How to get a job in Kenya

These 3 Platforms Offer Remote Work Opportunities for Kenyans

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Remote work has become increasingly popular after COVID-19. The pandemic forced companies to create alternative ways to keep the work going during the lockdowns. Looking back, remote work is the silver lining in the dark clouds of that period.

Today, many professionals prefer the flexibility of remote work to working from the office. With remote work, you get the job done from anywhere, spend time with your loved ones, and enjoy the mental reprieve of avoiding commuting every morning.  If you are interested in remote work opportunities in Kenya, explore these three sites.

Oh, and when I say, remote work in Kenya, I mean the platforms available to Kenyans, not necessarily owned by Kenyans.

1. We Work Remotely

I have this as no.1 for a reason. We Work Remotely vets the employers on this site thoroughly to ensure the jobs are legit and worth your time. To weed out scams, employers must pay $299 to list their jobs on the site. 

Employers pay handsomely to post remote jobs on this platform.

From coders, creative designers, and customer service champs to marketing managers, there’s something for everyone. Their range is broad! 

Navigating the site is a breeze too, you can sift through listings by category and by using specific keywords in the search bar to narrow down your search specifics real quick!

2. Workingnomads.com 

This platform simplifies your job search. It offers a range of remote opportunities in various industries—from software development to graphic design, marketing, and customer support.

They’ve streamlined the process, ensuring that each job listing is genuine and of high quality. Plus, they provide multiple payment methods like direct bank transfers and paypal.

3. Remote.co

Remote. co is also a great platform to find remote work.  The interface is clean and easy to navigate. You can look for any role; be it design, social media management, data entry, and even healthcare roles. This platform will connect you with reputable companies that offer flexible work. 

I love their clean interface.

What sets Remote.co apart is its commitment to authenticity and quality. Each job listing undergoes a rigorous vetting process to ensure you’re only presented with legitimate remote jobs from trusted employers.

Tips for optimising your remote job search

Searching for remote job opportunities can be tough when you don’t know how to do the search right. Here are tips to help you optimize your remote job search:

  1. Identify your niche: Find your unique skill set and focus on positions that align with your expertise. This will help you stand out from the competition and increase your chances of finding remote work that matches your skills and interests.
  1. Polish your online presence: Update your online profiles and showcase your skills and experience. Employers often search for candidates online, so having a strong online presence can make a positive impression.
  2. Customize your applications: Tailor your resume and cover letter to each job application. Highlight relevant skills and experiences that make you a strong candidate for the specific remote job position you’re applying for. Don’t send generic CVs.

Remote work vs. freelance work sites

Most people looking for remote work get surprised when they get the jobs and it feels like it takes more of their time that they apportioned, and it comes as a surprise. They think remote jobs are freelance-like; comes with freedom and few touchpoints.

This’s true to some degree, but a freelancer’s more independent. Most companies offering remote work treat you as their employee. You don’t get the autonomy of a freelancer. You’ll be working according to company hours, and this’s essential for their goals as it improves collaborations. On the light side, you get employee benefits, like health insurance, on-job training, and equipment support. 


While as a freelancer you’re trading your craft as a business, remote work isn’t your business, and so your work is strictly informed by company timelines.

Get the difference? I thought you should know.

This’s why I haven’t listed popular freelance sites like Fiverr or Upwork here. 

In conclusion, remote work offer you flexibility and convenience. And Kenyans are reaping huge on these platforms, and you too can! Set yourself up; your payment details, your social profiles, and spruce up your CV. There are opportunities for you beyond the borders. 

How to get a job in Kenya, Keeping Your Job

Mastering Communication: An Afternoon with Selestine Njoga

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Communication is a foundational skill that everyone needs to excel in to get things done. 

Before you get into the intricacies of corporate communications, think of communication as a tool that enables us, as humans, to accomplish everyday tasks and coexist in our communities.

It’s thus a foundational skill that everyone needs to finesse to expedite the pace of creation and enhance human relations.

We were privileged to have Selestine Njoga, a seasoned communication professional, walk us through Communication Skills Training with the graduates at St. Aloysius.

Being the speaker of the day, Selestine took charge of the class and administered unforgettable communication hacks, having begun the session by thwarting the belief that there are good communicators and those who are not any good at all. 

