your salary expectations; research the market rate for your experience and position to give you a better understanding of what you qualify for. If you can’t find reliable websites, ask recruiters or friends and colleagues that wouldn’t mind disclosing their salary range. This information will better equip you to pitch a realistic figure.
Be reasonable
When doing your research, make sure you compare same industries. If you’re in the retail industry for example, don’t research similar positions in the financial industry; stick to retail and organisations that are similar to yours.
Don’t be overeager
The last thing you want to do is accept the first offer that is put forward. If the offer does not match your market research and you’re not happy about it, you should speak up. If you don’t you might end up feeling resentful and underpaid later down the line. Asking the employer to reconsider is not frowned upon if you know you’re worth more.
Benefits count
Remember that your salary package is about more than just the money. You have to look at other things as well such as maternity leave, flexi time and annual leave. All these things have value attached to them. Make sure you go over all the details with a fine tooth comb and sign only once you’re happy with it all.
Timing is everything
Never discuss what you’d like to earn immediately. If the employer does not bring it up in the first interview, you shouldn’t either – rushing into salary talks will leave a bad taste in the interviewer’s mouth. A bit of advice: if you previously had a job in the same field, employers usually offer 20% more as the minimum.
Avoid specifics
If the interviewer is interested in you they’ll ask what your expected salary is. Always aim to provide the interviewer with a range instead of a figure.
3 Ways To Gain Experience When You Don’t Have A Job
By Sera Kazungu
Have you just graduated? Are you currently looking For a Job? It is hard securing a job in the current Kenyan job market because almost all jobs available require you to have some experience.
You do not need a job in order to gain experience for that job that you want to land. There are simple ways to acquire much needed experience.
“It is possible to gain experience even when you don’t have a job. In fact, it is advisable” ,says Melody Mwendwa, a professional CV writer and career advisor at corporate staffing services.
The following are three ways to get job experience.
1. Internships
You gain a lot of experience when you do internships. Ensure that the internship you pick is in line with the career path that you take in order to ensure that the experience you gain will go a long way in securing you a job.
Although a good stipend or pay is desirable, do not insist on finding a paid internship. The internship is supposed to pay in experience.
2. Volunteer
Sometimes volunteering seems like it is meant for those people with charitable heart and a lot of time on their hands. This is a wrong assumption. Apart from doing good deeds, volunteering gives you work experience.
Having some volunteer work on your CV will not only show employers that you have a work ethic, but that you are versatile as well.
There are many volunteering opportunities out there, you just have to find one that is tailored to your specific skill set.
3. Attend Trainings/ Seminars
From time to time, various companies offer trainings that are open to the public. Whether it is a training in security, anger management, Hr etc,do not discriminate.
You may be required to part with some money ,but sometimes, the seminars are free. Your investment could be just what you need to secure a dream job.
Avoid just sitting at home and doing online applications. Supplement the applications by getting out of your comfort zone and doing some volunteer work. Gain the experience and step into your dream job.
Are You Being Called For Interviews But No Job? This Is Why
While a jobseeker is invited to an interview, he/she knows the CV and Cover Letter were a success in the selection process and what is now left is impressing the recruiting personnel in order to get the job.
Impressing the interviewer starts with the CV; it got you the interview and now you must reflect your qualifications verbally to the interviewer, says Sheila Cheptoo, a Recruiting Officer at Corporate Staffing Services.
Some are lucky enough to get the job, others are not. If you don’t get a job once, you move on to the next, but if you’re constantly not being offered a job after several interviews, then there is something you are doing wrong.
Why You Are Not Getting The Job
1. You are too proud
Interviewers or recruiting personnel want people who make them feel smart and accomplished, not egotistical people who appear to undermine them. If you appear proud, know at that time you are leaning back to unemployment. It pays to be kind and humble.
2. Your job search frustration is showing
If you have been searching for a job a long time, then it is only normal that frustration is kicking in. You are starting to give up and letting it show. If your interviewer picks up on the frustration then you risk not getting the job, because you are already communicating negativity. Try taking a break until you’re more energetic.
