Scholarships_CareerTips
By Jane Okoth
Know how the important interview tips as a fresh graduate in Kenya
The main purpose of a job interview is for employers to find out whether you posses all the right skills and qualifications needed for the job. Still, how you present yourself will determine whether you still have a chance to secure a job offer.
So how do you ensure that your interview goes well as a fresh graduate considering this could be your first interview ever?
If you are a fresh graduate and wondering where to start, follow these tips for your next big day.
Interview Tips For Fresh Graduates In Kenya
1. Research About the company well
The best way to ace an interview is to be prepared by conducting a thorough research on your prospective employer. Being heads up with information will make it easier for you to ask a few interview questions as well as find out if the company’s culture and policy fits your expectations.
First, you need to know that the selection process for graduates differ in most companies. For this reason, you need to know the manner in which your prospective employer will be conducting their interviews so as not to be caught off guard.
Will you be subjected to an aptitude test first before the oral interview or are you likely to meet the panel? Having this information at your fingertips will help you to prepare on that day accordingly.
Use the internet to know more about the company. Who are the key players in the organization and how is the culture?
Also get to know more about the position you are interviewing for because it can help your interview a great deal. Dig out information on how much the company pays in any position. This will help you to respond to the salary question during the interview.
2. Arrive Early On The Day Of The Interview
Coming late to an interview is one way of showing the interviewer you can barely handle your time management skills and are disorganized. Always arrive at least 30-45 minutes earlier so as to have time to prepare and compose yourself. If you are not sure about the location of the interview, call earlier so as to know more about the place. You don’t want the interviewer to scold you on the first day of the interview or appear disinterested in the job.
3. Don’t Forget To Bring Your CV And Other Testimonials
No matter how many times you sent your CV and testimonials, don’t assume the interviewer has them and come to the interview without essential documents. This is the only chance when you are asked to provide it and risking is not an option. It gives the interviewer enough room to decide on your suitability.
“A fully updated CV should be in the list because it signifies that you are up to date with your career,” says Ruth Mesude, an Account Manager at Perion. She also recommends bringing a pen, a spare pen and a notepad to write on.
Also, you should carry your testimonials because different interviewers ask for different information. For instance, one interviewer may want to know how you performed in college while the other one will want to know your behavior in primary school and then judge you based on that. Since you don’t have much work experience, any award certificates or references will go a long way.
4. Ask Questions During The Interview
Ms Mesude advises that one should ask questions during the interview to learn more about the organization and role you are interviewing for. “As much as you are being interviewed to gauge your fit, you also want to learn more about the organization and your career prospects and growth” she says.
5. Dress Professionally During The Interview
Even the most qualified of candidates can fail to get the job simply because of the way he or she is dressed. You only get to give one impression as far as image and presentation is concerned. Your grooming creates an image of your personality.
Regardless of the type of position you are interviewing for, dress professionally so as to be on the safe side. You never know what the company’s culture on dressing is.
6. Your Phone Should Be Off During The Interview
Off means off and not on vibration mode,” says Wanjiru Chabeda, a senior Account Manager at Corporate Staffing Services. “I actually had a candidate who had the audacity to answer a call during an interview. He asked me to excuse him because he needed to take that call,” she reveals.
An interview is not going to take the whole day so whoever it is that is calling can wait for at least 20 minutes. Besides, answering a phone call during the interview is a sign of rudeness.
Having a successful interview will get you closer to the job. The job market is very competitive so make your first interview a success.
Competition in the workplace is normal, if not necessary, in some cases for survival.
When discussing how her lack of competitiveness held her back in her career, Muse writer Kat Boogaard says, “I’m a firm believer that the world would be a much better place if we all focused on supporting and encouraging one another…However, I’ve also learned another important lesson: As nice as that all sounds, things don’t necessarily work this way when it comes to your own career. The working world can be frustratingly cutthroat at times.”
And she’s right—you’re not going to get that promotion unless you work harder and faster than other people, you’re not going to score that big project unless you prove it to your boss that you deserve it, and you’re not even going to snag the last piece of birthday cake unless you get to the office kitchen first.
But let’s play devil’s advocate for a second here. What if we put aside our own individual ladders and starting climbing up together? Would that get us anywhere?
That’s exactly what some of the top White House women have decided to do, says a recent article in The Washington Post. Faced with the disadvantage of being women in the heavily-male world of politics, they’ve found it excruciatingly difficult to get their voices heard in a room full of men.
So, what did they do to combat this? They started sticking up for each other: “[F]emale staffers adopted a meeting strategy they called ‘amplification:’ When a woman made a key point, other women would repeat it, giving credit to its author. This forced the men in the room to recognize the contribution—and denied them the chance to claim the idea as their own.” And it worked! The men in the room, including President Obama, started listening to their opinions more because two or three or four voices is stronger than one.
This strategy isn’t just for women in politics—it applies to all of us. Instead of competing against each other and trying to one-up our co-worker’s ideas, we could choose to support what colleagues are saying. Not because we feel obligated to, but because we really do agree with what’s being said and valuable points are being made.
Just think: No meeting gets anywhere when everyone’s endlessly cutting each other off—it’s when you take the time to listen and break down one or two thoughts that you start to really get the ball moving.
So, speak up for someone the next time you notice his or her good idea goes unnoticed—because working alongside smart, talented people only makes you look better.