“Communication is a skill, and anyone can learn it”. She assured the graduates.

She then established the need to communicate effectively within our communities.

She says, you shouldn’t miss an opportunity because you didn’t package yourself well. And how you communicate is a huge part of the package.

In this write-up, I’ll go over, albeit briefly, some of the areas she touched on that I feel the graduates should come back to.

Note: This’s not an attempt to summarize her entire session; just a few points I wrote down as the session progressed. To get everything from our speakers, attend our bi-weekly meetings. 

The art of public speaking 

Exploring the art of public speaking, she emphasized the need to be confident enough to speak your mind without fear of judgement.

“When you’re before the audience, you’re the boss!” She said, urging the graduates to walk heads high when called upon to speak.

An attentive class as Selestine goes over the do’s and don’ts of Public Speaking.



She proceeded to outline practical tips for delivering impactful speeches. These include;

Preparation: Be prepared. Do your research about the subject, about the event you’ll be speaking at. The more prepared you’re, the better you’ll talk; preparedness enriches your talk but also allows your to connect better with the audience and boosts your chance of overall success.

Practice: You have to practice your talk before your big day. “It’s better to stammer before the mirror rather than stammering before the panel”. She notes.

Confidence: Marcus Garvey is known for his repatriation efforts, but I remember him for the most profound quote on confidence. He said, without confidence, you’re twice defeated in life, and I agree. Selestine too spoke against timidity.

Have content in the subject matter: Always know your stuff. Learn, do your research and be as equipped as you can in your subject matter. It’s amazing how confident you become when you know you have the right content in whatever you’re speaking about

Eye contact: Maintain eye contact. They say the eyes are the windows of the soul, and it’s true. Every good communicator maintains eye contact as it invites the audience to your speech. It shows you’re a confident, open person to converse with and trust.


Pause to refine your thoughts: Instead of using fillers like ‘so’, ‘um’, ‘ah,’ just pause and gather your thoughts. It’s better than using ‘filled pauses’ that make you seem unprepared and clueless about the subject.

Here’s a detailed article  by Lauren Sergy on how to quit using the filled pauses in your speech. 

Active listening 

Active listening involves listening to what’s being said without judgement or interruption. You can make notes as the speaker speaks but don’t interrupt. You can also come back later to affirm the content from the speaker by asking relevant questions. 


Active listening is an essential communication skill that enhances employability and improves one’s quality of relationships beyond the workplace. A husband who knows how to listen actively can lead his family effectively.

Active listening makes you an excellent communicator and a better human being. 

In conclusion, communication goes beyond conveying information—it’s about building bridges, fostering understanding, and forging meaningful connections. Effective communication is a cornerstone of success, and thus a skill worth investing time and effort to develop.

As Mustardseed, we extend our gratitude to Selestine Njoga for her invaluable contributions to our graduates’ journey toward mastering the art of communication.

Work Environment

Mustardseed Conducts a Safeguarding Training

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On April 5th, MustardSeed conducted an introductory Safeguarding Training session at Don Bosco, Karen. The training brought together members of MustardSeed alongside teachers and support staff from St. Aloysious. The session emphasized the importance of creating safe environments for all individuals, particularly vulnerable populations such as children.

The trainers delved into various aspects of safeguarding, including identifying signs of abuse, implementing effective reporting procedures, and fostering a culture of vigilance and accountability within educational and community settings.

Through interactive discussions, the participants gained valuable insights and skills to recognize, respond to, and prevent instances of harm or neglect of vulnerable populations within communities.

As MustardSeed, our commitment to safeguarding extends beyond compliance with regulations. We’re dedicated to nurturing environments where everyone feels valued, respected, and protected. We strive to create an environment where learners feel empowered and resourceful in their communities. 

Employment in Kenya

Find Your Dream Job in Kenya: The Top Job Search Sites You Need to Know

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Job hunting is a challenging task. And that’s alright because it’s not supposed to be; you have to make an effort to put yourself out there, meet the right people and grab the opportunities that life throws your way.

Tough, isn’t it? You must actively seek to find– even jobs that your ambitious self considers low-entry.

