What potential employers are looking for in fresh graduates

 

Employers acknowledge that making a choice between two equally qualified candidates is emerging as a challenge for human resources professionals. PHOTO | FILE 

By STELLAR MURUMBA

Youth unemployment has been fanned by some employers who shy away from hiring fresh graduates, saying they lack specialised skills and experience.

A Talent report released last year indicates that of the 50,000 graduates who leave Kenyan universities yearly, only half get absorbed into the job market, making competition for the available opportunities stiff.

For the lucky ones who manage to secure employment opportunities, a majority are dismissed as half-baked, lacking the requisite work and people skills— one of the most pressing challenges cited by employers in Kenya, apart from the quality of education.

With a surge in qualified students over the past few years, the survey reveals, employers acknowledge that making a choice between two equally qualified candidates is emerging as a challenge for human resources professionals.

Nearly 41 per cent of polled employers in the Corporate Staffing Services survey say they would make a call between two equally qualified candidates, based on their leadership experience as such candidates can manage themselves and teams, take responsibility and be accountable.

“Only 8.5 per cent of employers consider educational attainment when making a hiring decision between two equally qualified candidates,” read the survey in part.

The survey showed that the increasing value attached to university-level education has meant that a significant proportion of Kenyans either have a degree or have intentions to gain one.

A university certificate can open doors, but without a rich learning experience, it cannot translate to employment opportunity, the survey notes.

READ: Kenya rolls out measures to tackle youth unemployment

An Ipsos Synovate survey on managing Generation Y reveals that the skills mismatch emanates from the inability of new graduates to remain dependable and loyal.

The survey recommends that human resource managers initiate personal counselling at professional level, coupled with mentoring in order to urgently manage rising youth unemployment in the country.

This will also address the mismatch of job skills and employers’ needs to manage fresh graduates’ soft work skills.

Barclays Bank last year launched a free online training programme targeting graduates and out-of-school youth, providing them with an opportunity to refine their work, people, money and entrepreneurship skills.

The programme, dubbed ReadytoWork, aims to help them easily transition from the world of school to the workplace. It targets college students and graduates aged between 18 and 24.

Barclays managing director Jeremy Awori said the curriculum offers certificate courses in a range of people, work, entrepreneurial and money skills.

“Students and those eyeing the job market should take it upon themselves to find out what employers are looking for and then acquire those credentials to enhance their competitiveness,’’ Mr Awori said.

“This programme is timely because it is equipping graduates with crucial people and work skills, therefore supplementing our efforts to release well-rounded graduates into the job and entrepreneurship market,” said Peter Mbithi, vice-chancellor of the University of Nairobi during the launch.

KCB launched an ambitious Sh50 billion enterprise development programme, two weeks ago, geared towards birthing a new cadre of youthful entrepreneurs within the informal sector to ease the country’s unemployment crisis.

MasterCard Foundation which released findings into youth employment behaviour said about 72 per cent of Africa’s youth live on less than $2 (Sh200) per day, hence highlighting the extraordinary lengths young people go to as they try to achieve sustainable livelihoods.