Credit : themuse.com
Ask anyone who’s recently searched for a new job and he or she will tell you that it was a time-consuming endeavor. Scouring the internet for relevant postings, searching for hiring managers to connect with, and filling out lengthy applications can sometimes feel like a full-time job. But what if there was a way to bypass all of those headaches? What if your dream opportunity could just fall right into your lap (or pop up in your inbox)? Believe it or not, it’s totally possible to skip that first step.
While recruiters have great tools (like job boards and employee referral programs) at their disposal, they also spend hours searching for passive candidates to fill their open opportunities. Think about it this way: If you were in the market for a new car, and you were specifically looking for a 2016 model with less than 10,000 miles, an automatic transmission, leather upholstery, a built-in GPS, and heated seats, would you just sit back and wait for a car that meets all of these requirements to show up in your driveway?
Of course not—you’d be actively calling dealerships, searching the internet, and going on test drives. Well, the same idea applies to recruiting. Sure, it’s possible that the perfect candidate will apply, but a good recruiter doesn’t rely on postings alone to find the right person—she goes out looking.
Here’s how to ensure you’ll be found when that happens:
1. Create a Killer LinkedIn Profile
LinkedIn has a search tool designed specifically to help recruiters find candidates. They can search for everything from industry and experience level to location and job titles. They can also search for super-specific skills like SQL or UX design. If you don’t have a profile with relevant keywords, an up-to-date work history, and a compelling summary, you probably won’t show up in the search results.
Luckily, this is an easy fix. You’ll want to start by making a list of keywords and phrases that are relevant or commonly used in your industry. For example, if you’re in sales, you’d probably want to use keywords like business development, prospecting, negotiation, and account management throughout your profile. If you’re having a tough time figuring out which ones will attract people, try browsing a few job postings to get an idea of which phrases and terms are most commonly used. (There are also tons of free word counting tools that will generate a list of the most frequently used words in a job description.)
Next, you’ll need to get your work history updated. Similar to a resume, your LinkedIn profile is an opportunity to share your proudest accomplishments and successes—in a less formal and more conversational way. Instead of simply copying and pasting the content of your resume, try summarizing what you did in each of your jobs (past and present) in a couple of sentences and backing these descriptions up with two or three tangible accomplishments.
For example, if you were an executive assistant for a large company, you might say something like:
As an executive assistant for ABC Company, the second largest e-commerce organization in the world, I owned all administrative support functions for the COO and operations team. This included calendaring, meeting coordination, travel arrangements, and records management.
Some of my most notable accomplishments included:
- Implementing a new, more efficient calendaring system, resulting in a 20% decrease in double-booked meetings
- Seamlessly coordinating last minute international travel arrangements for five executives with less than four hours’ notice
- Spearheading the transition from traditional paper files to a paperless filing system, ultimately saving the organization more than $15K annually on storage and filing supply expenses.”
The key here is to provide a clear and concise snapshot of your experience while simultaneously finding ways to incorporate relevant keywords and highlight your meaningful, tangible achievements.
A standout summary is the final crucial element. While trying to capture the essence of your amazingness in a few short sentences may sound daunting, it’s actually pretty simple. A compelling one typically consists of three key elements: a bold, straightforward, or attention-grabbing opening line, a brief, impactful summary of what you’re great at, and a sneak peek into what makes you unique.
For example:
I specialize in the warm fuzzies. As a customer success manager with more than five years of experience in the account management space, I know a thing or two about making customers happy. Currently, I’m the customer success manager for ABC Company, where I own a robust portfolio of more than 40 client accounts.
This role requires a dazzling array of skills, but my specialties include customer retention, client relations, and issue resolution. Since joining the team, my exceptional listening skills and solutions-focused approach have enabled me to increase client retention by almost 75% in less than a year.
When I’m not catching up with a client or resolving a customer complaint, you can probably find me hiking Mount Kilimanjaro or watching Netflix with my cat. Regardless of what I’m doing when you reach out, I’ll be sure to get back to you within 24 hours or less. You can get in touch with me here: [email protected].”
Lastly, don’t forget to update the rest of your profile, create a customized URL, and headline.
2. Optimize Your Online Presence
When you search for your name online, what comes up? Is it an embarrassing photo from college, a link to your LinkedIn profile, or nothing at all? Don’t panic if you aren’t thrilled with the results—optimizing your online presence is easier than you’d think.
To start, consider whether or not you should update your social media account settings. If you don’t want your future boss to be able to read through every status update you’ve posted since 2007, you may want to make your accounts private. If you’re concerned about false or damaging information that a simple change in settings can’t fix, it may be worth reaching out to a service like Reputation Defender.
Next, you want to start populating the internet with positive, searchable content. Your LinkedIn profile’s a great start, as is Twitter (if you use it for professional tweets and posts), Medium, and Squarespace. Creating professional profiles and populating them with relevant, career-focused content will help you to grow your presence quickly and efficiently. The more your name is out there, the easier you are to find.
3. Get Active, Stay Active
Establishing an active online presence will not only make you more searchable, but it will also make you more credible. After completing step two, you’ll want to stay active by liking or sharing relevant posts that pop up in your LinkedIn or Twitter feeds. Simply commenting on or retweeting an industry specific article will draw more attention to your profile and make you easier to find. Do your best to like, comment, or share at least one post a day.
Better yet, subscribe to relevant news sources and share the articles that pique your interest with an insightful introductory line like, “Compelling read about the future of social media marketing. I found #3 to be particularly relevant” or “Having trouble getting into a productive morning routine? Check out this post about maximizing your daily schedule.” Yes, it’s that easy.