If you haven’t been successful in landing a job, and have since grown clueless on what you’re doing wrong, this article is for you. In this article, we’ll explore job sites that will make your job hunting easier by listing opportunities that match your qualifications.

Job search sites have revolutionized how we search for and land jobs. As an active job seeker, it’s only right that you make some of these boards your go-to solution to find jobs and gigs, or at the very least, make them a great starting point! With their extensive databases and user-friendly interfaces, these job search sites are a great resource for professionals across various industries to browse opportunities conveniently in the digital age.



It’s 2024, don’t waste your time scrolling through the dailies or relying solely on word-of-mouth referrals. Use these job search sites and you might be surprised to land a lucrative job on the other side of the click.

Why You Should be Using Job Search Sites

The Kenyan job market is unbearably competitive, and getting and keeping a job can be pretty tough. This’s no news. At Mustardseed, we appreciate this fact; it’s tough getting and keeping a job! And it’s even harder when you’re just trying to find your footing with zero experience and few high-value connections in your circle.

The best thing about these job search sites is that they give you a pool of fresh job postings from employers who are also in a race to fill vacant positions in their companies. These sites expedite your job search, giving you options to choose from and a clear process to apply to the vacancies you feel qualified to fill.

And this helps, you know. Imagine having to clutch an envelope walking to offices in town, knocking on strange doors, hoping that you’d find a job. Such a hassle. That’s how our fathers and forefathers hunted for jobs.

But that dark era is behind us. Hallelujah! 

Today, these job search sites give you access to a vast database of job opportunities in the comfort of your seat. They partner with numerous employers, ranging from small startups to multinational corporations, ensuring a wide range of job listings. Thus, you can explore various industries and roles, expanding your horizons and increasing your chances of finding the perfect job.

These sites also consolidate all the relevant information in one place. You can easily filter your search based on location, industry, experience level, and other criteria, saving you time and effort.

You can also land valuable resources on these sites as a job seeker. They often feature career advice articles, resume-building tools, interview tips, and networking opportunities. These resources can help you enhance your job search strategy and stand out from the crowd.

Popular Job Search Sites in Kenya

Many job search sites in Kenya offer a user-friendly interface, comprehensive job listings, and advanced search options. Here are some of the most resourceful job search sites in Kenya that can help you land a job and grow your career. 

  1. BrighterMonday

It might sound crazy, but I got my first job on BrighterMonday, and that was over 10 years ago. I can only assume they’ve gotten better at doing what they do–linking job seekers to credible employment opportunities.

BrighterMonday allows job seekers to create profiles, upload resumes, and apply for jobs online. Employers can also post job openings and search for potential candidates using the site’s robust search filters.

BrighterMonday offers a premium subscription option for job seekers, providing additional features such as priority listing and access to exclusive job opportunities, but you can still get a lot more on their free option. 

  1. Career Point Kenya

Career Point Kenya focuses on providing career advice and job opportunities to Kenyan professionals. The platform features a user-friendly interface and allows job seekers to upload their resumes and apply for jobs directly. It also offers resources such as interview tips, resume writing guides, and career development articles to help you enhance your skills and increase your chances of success.

  1. MyJobMag Kenya

MyJobMag Kenya has an extensive database of job listings across various industries. The platform allows you to search for jobs by location, industry, and experience level. MyJobMag Kenya also provides career advice articles and a resume builder tool to help you showcase your skills effectively.

It also allows employers to post job openings and search for candidates using the site’s advanced search options. That way, it’s a win-win for job seekers and employers looking to fill a vacant position fast!

  1. Fuzu

Fuzu is a Swahili word that loosely translates to ‘Succeed’, and true to their name, they’ve helped many job seekers to find success in a noisy, highly competitive job market. Fuzu caters to specific industries and provides career development resources. The site offers job opportunities in sectors like banking, education, manufacturing, and many others.
Also, Fuzu provides personalized career guidance based on your skills and interests to help you make informed decisions about your professional growth.

  1. Career Point Kenya

Career Point Kenya consolidates a wide range of job offers from different industries. Be it finance, IT, hospitality or medicine, you can be sure to bag a great opportunity right on the site. They also provide essential information on career growth and personal development that you can take advantage of, and grow yourself professionally.

