Recruiting In Kenya Explained: This Is Why You Are Not Getting The Job

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.