4. Network
While a majority of poaching activity occurs online, establishing a name for yourself in the real world has some serious perks, too. You never know who you’ll meet at that networking happy hour or industry meet-up. Ask to attend a seminar, volunteer to work the booth at an upcoming tradeshow, or offer to speak at a conference. Increasing your visibility and expanding your network by carving out time to attend relevant events could really pay off. I can recall multiple occasions when a CEO asked me to track down a person that she saw speak at a conference or met a tradeshow so that we could poach him or her.
Expanding your social network never hurts either. Set aside some time to browse the “people you may know” section and be sure to make an effort to connect with the interesting people you meet at networking events.
Becoming an irresistibly poachable candidate does, admittedly, require some work. But that’s nothing compared to the hours you’d spend reading through job postings and filling out online applications, and you can take your time with it. If you’re willing to put in the effort, your hard work might be handsomely rewarded with a fantastic new opportunity served up on a silver platter—no job boards or ATS required.
Credit : themuse.com
When I first moved to New York, I was a cover letter machine. I wrote to every sir or madam with a job opening. I expressed my interest in positions for which I had none. I waxed rhapsodic about companies I’d never heard of. My response rate? A whopping zero percent.
Around the 10th unanswered application, the negative chatter started to kick in—and it sounded suspiciously like Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada.
Go home, Lisa, said the small, icy voice in my head. You’re just not cut out for this. Also, you have no sense of style. At my lowest point, while surfing job boards at Starbucks, I actually locked myself in the bathroom and cried.
Here’s the good thing about rock bottom: Nothing is off-limits. I gave myself permission to try any and all tactics in the cover letter playbook, from throwing in a Beyoncé GIF to pretending the hiring manager and I were good friends. Finally, 103 cover letters later, I landed on one that worked.
Within an hour, I had an interview request waiting in my inbox—and then another, and another. Soon, my response rate skyrocketed from 0 to 55%, and I was scheduling interviews with Vogue, InStyle, and Rolling Stone into my calendar. In other words, this letter—fueled by an old copywriting framework called problem-agitate-solve—is powerful stuff.
Here’s how this three-part formula (a.k.a., my secret sauce) works:
1. Identify the Problem
55% of hiring managers don’t read cover letters. Why should they, when we write like modern-day Oliver Twists, begging them to please, sir, give us the job?
News flash: The hiring manager isn’t here to make your dreams come true. They’re in it for themselves. OK, that’s harsh, but the truth is that they’re looking for an awesome candidate to come in and do a kick-ass job that’ll help them run their department (or company) more efficiently and successfully. That’s why, when a friend tipped me off to an opening at the fashion magazine I’d read religiously since middle school, I resisted the urge to gush—and opened with this one-liner instead:
“As a veteran of Details.com and Vs. Magazine, I’ve seen how crazy fashion month can get.”
This sentence, though just 16 words long, tells the hiring manager two things: I understand the problem you’re trying to solve, and I’ve been there. The trick? Zeroing in on the right problem—because it’s almost never spelled out for you in the job description.
When you’re writing your own cover letter, start with the list of responsibilities and ask yourself, Why? Why is this task important to this company? Keep digging until you can’t go any further. The true need is usually the one at the end of a chain of whys.
2. Agitate the Problem
Now that you’ve identified the problem, here comes the fun part.
Because no hiring manager has ever said, “I just love paying employees thousands of dollars every year!” your challenge now is to remind him or her how painful the problem is, and by default, how valuable a solution could be. Don’t be afraid to twist the knife a bit, like I did in my second paragraph:
If you’re looking for someone who can not only keep up, but also deliver that SEO-friendly, 75-page street style slideshow five minutes ago…
Notice I didn’t say, “If you’re looking for someone who can turn around projects quickly…” I was specific, and I made sure to use an example I knew would resonate with a stressed-out web editor.
And if you’re new to the industry or the role? Just ask. This is exactly what informational interviews are for. Find someone on the team you’re applying to, let your interviewer do most of the talking, and pay close attention to how he or she discusses the company’s challenges.
In conversation, we instinctively trust people who mirror our body language. On your application, you won’t get the chance—but you can do the next best thing: Pick up on your interviewer’s subtle cues and phrases and then mirror their speaking language in your cover letter.
3. Offer the Solution
By this point, you’ve got the hiring manager squirming at the table. Now, deliver the solution. Hint: It’s you.
Think about what makes you incredibly qualified to solve the problem. In my case, I knew I wanted the hiring manager to think of me and say, “Lisa? Oh, she’s the one who knows our backend systems and seems like a real go-getter.”
Here’s how I made it happen:
“Since TeamSite and I are old friends, I’ll be able to hit the ground running—and whether it’s churning out a dozen blog posts per day or refreshing the homepage with breaking fashion month news, I’ve done it all. Most importantly, you’ll never hear me say, “That’s not my job!”
4. Close With Confidence
After all that work, you aren’t going to dash off a breathless “Hope to hear from you soon!” right? Instead, seal the deal with a sentence that displays confidence, competence, and a genuine interest in the company:
“I’d love to learn more about your production needs and how I can help!”
Boom. That’s it.
Like its contrarian sibling, the pain letter, this cover letter takes some guts to send. I get it—the first time I fired it off, I was so terrified my boyfriend had to hit the enter button for me.
Look at it this way, though: Everyone else will compete on how many buzzwords they can stuff in a sentence. They’ll swear up and down how passionate they are and how hard they work. But you? With this cover letter formula, you’ve already proved it.
You, my friend, play a different game.
Credit : themuse.com
By Jane Okoth
For Catherine Mwikali, struggling to find a job as a fresh graduate has been a real nightmare.