How to Effectively Use Job Search Sites

Now that you know the popular job search sites in Kenya where you can begin your job hunting, here’s how to use them effectively to broaden your options as a job seeker and boost your career growth. 

  1. Create a Compelling Profile: Create a compelling profile that highlights your skills, experience, and qualifications. Fill out all the relevant sections, upload an updated resume, and include a professional photo if possible. A well-crafted profile will attract the attention of employers and increase your chances of landing an interview.
  2. Set Up Job Alerts: Most job search sites allow you to set up job alerts based on your preferences. Take advantage of this feature by specifying your desired industry, location, and experience level. You’ll receive email notifications whenever new jobs that match your qualifications are posted, keeping you informed and ensuring you don’t miss out on any opportunities.
  3. Use Advanced Search Filters: Use advanced search filters to refine your search based on specific criteria. These filters narrow down your options and focus on the jobs that align with your interests and qualifications. You can filter by industry, salary range, job type, and more.
  4. Regularly Update Your Profile: Keep your profile updated with the latest information, including your skills, certifications, and work experience. Employers are more likely to notice profiles that have been recently updated, as it indicates an active and engaged job seeker.

    Regularly review and update your profile to increase your visibility on job search sites. It also shows your growth as a professional.
  5. Leverage Networking Opportunities: These sites often provide networking features that allow you to connect with professionals in your industry. Take advantage of these features to expand your professional network and learn about hidden job opportunities. Engage in discussions, join industry-specific groups, and reach out to professionals for guidance and support .

In conclusion, job hunting can be tough, and it’s not a unique problem to the Kenyan job market. Jobs are scarce, and you have to know how to do a proper search to win against the competition. While you shouldn’t limit your hunting ground to these job search sites, they provide a fertile ground to begin your search and grow professionally.

Go forth and make good use of these sites. Good luck! 

Uncategorized

Why digital skills are the foundation of our future workforce

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Essential digital skills are a step towards learning lots of other new things. They can improve your confidence to use technology for work, learning and daily life.

Many jobs today need digital skills. You need them even for jobs that do not ask for high levels of qualifications or experience. For example, if you work in a warehouse or a shop you may keep digital records of stock.

You also need digital skills every day for shopping, banking, and keeping in touch with family and friends.

Digital skills at work

As technology advances, most jobs are beginning to need some level of digital skill. 

Technology is also creating lots of exciting new jobs. These jobs will need workers with the confidence to:

  • use the internet on a mobile phone, tablet, laptop or PC
  • communicate online using email and social media
  • work from home or a remote location. For example, using online tools like Zoom, Skype, Teams and Facetime to communicate
  • create online accounts to access information
  • search for reliable information online
  • behave safely and legally online
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7 Life Hacks To Finding Inspiration During Unemployment

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By James Wright. Unapologetically Obsessed with.

During the first month of unemployment, many individuals experience fear and anxiety but are still able to stay optimistic about what is in view just beyond the horizon. By the time a person has been unemployed for 6 months or longer, fear and anxiety can find company with desperation, helplessness and a constant questioning of one’s self-worth. And none of these traits scream “hire me” to any potential employer which can add months to an already difficult situation.

Here are 7 life hacks I have learned to staying inspired and motivated during periods of longterm unemployment.

1) Inhale Slowly & Deeply, Then Release. Oprah once said, “So stop. Go mindless. Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.” It is sometimes hard to focus on yourself in the here and now when you’re concentrating on the pressures of tomorrow. Take a moment to listen to your body. What does it need? Are you exercising regularly? Are you eating foods that resolve both your hunger while adding fuel to your brain? Do you have a meditation routine and/or attend a weekly religious service? Being a better you takes more than just learning how to interview for that next job opportunity. It takes being prepared in mind, body and spirit. All are equally important.

2) Affirm Daily That You Are Smart, Kind & Important. You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection. The time for self-doubt and being overly critical is over. Yes, we all can improve but I believe Marianne Williamson explains it best when she says,

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

3) Ignore The Negative. Even some of your closest friends and family members have the potential to share seemingly small negative thoughts as you are looking for that next great job opportunity. You must continually seek to surround yourself with individuals who support and encourage you. Words carry great weight and have a tremendous amount of power. Choose to engage with others whose words align with the positive.

