There is this attitude that most Kenyans have due to lack of exposure. Like believing that it’s impossible to land a good job in Kenya without connections.
This kind of mentality will make you lose a lot of opportunities in life, especially if you don’t even try.
It’s even worse if you start blaming other people without even looking at yourself in the mirror.
Even though you have a higher chance of getting a good job through connections, there are many people who got jobs in government or private institutions without knowing anybody.
If you’re very good at your job with a high demand skills set, you don’t need to know “anyone” in the company to get a job.
The worst thing you can do to yourself is underestimate yourself.
It’s better to try and fail. I missed many opportunities because I simply believed I couldn’t do. Then I see people with worse positions than me doing it and just shake my head.
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That’s encouraging words. But I know tarmacking. Buying A4s every week na mabahasha kudrop cvs kila saa inabidi you take a break usikae scammer.
It’s easier for people already working. Entrants ndio hulia ukweli.
Like @Zandile has said above, there are two categories of jobs; entry level and senior level… to be hired in a senior level position you must either be so good such that employers will come looking for you…if that fails then your networks, including your referees, must do the bidding for you. The margin for error is usually very low in those positions kwanza if its in the private sector.
But for entry level jobs unaeza angukia…I believe over 50% get hired purely on merit although we have some exceptions…5 years ago we needed 200 enumerators for some survey for a government project …hapo ndio nilishtuka, yaani you think you are in charge and have even placed an advert in the dailies na kumbe 150 enumerators have already been brought in bila wewe kujua. On inquiring unaambiwa the big boss, yaani the line minister hukua na positions zake, in our case they were 10, directors pia hua na zao reserved for their people…every senior person in that ministry lazima aingishe mtu wake, mostly young female graduates. So to save the project you have to make sure the few remaining positions are filled with very competent persons…hapo ndio sasa merit inaingia.
Also if you recall I used to give out scholarships hapa ktalk and 1 or 2 talkers were beneficiaries. Such scholarships are usually very sensitive because they come directly from friends who are faculty members abroad and are looking for suitable MA or PhD candidates to supervise. Your reputations are at stake here. Hapo yenyewe you can’t forward a name if you aren’t sure about their abilities…lazima akue ni mtu anajiweza…so hapo hata relative hutampea kama hafiki level wanataka…random selection rarely works there because as you know some Kenyans are very good at buying everything including degrees.
You will also notice that in the NGO world they rarely hire outsiders…its always people in the same circles…and this rarely has anything to do with friendship but trust…they will advertise for formalities but they already know someone or company who will deliver for the project…hawataki kubahatisha because funders usually have crazy targets and you also don’t want to soil your annual performance evaluation.
Also picture this, you have just opened a new school and you are looking for new teachers, chances are that you already have a few names that you really trust will deliver according to your targets. Same thing applies to all sectors…proper club managers will source liquor from trusted and reliable sources, church pastor will hire a proven pianist, a salonist will hire a renown loctician, ukijenga nyumba you get the most reliable electrician and plumber na pia ukitaka kuhama you already have kamau’s number. Hakuna kubahatisha.
One time I was at a cyber cafe and I found out the person (a lady) who had used the computer prior to me had applied for a job at a small company in Westlands…the details were all there, so I did what anyone in the same situation would do: I submitted my application also. A few hours later I get a call from a guy from the company asking how I came to hear about this position, as in who told me about it? I just said “a friend”, but I could tell the chap wasn’t very pleased with me. Later I get another call from the lady who had also applied for the job, manze sinilutakanwa, was called a piece of “shiet”:meffi::meffi:, “gunia”, a useless bastard who thinks he can just waltz into an office and get a job.
Their handlers and godfatjers told them wacheze chini. Good luck getting a plum job in govt bila kujua mtu. Decision makers hujua before everyone else then they line up their people. Wengine mtaitwa tuu interview to legitimise the whole charade. Unaniandikia wangu na Mimi nakuandikia wako. Hapo hakuna kuona any nepotism
Your only real limitation is the one which you set up or permit others to establish in your mind.
If you think it’s impossible to get that job, you won’t get it because you will barely put any effort. It’s like losing a game in your mind before even getting on the field.
Meanwhile, there are people who are getting those jobs without knowing anybody and gradually rising to top levels through calculated strategies.