“Nothing for me seems to work anymore. I have applied for countless jobs but still no success. Worse still, some of the jobs i came across require a myriad of work experience yet i have only 6 months internship. Why can’t i find a job as a fresh graduate?” she asks.
Take a look at the number of fresh graduates churned out of universities each year. A World Bank report revealed that Kenya holds the dubious distinction of being the country with the largest number of unemployed youth in east Africa. With such statistics we can agree that the country’s rate of unemployment is very high.
However, there are a lot of reasons why fresh graduates in Kenya cannot find jobs according to Human Resource Experts.
If you are a fresh graduate in Kenya, you need to read this so as to find out why you can’t find a job despite your qualifications.
Why Fresh Graduates In Kenya Can’t Find A Job
1. Fresh Graduates In Kenya Are Choosy
Fridah Abuya, a HR Consultant at Virtual HR says that most graduates are motivated by money when looking for a job hence Kenyan employers will not hire them. Also, money motivates them to the point of wanting to change jobs more often in search of “greener pastures.”
“If you are a graduate and want to be employed you need to change your attitude and not be in it for the money,” she says.
Also, if you have been applying for numerous jobs but no response, ask yourself if your standards are too high. If that is the case, lower your expectations on the type of organisation you expect to be hired into.
It is normal to fantasize working in fancy offices, whirling around chairs and receive huge salaries like your fellow college mate but the reality is that life does not turn out to be the way you want it to be.
“As a learner, don’t dismiss casual or odd jobs because this will give you a chance to gain work experience,” she warns. Besides, a lot of successful people like KCB CEO Joshua Oigara started in very humble organisations.
2. Fresh Graduates In Kenya Lack Internship/Work Experience
As much as it sounds unfair, Kenyan employers are not ready to hire an individual who lacks work experience. Most companies when hiring look for experience even if it is an internship position, which most graduates lack.
At least one year experience is important for every graduate even if you are being hired for a management trainee position because nowadays people get hired based on their experience.
Are you a fresh graduate with limited work experience? It’s high time you reach out to organisations that have projects and require volunteers to achieve their objectives. Start small with organizations near your vicinity and this initiative no matter how small can help to build up your CV as well as allow your skills learnt in school to be implemented.
3. They Fail To Express Their Skills And Education In Their CV
According to Peris Mwangi, a Human Resource Business Partner at Uchumi Supermarket, points out that one area many job seekers struggle with is their exposure to activities while seeking their education and expressing this on their CVs.
“Some go to college and keep away from any extra curriculum activity. This is on the basis that once they are done with college they will seek gainful employment at that time, missing out an opportunity to build some experience. Others on the other hand expose themselves to extra curriculum activities but are unable to translate this into their CVs.” she says.
According to Ms Mwangi, leadership, communication skills and some competencies could actually be demonstrated by citing those activities, setting fresh graduates above the rest and improving their marketability.
Are you a fresh graduate in Kenya with no experience? Consider working on these mistakes so that you don’t fall in the category of graduates who are having a hard time finding a job.
By Selipha Kihagi
Ever been to a job interview where you forgot to carry an important document that was required? You will be surprised how often that happens. A job seeker walks into a job interview only to go blank when the interviewer asks for certain documents. Or you carry what you think will be needed only to realize that they wanted something totally different. Are you a victim of this? If you are, or are scheduled for a job interview soon but not sure what to carry, this article is here to act as a reminder of what will be required.
As part of your interview preparation, know that employers and recruiters always look forward to see certain documents in the interview. If you are a smart job seeker and you did everything to get ready for the interview, you probably carried the right ones. But if you were in a hurry to prepare or did not really pay attention, you may find yourself with all the wrong papers. Below are the documents that employers want to see in an interview.
Documents that Employers Want to See in an Interview
1. Copies of your CV
Just because you sent in your CV in the application does not mean you go to the interview without it, no. While the employer or recruiter may already have your CV in their database or even in hardcopy, it is always advised that you carry a few copies of your CV. And by copies I mean printed out documents, not the one saved on your phone.
Most interviewers will ask for a copy of your CV as soon as you enter the interview room. Sometimes you may meet an interview panel where every individual needs a copy of your CV in hand as the interview progresses. It would be embarrassing if you were to not have enough for everyone. So always remember to make copies as part of your interview preparation.
2. Relevant original certificates
See what I did there? I used the words relevant and original to describe the certificates that are required in the job interview. Employers and recruiters want to see your original certificates that are relevant to the job in question. These will include the one for your degree, diploma or any relevant training you may have gone through as part of your education qualification.
Also if you did any short courses relevant to your profession and the job you are applying for; make sure you carry those certificates to the interview. They act as a confirmation that you are indeed as qualified as your CV says you are and takes away any doubt that the employer may have about your honesty.
3. Recommendation letters
Are you the job seeker who never asks for a recommendation letter as soon as you leave an organization? I ask this because most people just resign and do not think it important to ask for recommendation from previous employers. You pack up and start looking forward to the next job, not paying attention to the fact that potential employers will need to know what kind of employee you are. And what better way to know than hear it from your previous employer?
While you may be convincing in your interview, a letter of recommendation is more convincing to potential employers. So if you don’t have any recommendation letter with you, make it a priority to get one. Recommendation letters play an important role in your job search and carrying it to the job interview may be impactful than you think. Of course not every employer will ask for the recommendation during the interview, but it will not hurt to carry just in case.