4) Invest In Yourself. It is unfair to ask others to invest in your success if you are not willing to do the same. This means using your time and finances wisely to learn new skills, have a professional service rewrite your résumé and yes, invest in new business cards for those weekly networking events I know you are already attending. If you truly believe that you are a priority, you will make it so.

5) Live A Life Of Giving. Each one of us is uniquely positioned every 24 hours of every day to be helpful to someone else. It could be as grandiose as lending your expertise to a potential company’s project, volunteering your time at a local non-profit aligned with your passion or something as simple as connecting one person in your network to another. Whatever the gesture, do it. I firmly believe that whatever you put into the universe will always cycle itself back to you. Never forget that your talents were meant to be shared. And by helping others, you are also keeping your skills marketable and exponentially increasing your network.

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

6) Beware Of The Content You Consume. Instead of checking out the latest slasher film at the local theater, why not focus your sights on something positive? From 14 Videos To Inspire You To Greatness in 2015 to The 5 Most Memorable Commencement Speeches Delivered by Women, you are never too far away from resources that are tailored to inspire. Stay clear of the ‘Sad Love Songs’ playlist and instead make tracks like Pharrell Williams’ Happy your life’s theme music. No matter what new job opportunity comes along, your true happiness should never be defined by it.

7) Create Memorable Milestone Moments. Even on the most conservative of budgets, it is important to earmark funds that allow you to periodically escape the day to day work of securing your next role. Spend time reconnecting with friends and ex-colleagues over breakfast or an inexpensive lunch. If you finally secured the interview of your dreams, reward yourself. You might consider a 30-minute foot massage at the local spa or treating yourself to that 15-minute chair massage. Whatever the activity, make it memorable and special.

How to get a job in Kenya, How to position yourself for a job, How to write a CV, Keeping Your Job

The Quest for a Job: Positioning Yourself for Abundance In The Face Of Scarcity

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Every single day you hear about the devastating joblessness that plagues our country. From the radio to televisions to newspapers to social media, you hear heart-breaking stories of graduates who did well in their studies but cannot find a job. Joblessness is mean. It takes a lot from you; self-esteem, relationships, and power. You know, even if you have someone who takes care of you, there is a level of satisfaction you can only feel when you have a job. There’s no dignity in charity. So, how do you brave the odds against employment? Well, there’s no clear-cut solution to joblessness, but there’s a lot you can do to position yourself better for the few vacancies in the job market;

 1. Have a community

Today, job seekers have a harder job finding a job than it was in the past. As a job seeker, you must create a community that can help you acquire a job. How many people in your circle know you are looking for a job? Often, we neglect the closest people around us, but they might have the links we need to get a job. Make it known that you are looking for a job. Have you shared your despair with your pastor? How about that neighbor who works with World Vision? Does Uncle Tom, the one who works for Safaricom know you haven’t got a job? When you have many eyes helping spot a vacancy, you stand a greater chance than people who don’t.

2. Explore the nooks and cranny

Well, we all know about the job hunt. It is a tough job finding a job. However, when you know the right places to look, you become better placed to get a job in Kenya. You know the traditional places we look for jobs; adverts, walking into offices and asking for jobs, or contacting your connections for an opening et cetera. However, there are places job seekers rarely look. For instance, very few people work with recruitment agencies. What about online job boards? Have you ever heard of Brighter Monday? I know this doesn’t solve your woes, but I got my first job through Brighter Monday.

As a job seeker, explore all the avenues that could lead you to a well-paying job. LinkedIn is a good place to find jobs or begin conversations that could lead to one. Craigslist is also a good place, especially for those who are interested in virtual work.

3. Be visible

One big mistake that job seekers do is sitting back and waiting for the jobs to find them. With all your academic credentials, you only get credibility, but without visibility, who will know you are credible? Who knows how skilled you are? You can have more excuses than you need to stay indoors and wait for that job to find you, but sure as hell, you can’t get a job if you are not visible. Here are few tips to keep you on the radar:

  • Attend forums- How many industry-related forums do you know of? When did you last attend one? I have a friend who wants to be a pastor in the future, so to keep himself visible, he made a goal to attend at least two bible sessions every week and to speak at one forum every week. Attending forums give you the opportunity to express your ideas with people who have similar interests.