3. You are lying in your CV
Sometimes jobseekers want to appear qualified for the position and for this reason they add on their responsibilities. You might think them petty lies that you can get away with, but remember the recruiting officer knows what they are looking for and they will sniff out any lie. Make sure your CV doesn’t lie.
4. Your referees are not saying good things about you
The Referees are the people the employer calls to gauge if they should hire you or not. If you include the name of a person who hardly knows you, then you might not get the job, even when the interview was perfect.
To avoid future frustrations, remember to ask for feedback whenever you don’t get the job. Some interviewers will be kind enough to let you know what you did wrong.
4 Ways To Get Noticed And Promoted At Work
Source: Brazen Life
Are you looking to get a promotion at your Job? Do you think you deserve the promotion? Most people just sit and wait for promotions just because they think that they have been working long enough for a company.
Welcome to the real world where promotions are earned. Whether you are an entry level employee or someone who has worked for years, your hard work is what will get you that promotion you are yearning for.
Below is a list of four (4) things you can do, to ensure you get promoted.
1. Create your own luck
Go-getters create their own luck! Instead of waiting for someone to hand you an opportunity, create your own.
Approach your boss on your first day of work (or even today if you’ve already been working there for a minute) and say, “I’m excited to be working here. If you need anything at all, I’d love the opportunity to take care of it personally.”
If your boss can’t see you, he certainly won’t see you in a higher position. Expressing your willingness to handle special projects and extra responsibilities sets you apart from the torch-and-pitchfork mob that’s chanting, “That’s not my job!”
2. Take The Bull By The Horns
Average people find comfort in meeting the status quo — preferring to show up, do their job, and go home as soon as the clock strikes 5:00.
This is a great mentality for entry-level workers who want to spend the rest of their lives shuffling paper, but leaders need to be willing to take risks. When you’re in the lead, you can’t always be certain of what lies ahead, and you have to be confident in your decisions.
Your track record is a huge indicator of your readiness to advance in the company. An easy risk to start with is accepting responsibility for your failures.
3. Be a go-getter
The Internet is filled with information about anything you can think of, especially proprietary job knowledge.
By paging through the Internet, you can become an expert at a skill that can help your company.
Being known as the go-to person for certain tasks makes you more indispensable than your lazy coworkers because management will know you’re someone who can help in a pinch.
4. Don’t rely on your boss’s memory
Don’t leave it up to your manager or company to remember every time you contributed to a project or achieved success.
Open Microsoft Excel, and start keeping a bench mark resume that lists projects or responsibilities you’ve taken on for your team.
When it comes time for monthly, quarterly, and annual reviews, you’ll have documented goals, special projects, and instances when you saved the company from certain disaster.
While everyone else explains their achievements to management, you’ll be the only one showing complete documentation of what you’ve accomplished and how it benefitted the company.
Success takes hardwork and determination. Work at these pointers and achieve your promotion today.
7 Of The Most Jobless Professionals In Kenya
By Sera Kazungu
Are you still searching for a job more than 2 years after your graduation? The frustration is unimaginable. Chances are, you specialized in the wrong course and you are now regretting your choice. Perhaps, you are thinking of pursuing another degree all together.
Not so fast, peruse the following list to ensure that you do not take another course that will leave you more frustrated than you initially were.
Below is a list of the professions with the most jobless graduates.
1. Mass Communication
Walk around and almost every jobless person you see will tell you they studied mass communication. They all want to work in one major media house or another. The field is so crowded and with media houses hiring mostly in-house, it is a wonder most mass communication graduates pursue other courses.
2. Political science
The Kenyan job market just isn’t ready political scientists. Most people don’t even know what a career in political science entails.That would explain the predicament that these professionals face in the job market.
3. Nutrition
Though the jobs in this field are available, they are very scarce. This is why most of the people who are nutrition professionals are still job seeking years on.
4. Music
In a country where Music is considered an extracurricular activity, a music career is almost obsolete. It is not considered a lucrative profession that requires much thought.Those who are lucky get teaching jobs, but for the rest,they tend to find other career paths.
5. Drama
In Kenya, there are those professions that are considered luxurious and those that are considered hobbies. Unfortunately,drama is one of the latter. This is why most of the drama graduates are still in the job market hustling for jobs.