4. Your payslips
Yes you will need to carry your payslips to the interview, especially if the job advert mentioned that you indicate your current or previous salary. This is probably the last thing you would think an employer would want to see, right? Well, employers want to make sure that the salary you quoted is indeed what you were earning and not fabricated. It also helps to confirm that you were indeed employed and paid for your hard work.
So if you are getting ready for an upcoming interview, ready your recent payslips any other document that proves you were or currently are a paid employee. And while not all organizations will ask for this, recruitment firms in Kenya are keen on this.
5. Any other requested document
In addition to the four documents mentioned above, employers and recruiters may ask you to carry particular documents. If the job requires you to travel to another country for instance, employers may want to see proof that you are allowed to travel. They could ask for your passport. Other positions may be keen on your citizenship and ask that you carry an identification card. Depending on the job you are applying for, employers may also ask that you carry a certificate of good conduct.
So the key here is to pay attention to what recruiters and employers say when they are inviting you to the interview. Most of them will send you an email with details on what to carry, so always remember to check your emails after that phone call. You never know what you will find.
Job interviews are usually a step closer to getting the job. If you do the interview right, you never have to worry if you are going to get the job or not. But if you do it wrong, you will always wonder why you never get the job thereafter. Do you experience difficulties in job interviews? Consult an interview coach today and learn how to ace every interview you go to.
By Jane Okoth
How many times have you ever spotted a job advert and thought you were the best fit for the role? In a typical recruitment world, the qualified candidate will get the job. However there are many reasons why a qualified job seeker may not get the job even though they have the all the skills and qualifications it takes.
If you didn’t get the job you applied for, it doesn’t mean that you were not qualified. According to Wanjiru Chabeda, a Recruitment Manager At Corporate Staffing Services, there are a lot of factors that come into play when short listing candidates and even the best candidate may miss out on the short listing.
Here are 5 reasons from a recruiter’s point of view why you didn’t get the job even though you were very qualified for the position.
Why You Didn’t Get The Job Even Though You Were Qualified
1. You Didn’t Get The Job Because You Applied Past The Deadline
Seen a job advert whose deadline passed and still want to apply for that job? Don’t even think about it. According to Ms Chabeda , when you apply for a job matters.
“Whenever an advert goes out and people start applying, the short listing begins immediately. Besides, recruiters have a 100 plus job applications to review and chances is that they will not think about considering late applications. If you apply for a job past the deadline, chances are that you will miss out on a good opportunity even though you were highly qualified,” Ms Chabeda says.
2. You Didn’t Follow The Job Application Instructions
Failure to follow instructions is one of the key reasons why your job application will be rejected and never make it to the interview stage.
Many companies have different ways of recruiting candidates for positions. You may have come across through an advert that read “no phone calls please or no certificates will be allowed. Some other companies may also ask you to bring along copies of your original CV and other testimonials as well as instructions on how to dress.
Whatever instructions an employer has, he or she has their reasons and failing to follow them speak volumes about the kind of person you are causing you to be disqualified for the job.
So what happens if you don’t follow instructions? You will either carry along the wrong documents, you will not dress appropriately or you will come to the interview unprepared.
Word of advice is that whatever you do; don’t forget to read the job application instructions because if you don’t, how will the employer be sure you are going to do the same once hired?
3. You Had Unexplained Gaps In Your CV
One of the biggest mistakes you can make in an application that puts the employer off is not accounting for employment gaps. In any job application, you must do whatever it takes to ensure your CV clearly demonstrates your skills and qualifications for the job and that includes explaining your employment gaps.
Whether you were fired or terminated for one reason or the other or are a fresh graduate not able to secure a job, it’s very important to address the employment gaps in your CV. They key thing is to look like you were occupied during the unemployment period because one the employer notices that you were unemployed for almost a year, it casts doubt about your suitability.
Whether it will be in the form of volunteer work, internship or even going back to school, its upon you to address that in your CV.
4. You Copied The Job Description On Your CV
When applying for a position, it is always recommended that you have your CV tailored to fit the job you are applying for. “However, this does not mean that you copy paste the whole job description into your CV,” warns Ms Chabeda.
The worst part here is that you will be caught red handed because the recruiter probably made that job description himself and spotting it is easy. Again it portrays you as a lazy job seeker who cannot get his applications in order thereby not bring you out as a strong candidate.
5. You Had Too Much Changing Jobs Even Though You Were Qualified
Job hopping is always a turnoff to most recruiters because it does not depicts you as a candidate who is not willing to be corrected hence too much of changing jobs. Worse still it can give a picture of a job seeker who goes where the money is more.
For instance if you have changed 2 jobs for a period of 3 months, the recruiter will start to ask questions and wonder whether you will do the same once hired.
If you are keen on growing and developing your career, job hopping should be the last thing on your mind.
6. Your Attitude Said It All
Regardless of how qualified you might be for a position, your attitude tells a lot about you. You might be the smartest and best qualified candidate but if you start being rude in an interview, the interviewer will not be impressed.
While it is important to be confident in a job interview, be careful not to come out as arrogant because no employer would to hire a want a rude person. Instead, be humble and talk about how you fit for the job by showcasing your skills and qualifications.
The job search is tricky and if you can control some mistakes in the application process and get yourself ahead in being shortlisted the better.
“When a job application asks for my salary expectations can I leave it out and would this affect my chances of landing a job? And most important, where should I quote my salary expectations?” asks Ms. Valentine Mukholwe in an email
Many jobs require candidates to mention their salary requirements. As an applicant it is important to note that if the advertisement does not ask for it, do not bother mentioning. Lack of inclusion will not land you an interview as an employer views you as a person who cannot follow instructions.