  Also, you get the chance to grasp new trends in the industry and boost your knowledge. The more             forums you attend, the bigger your circle grows, and the more significant contacts you accumulate. When there is an opening, you are most likely to get a heads-up from the industry leaders you have interacted with.

While it’s true that your pocket might sometimes limit your reach to some of these forums, it is an investment that pays off if you are consistent.

  • Get involved in community work- If you are still waking up at 10.00 am because you have nowhere to go, get busy. There is never a shortage of engagement you can plug into in the ghetto! How many organizations that operate within your neighborhood that have open doors for volunteers? Involving yourself in community work doesn’t only make you visible but also builds your CV and exposes you to the work culture.
  •  Create an online portfolio- In the past, only creatives built online portfolios for potential clients to see. However, today’s employers want to know more than your CV can contain. Having an online portfolio allows you to create an archive of your greatest achievements and showcase your dreams.

Most people believe that an online portfolio must be expensive, like having a website. Nothing can be farther from the truth. You can use free online platforms like LinkedIn to show your industry expertise and qualifications.

  • Follow your industry leaders-Industry leaders are always the first people to know the changes in the industry and how to adapt to them. Also, they share thought-leadership content on their profiles to keep you updated and motivated to thrive in what you do. I love copywriting, so I follow Carol Tice, Darren Rowse, and Neil Patel. How does this benefit me? I always get notifications from Neil on SEO matters. This keeps me updated with latest SEO practices. It helps me stay relevant in my field as a copywriter. From Darren Rowse, I get daily job notifications, and from Carol, I get tips and tricks to scale my copywriting business. She also gives discounts to her subscribers whenever she has a course. However, don’t just be a spectator, get involved. Respond to their emails (it doesn’t matter if it was sent to a thousand other subscribers), contribute on the online forums they participate in, and take advantage of their offers. Make them virtual mentors, and learn from their achievements and mistakes.
  • Contribute to online industry forums- Today, most industries have online forums where professionals can throw in random questions and get answers from industry experts. Join these forums, and contribute. As the interactions grow, your level of expertise is exposed to many people, some of whom might be interested in employing you.

4. Be prepared

If you fail to prepare, you are preparing to fail. What a cliché. Yet, so true. Job searching is full of amazing surprises that can change your destiny forever. Here are tips to keep you prepared:

  • Scan all your credentials and save them in the cloud- Scanning your documents and saving them in the cloud makes your job applications easier because you can access them anytime anywhere. If someone calls you to send your application, you can do so conveniently and stand a chance to get the job.
  • Polish your interview skills- You have worked hard to earn an interview, don’t throw your chances away because of poor interview skills.
  • Update your wardrobe- Invest it the right outfits for your career. When you have an appropriate outfit to wear to interviews, you get the confidence to jump on any chance you get.
  • Research- What do you know about your profession? What do you know about your potential employers? Do in-depth research about your potential employers and know about all that you need to know. When do they have vacancies? How do they get new employees; do they absorb interns or get fresh applications? What do they look for in employees? What are their latest developments? Who handles the recruitment process? All these details will help you tailor your cover letter to meet their requirements.

5. Don’t stop sending job applications

The more job applications you send, the more chances you will get shortlisted for an interview, the more interviews you attend, the higher your chances of getting employed. That’s the law of averages! Also, attending more interviews builds your confidence, and broadens your perspective about employment.

Well, getting a job in Kenya can be difficult, but these five tips will help you position yourself better for a job. Keep Trying!

Employment in Kenya, Keeping Your Job, Work Ethics

Why a Sense of Entitlement is Detrimental to Your Career

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A Sense of Entitlement shifts your expectations to other people and leaves you vulnerable

Entitlement also breeds an inflated sense of self-importance

You obviously have had those days when the skies hang low, and everything moves in the wrong direction. Those days when you don’t want to step out of bed and face yourself in the mirror because, you know, everyone is unfair.