6. Hospitality
This is another job market that is rather crowded. Hustling for years on end seems to be a trend in this profession as some are forced to start up small enterprises to make a living. At the moment, especially with the retrenchments that are taking place in this industry,these professionals have to remain jobless awhile longer.
7. Counselling
As lucrative as a career in counselling it, the available jobs are little to none at all. The graduates in this field will mostly for lack of jobs open up their own practices,but unfortunately this requires a lot of resources.
Go back to the drawing board and assess your career choice. It is wise to check the current job market before pursuing any courses.
4 Simple Interview Tips Guaranteed To Get You The Job
By Selipha Kihagi
Every jobseeker is filled with excitement when they are invited to an interview. Like any job interview, you are not the only candidate and whether you will get the job or not depends solely on how best you impress the interviewer.
Sheila Cheptoo, a Recruiting Officer at Corporate Staffing Services says proving your best to the interviewer starts from the CV. Your are at the interview because of your CV, but how best you know what is in it is your ticket to good impressions.
So, how do you convince the interviewer you are the best candidate?
1. You must dress to match the job position
When you walk into the interview room, the interviewer has his/her expectations just like you the job seeker have yours. He/She will derive a lot from just the way you are dressed, so ensure that you dress to communicate. Don’t just pull a suit and a shirt without considering if they match the job you applied for. Take your time and consult someone on the best dresscode for your position.
2. You must describe yourself appropriately
The first question that almost every interviewer will ask is the ‘Tell Me About Yourself’ question. How you describe yourself in this question matters a lot in your convincing. The interviewer wants to know if you are sure about yourself. If you can’t describe yourself effectively, then it will impact negatively on your communication skills, and even your decision-making skills.
3. You must explain your previous/current roles well
Your CV already has a detailed list of the roles and responsibilities you had in a particular position and the interviewer has gone through each one of them. However, you will still have to explain to the interviewer verbally so they know if you just put down a list or if you were coached on how to respond, and most importantly, if you are lying. Let the explanation flow like a conversation.
4. Be conscious of your Body Language
How you use move your hands or the gestures you make can give the interviewer a wrong impression about you. The gestures might be done unconsciously, but will still matter, so be cautious and keep an attentive mind.
If you apply for the right job and consider these tips in preparation for the job interview, your chances of getting the job will be very promising.
5 Important CV Sections That Will Get You Hired
By Sera Kazungu
Do you sometimes feel like your CV is what makes you miss out on Jobs? Whether this is the case or not, you should consider checking your CV.
It is very important because it is what ‘introduces’ you to a potential employer before you have said anything. It is what creates your first impression.
Florence Mukunya, a professional CV writer and career advisor at Corporate Staffing Services says no section of the CV is more important than the other. The whole CV should be customized for the job that you are looking for.
So, how exactly should the different sections of your CV have to be in order to ensure that you make a lasting impression?
CV Sections That Will Get You The Job
1. Profile
This should be customized to the profession you are in. It should clearly state professions you have been in and the ones you have been looking for. E.g if you are in sales, you could write your profile as below.
“I am a mature, positive and hardworking individual, who always strives to achieve the highest standard possible, at any given task. I posses excellent communication skills and I have the ability and experience to relate to a wide range of people. I enjoy learning new things, I can work very well under pressure and I have the sales experience to handle customer complaints and solving problematic situations.”
2. Education
Adding your primary level qualifications may not be necessary unless you are an entry level or have not had a long educational history.
3. Work experience
You should start with the most current work that you have done or are currently doing. This helps keep track of how recent your experience is. This section of your CV should be brief and to the point. It should also be written in point form.
4. Others
This is where you mention your hobbies and memberships that you hold. Be careful only to include those that are relevant to the job you are applying for.
5. Referees
This is an important section. They should be three referees in your CV. Avoid putting your friends as referees. An authoritative referee is one who has worked with you in a managerial or supervisory level. Pick wisely as these are the people who will determine how a potential employer views you.
Stick to these tips and let your CV speak for you as you apply for new job opportunities.