There are two methods to place it: the first method is to state that your salary requirements are negotiable based on the position and the benefits. The second way is to include a range based on a salary research you have done.
How to indicate salary expectations in a CV
“This is usually placed right before listing your referees. The reasons for not placing it before is that it allows the employer to first view your skills, knowledge and experience instead of judging you by your salary,” confirms Melody Mwendwa, a career advisor and Certified CV Writer at corporate Staffing Services.
Example of how to put it: “My current salary is Kshs. 20, 000 per month and I expect a salary in the range of Kshs. 25,000 to Kshs. 35,000 monthly.”
How to indicate the salary expectations on the cover letter
A cover letter is your pitch sales. When it comes to stating your salary expectations, state it after the third paragraph just before you thank the employer for taking the time to consider your application.
Example of how to state it: “As per your request and basing on my understanding of the job responsibilities listed in the ad plus the value I bring to your organization, my salary expectations fall in the range of Kshs. 25,000 to Kshs. 35, 000 per month.”
Salary expectations must be based on your current or last salary making sure that it is practical. For example, if you earn Kshs. 20, 000 do not state that you expect a Kshs. 60, 000 salary. While this might be your dream salary a 300% increase is over the line. Quote a reasonable range.
By Selipha Kihagi
Based on the current trend, it is no news that getting a job in Kenya is almost a nightmare. You have all the necessary qualifications but for reasons you cannot seem to grasp, other people get hired and you never make the cut. So why is it that you are not getting the job?
In an earlier article here, I tried to explain the 4 things you could be doing wrong in your applications. Some of you wrote to me saying they were not victims of the 4 mistakes but would like to know why they were still not getting jobs. Following up on that, I wrote this other post explaining 3 more things that could be wrong with your application. Again, some of you denied being victims.
So, could there be another reason you are not getting the job? The answer is yes and this new post shares more on why you are not getting the job even with your outstanding qualifications.
Why You Are Not Getting the Job, Despite Being Qualified
Any recruiter will confirm that they always have certain features they are looking for from applicants. And this is why it is always important to know what recruiters and employers are looking for in your CV before you even submit your application. To learn more about that, this post published last week should be of great help.
That said, here is why you are not getting the job even with your qualifications;
1. You are not as qualified for the position as you think
The one common issue among most job seekers is why they can’t seem to get interviews or jobs yet they are well qualified for the position. If you fall into this category of job seekers, I would like you to ask yourself this one question; why do you really think you are qualified for the position?
You could say you have the experience needed, but have you worked in a similar industry like the job posting required? You could say that you have the skills, years of experience and have worked in a similar industry, but do your duties and responsibilities align with what the position seeks? You could also say that you have every qualification needed, but why do the job titles on your CV tell a whole other story?
The reality of the matter; you are only as qualified as the recruiter handling your application thinks. Most of you do not spend enough time analysing the details of a job description and that is where you go wrong. By taking your time to understand what the job needs, you learn how to tailor your CV for the role and tune the recruiter’s mind into picking you for the interview. Applying without editing your CV to match the position in question is a fail you cannot come back from.
2. Recruiters see very little and one single error is too many
The first section a recruiter will look at when they receive your CV is the work experience section. And while here, importance will be given on your job titles, companies you worked in, time spent in the positions and the first five duties and responsibilities. You can read more here on what employers look for in your work experience when hiring.
If you have an error in the work experience section, your application will almost always get bypassed. And by errors, I mean mistakes like leaving out your job title or company name and having confusing dates. For instance, putting “2014 – 2015” as the time period for which you worked in a certain position will always raise eyebrows. How many months did you actually work? Was it December to January? May be a few days or a few weeks into the New Year? Recruiters won’t know for sure.
Always remember that one simple error will be an issue, especially when you are competing against hundreds of other qualified candidates.
3. You have a professional CV but your application is just wrong
Having a well laid out CV is one thing and using it to get job interviews is another thing altogether. Remember that recruiters don’t usually read through your CV when shortlisting candidates, No. Instead, they skim through the document to pick out certain aspects from your CV. So if you did not customize your CV to match the job description given, then you are not getting the job.
What does this mean?
Let’s say you are applying to a Supply Chain job in the FMCG industry. The job description insists that you have prior experience in FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) companies. However, the CV you use to apply shows that you have been working in the procurement department of a bank or top corporation. According to the recruiter, such a CV does not show your experience in the industry. Learn more on how to write a CV that gets you the job in this post here. Your CV may include duties that relate to the ones in the position, but if you do not prioritize those duties for recruiters to see, someone else will get the job.
Why you are not getting a job could be as a result of the above issues, or it could be something else. The trick to making sure you get a job you apply for is to know what recruiters are looking for and give them exactly that. Do not assume that a recruiter will see your qualifications as you see them. Most of the times they don’t and it is up to you to feed it down to them.
No one likes to hear or be told they are the reason something they want is not working out for them. I don’t either. But let’s face it, to apply for a job and get it demands that you follow certain guidelines and avoid some careless mistakes that employers don’t condone.
It requires you to take your time to read through a job description before applying and following set instructions. A step by step guide is just another addition provided by career experts to ensure your application is successful. If you don’t follow these guidelines, you usually don’t get the job.
The same applies to the job search process. Finding jobs demands more than visiting a job website or browsing through the newspaper to see open opportunities. It is more than going to the jobs section on LinkedIn or following HR companies for opportunities. It requires more and more is hard work, which we all want to avoid. The problem with job seekers is you want the easy way out.