It is true we all want to be appreciated and rewarded for every accomplishment at work, but who sets the metrics? Could we be the problem by deserving more than what we’ve earned?

Yes, sometimes there is someone who deserves the perk better than you even if you break the last sweat to get it. This alone is disappointing, but not as breaking as the entitlement you have.

“Who even cares?”

The more you commit to the pursuit of your goals, the greater the sense of entitlement grows within you and this contrary to popular belief that it gives you confidence, only breaks you. From biblical stories to ancient fables, being entitled makes you prone to failure. Do you remember the story of Cain and Abel?

Well, here is a snippet.

Cain and Abel went out to offer sacrifices to God. Cain being a farmer gave what he thought was God’s share in his harvest and Abel gave the fat portions of his flock as sacrifices and the good God was pleased and looked upon him with favor. Cain’s offering wasn’t appreciated, and so he tricked his brother and killed him, and God place a curse upon him.

Let’s face it; if Cain didn’t feel so much entitled to God’s blessings he would have done better; possibly pick a lesson or two from his brother and offer sacrifices that pleased God next time,

But No, It Had To Happen There And Then!

Having a sense of entitlement is detrimental to your career. It makes you a difficult person to work with and a thorn in the flesh to your superiors. It also inhibits your growth at a personal level because you know you have got everything it takes to be the best.

Don’t get me wrong, self-confidence is your biggest asset, but that overbearing attitude; the belief that you must be treated better than everybody else without earning it isn’t confidence. While other employees are learning the workplace culture and positioning themselves for leadership, an entitled employee savours his privileges of the moment and complains when such opportunities aren’t forthcoming.

While other employees appreciate bonuses and perks they were rewarded after achieving their targets; the entitled employee view them as rights— not rewards. This causes career stagnation.

Employee entitlement is common in workplace today especially among the millennials who are brought up believing that they are special and must be treated as so.

Create Balance between Expectations & Reality

Entitlement is like insanity, those who suffer from it rarely know they are sick. You might be a victim of employee entitlement without even knowing. If subconsciously you have developed an inflated sense of self-importance;

  • Do you ever think you are irreplaceable?
  • That you can get away with major workplace misconducts simply because you are the best?
  • That doing only what is in your job description is such a great feat that must be rewarded?
  • That your superiors aren’t better than you and should know better?
  • That you should receive a pay rise because you’ve worked in the company the longest?
  • That you don’t get recognized for great things you do?

Well, all these are symptoms of employee entitlement. The best way to beat employee entitlement is to balance your expectations with realities.

There are situations when you might miss a perk, not because you didn’t do better but because someone outdid himself and earned the perk. This doesn’t make your bosses assholes, it simply steadies a culture of healthy competition. In healthy competitive workplace, rewards and punishment work hand in hand to boost production and mold employees into better people.

There’s little you can do to influence your superiors’ decision on whom to reward and whom to punish, but you can do so much by adopting a better attitude. Changing your self-indulgent, arrogant and selfish attitude and recognizing that there are other people who can do a better work than you opens a cap of growth for you. When a cup is full to the brim, you can’t add anything to it. Do ensure you have enough space for much more. Here’s how;

Be an Asset to the Team- Working in a team exposes you to new realities, you begin to learn the strengths others have and how they merge to achieve milestones that seemed impossible. In working with teams, your weaknesses unfold before your own eyes and so are your strengths. You learn to appreciate the process more than the product.

Working in a team also helps you to develop interpersonal relations; you become a better communicator with your team members, customers and other stakeholders but most importantly, it helps you appreciate the fact that you are nothing more than a dot in a maze; you need others to create a labyrinth. So yes, be an asset to the team—not to self.

 

Learn

“More the knowledge lesser the ego, lesser the knowledge more the ego.”

― Albert Einstein

People who constantly learn about their area of specialty always have a space for improvement. The needs of the market constantly change and there is no way you can adapt to that change if you don’t learn. Household products that we used in the ‘90s have gone through a series of remodeling to fit today’s needs, workplace needs of the ‘90s are so different from now. Learning may not guarantee you bonuses and perks, but it surely makes you a better person.

Also, a learner always has the next step on the ladder in pursuit of knowledge. This ambitious pursuit leaves no room for entitlement to materialize.