3 ways you are to blame for job search failure
1. You are searching for ANY open jobs
As a job seeker, the one thing you want is a job. Most times you will not care for which opportunity as long as it’s a job you can do and get paid. There is nothing wrong with this, except the fact that you are probably not going to be considered for a job demanding 2 years experience when you have none or less than that. You are also not going to get that data clerk job without experience, even when you know very well, that you can do the job.
For you to find jobs, search for the ones you are qualified to do instead of just any open opportunity. Be specific; recruiters don’t know what you can do, they look at your papers.
2. You are too proud to seek help
The job market is ever-changing. What you thought worked 8 months ago is not what will work for you today, especially when companies are moving their business online. So, to be safe and increase your chances it would be wise if you reached out to someone for advice on how best to find jobs.
Today, there are endless career websites for that with updated information on what employers are looking for and where they are posting jobs. So, if you’ve been job searching a long time, employers don’t hate you, you are doing something wrong. Ask for help!
3. You are contacting recruiters in the wrong language
One way of finding jobs is keeping tabs on recruitment firms and even contacting recruiters directly to know if there are available jobs. Most recruitment firms will provide information on their recent jobs through their websites and even social media pages. But how do you get back to them for consideration?
At Corporate Staffing, I interact with recruitment managers and they are never short of complains about the language job seekers are using to contact them for jobs. Using short form is not acceptable; if you are serious about your job search always keep it professional. Even emails demand the use of English language as taught in class. Avoid short forms or being too informal.
Forget the economy for a minute, finding jobs is like an exam, you have to use what you have learnt prior if you are to pass. Sometimes you have to use a little imagination and logic, but you never assume.
Source: The Muse
Many of the job seekers are stuck in their careers right now. Why? They’re playing an old set of rules. They are struggling to find jobs or to get ahead in their current ones because they haven’t noticed that the economy and global workforce have changed, and they haven’t adapted.
Corporations want to do more with fewer resources. They are looking for entrepreneurial-minded workers who can move business forward. They are looking for the best talent at the lowest price, which means job seekers and employees alike are competing with professionals from all over the world.
These days, just doing your job isn’t enough—you have to constantly expand your role, learn new skills, and grow your network if you want to stay relevant. Regardless of your current occupation, the following five rules will help you survive and thrive in this new world of work.
5 Rules To Getting Ahead In Your Career
1. Always Be Open to New Opportunities
A decade ago, you could graduate from college and have a secure job for life. But these days, you could get laid off on a moment’s notice, your team could be outsourced, or your company merged or acquired.
That means, you always need to be looking for new opportunities (as well as building a strong online presence so that you’ll attract them, too). This is not to say that you should be job-hopping all the time—my rule of thumb is to stay in one role for at least a year, unless you’re presented with an opportunity you can’t refuse. But a new Careerbuilder study shows that 74% of workers are either actively searching for a new job or open to a new opportunity. If you want to get ahead in your career, don’t close yourself off.
2. Have a Consulting Mindset
We’re living in what I call “ROI Nation” right now, where companies aren’t willing to take risks hiring people. They want to be 100% confident they are hiring someone who can get the job done flawlessly and add value to the company.
So if you’re a job-seeker, you need to prove your worth, and the best way to do this is to act like a consultant. Instead of just applying for a job, make a presentation on how you can add more value to the company. Come with a case study to show that you’ve improved sales of your last client or company by 50% or that you helped increase efficiencies that led to a decrease of costs by 70%. Don’t just tell a company that you’ll add value—show it.
3. Be Able to Change and Adapt
Be prepared for your job situation to change constantly. I know so many people who were finance or marketing majors in college and who now have a completely different career. Even if you’re certain of your career path, you could find yourself with a new manager and need to adapt to his or her leadership style on short notice. Or, if you own a company, you might find your business model changes over time based on demand and on how your customers are using your products and services.
You can best position yourself for these changes by understanding your core strengths and gaining skills that can be used across various business functions and roles. Being able to roll with the punches will be key to your long-term success.
4. Learn the Skills of Today and Tomorrow
There are many ways to acquire new skills, whether you prefer online training modules, YouTube educational videos, open source courses (such as MIT’s), books, or finding expert mentors online. It’s also important to read up on industry news daily, so you’re aware of relevant events and can sound intelligent in meetings and in job interviews.
5. Surround Yourself with the Right People
You need to build a strong network for several reasons. First, if you’re around the right people, you will become smarter and more confident about your career. Second, if you get laid off, you’ll have a network to help guide you to new opportunities—finding a job by submitting a resume doesn’t usually work because you’re just one resume in a stack of thousands. Your network can help you cut through the clutter and get noticed.
Finally, you appear to be more valuable when you’re around other ambitious and intelligent people. Surround yourself with people who will build you and your career up, not bring you down.
These are a couple of tips needed by interviewees to survive the rigorous interview sessions organised by employers.
Job hunt is a very stressful aspect of one’s life; it takes motivation and being positive to get the right and dream job. Interviews usually bring tense to job seekers. The more confident you feel, the more chances of gaining the interviewer attention.
Be poised and hold your head high with these useful interview tips:
1.) Body Postures
Usually the mind controls all our actions and movement, but it is possible to use the body to trick the mind into feeling a certain way. Slouching or slumping and crossing your arms are all examples of closed off postures, and when we feel small, we tend to exhibit these poses. If you spend a little time opening yourself up and exhibiting the postures of the confident, you can build a sense of assurance just by your actions. Spend several minutes practicing “power poses,” or opening yourself up, spreading your arms, walking tall, and looking the part.
2.) Be audible while speaking and put a smile
If you are not audible enough while speaking, Practice deep breathing, this will relax your diaphragm and your vocal cords, which will result in a voice with more resonance and a somewhat lower tone and more breath to give power to your speech.
I recommend adding a few singing lessons, the instructor can teach you how to use the cavities in your head to create even more resonance. Once the interview starts, it’s extremely difficult to correct our speaking problems because we may be too nervous or we just plain don’t notice them. Practice speaking your answers out loud so you can hear your voice and correct any nervous intonations, pitch problems, or pacing issues before you go to your interview.
Smiling reduces stress that your body and mind feel, almost similar to getting good sleep, according to recent studies. And smiling helps to generate more positive emotions within you. Smile often before your interview to get in the habit of doing so, and you’ll feel more comfortable offering a genuine smile while you’re greeted and when you’re being interviewed.
3.) Prepare, Practice and Rehearse answers loudly
Before going for any interview invitation, you must be fully prepared. Being prepared for interview gives a feeling of confidence. You should be well-equipped, rehearse potential interview answers with a friend. “Look at the skills, experience, knowledge and personal qualities you have and think of examples showing how you developed these.
4.) Win over your anxiety and fear
For some job seekers, nerves can be disabling. Something happens when they walk through the door of the interviewer’s office. Cold sweat trickles down the back of their knees. Their minds draw a blank when asked basic questions like, “Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?” or, “Why would you like to work for this company above all others?”
These candidates feel like they’re back at school in front of a crowded assembly, unable to make those words pass their lips. The easiest way to combat fear is by not using excuses. Instead, you need to look for positive approaches to accomplish your goal. Don’t let fear, nerves and stage fright keep you from the job interview you want. “Sometimes nerves take over and you don’t show who you are.”
5.) Dress appropriately
Before you say a single word to the interviewer, you have already made an impression based on how you’re dressed. Every company has a different dress code; how you dress at the job may have very little to do with how you dress for an interview. Dress in a manner that is professionally appropriate to the position for which you are applying. In almost all cases, this means wearing a suit. A dark-colored suit with light colored shirt is your best option.
Source: Tori.ng
By Selipha Kihagi
As the number of people applying for various positions continues to rise, employers are finding aptitude tests an ideal way to select the best candidate. Aptitude tests are designed to measure a candidate’s ability to perform tasks and deal with important information under various working conditions. These tests can be numerical – where you are tested on statistics and figures, verbal or personality based.
The aptitude tests you encounter will depend on your profession, the position you apply for and the employer.
Why do employers want you to take aptitude tests?
You may have wondered why some employers are keen on taking you through the hustle of an aptitude test. Or why your qualifications are not enough to warrant your suitability for a particular role. Well, employers do have their reasons and whether you believe in their reasons will not matter much if you want to get hired.
When employers ask you to take aptitude tests, they believe that your results will show if you can perform well in the job or not. How high you perform on the tests will translate to how high a performing employee you will be. The other reason why employers want you to take the aptitude tests is so they can reduce the number of qualified applicants.
With the shaky economy contributing to job cuts, open positions receive a ton of applicants that even recruiters cannot sift through. To avoid leaving out qualified applicants based on simple mistakes on their CVs, employers use aptitude test scores to select the best candidates.
That said, below is everything you need to know about aptitude tests.
All You Need To Know About Aptitude Tests
1. There is no standard pass mark in aptitude tests
Aptitude tests are usually scored in figures and percentages. For example you could score 28 out of 30, 6 out of 10 or have an 80% score. This though is just a figure and whether you pass or not will be dependent on other people’s performances. What does this mean? As mentioned earlier, there is no standard pass mark you will be required to meet.
Employers will use past performances of people in your area of study to gauge your performance. For instance, while a test score of 25 out of 30 may appear great performance to you, if the average score of other people in your profession is at 27, then that becomes a low score. And if you score 6 of 10 in a personality score and the employer is looking for a 9, then you miss out on the opportunity.
2. Aptitude tests are done online or on premise
When was the last time you were in an exam room? Some professions will take you back to a classroom scene during their recruitment process. You will be required to sit among other candidates for the aptitude test, which can be nerve-wracking.
Alternatively, employers can send the tests to you online and you can do them at the comfort of your home. The two cases will also apply if you are working with recruitment agencies for your tests, but the advantage is you get to make the choice.
3. Contrary to popular belief, you can control your aptitude test scores
You may have heard that you never know what questions will be asked during the aptitude tests. Well, while this may be true there is a high chance that you can know exactly what to expect. These tests are just like the exams you had in school; if you prepared beforehand then your chances of passing were high and vice versa.
Just as practice makes perfect for common interview questions, so is it true for aptitude tests. Practising taking these tests in a controlled environment and timing yourself through the whole process will help you ace the aptitude tests without question. Luckily you can find free versions of these tests online, but if you want a more professional and accurate test, then you should consider paying for one. In some cases, if the tests were from a certified provider, employers can use those results instead of taking you through another aptitude test.
4. Even the smartest of applicants can score low in an aptitude test
Are you great in math? Do you enjoy manipulating figures and solving problems? Well, that’s all good. But to ace an aptitude test in Kenya, you will require more than mathematical prowess. Aptitude tests are always timed and psychologically altered to tap on your reasoning and logic. They also contain more than the numerical aspect, meaning you will be required to portray a personality that is able to deal with difficult people in the office too.
