Unemployed & Frustrated? Here Are 7 Ways To Beat The Rising Unemployment Crisis

Every year, over 800K graduates are released into the job market. This is a situation that continues to cause constant headaches to many job seekers especially those who have already graduated and are yet to land a job. This situation has created one of the worst unemployment crisis in Kenya and even as the government and various sectors continues to look for lasting solutions to curb the situation, there isn’t much we can do.

This has led to graduates sinking into depression especially those who leave school with the hope of finding jobs so that they can realize their dreams. And the situation is made worse since the numbers of jobs available are way fewer than the number of job seekers competing for them.

Related: Understanding The Hidden Job Market

If a recent survey conducted by Corporate Staffing Services and IHRM, is anything to go by, employers revealed that they are not looking to hire this year leading to the most depressing job market ever. And not to mention that most employers shy away from hiring graduates because they believe that the quality of Kenyan graduates from public universities is wanting.

So what choices do you have as that job seeker living in this employment crisis phase? You can still make your life worth living by doing these 7 simple things:

How To Beat The Unemployment Crisis In Kenya

1. Utilize the various job boards

With the rise of internet, as a job seeker you have access to various online job platforms like Career Point Kenya.

With such online job platforms, you have access to a wide range of vacancies in Kenya and beyond, in the government or private sector and even multinationals.

The unemployment crisis is made worse by the inability of job seekers to find available jobs and apply. With job boards like Career Point Kenya, we bring these jobs to you and for free. All you need is access to the internet and to apply for jobs before the deadline.

2. Make use of your talent

We have one gift as humans from the Almighty and it’s that we were all created with a special set of skills that are unique; it’s just that most of us haven’t realized yet what they are good at.

If you have (lucky you), instead of waiting month after month for an opportunity to open up, why don’t you utilize your talents?

You will be surprised at how far you can go if you were to explore what you already have. If you are yet to find what your special skills are that should be your homework as of today.

3. Offer your services through internships and volunteering

In this employment crisis, most graduates have the skills to offer employers but lack the experience required for that.

The best way you can gain this practical experience is through volunteering and internships, paid or unpaid, you need this if you are to survive the unemployment crisis.

Find a good company where you can volunteer and not those companies where all you do is browse the internet the whole day (which is the dream but it won’t help you). Volunteer or intern at a company where you are likely to grow and gain the experience required in your industry.

Related: 5 Reasons Why You Should Accept That Internship: Paid or Unpaid

4. Consider self-employment

Since finding a job has become a job in its own way, consider start something small for yourself. This way you are not only creating a source of income of yourself but you are creating jobs for others. The problem with most people is that they are scared to take risks but taking risks is how great businesses were started.

Related: 8 Profitable Businesses You Can Start With As Low As 5-10K

5. Make social media your friend

There is so much you can do on social media rather than just posting pictures and sitting back to see how many likes you get. If you are a job seeker and are not using social media to find opportunities for yourself then I have no idea what you are doing.

Use social media to find and network with people in you industry who may help you find a job. That’s how great relationships are built. Just like in life, ensure you create social media friends who can take you places.

6. Create a winning CV

Success in job search is all about impressing recruiters and it goes down to how your CV looks. If you are finding it hard to compile a CV that is relevant to the current job market, then it’s time to hire a professional CV writer.

Investing in a good CV is the only way you can survive and get a job in the current unemployment crisis.

7. Create a targeted job search

The competition in the job market is cutthroat and due to this most job seekers tend to apply for any job that comes their way. This creates frustrations and depression as you continue to be rejected for jobs despite you showing interest.

Instead, go down to the jobs that require the set of skills and experience that you have and apply for those. You are more likely to be given a chance for a job that you qualify for in this job market.

Getting a job in Kenya is becoming harder by day as the many graduates compete for the few vacancies that are available. To ensure that you stand out, apply the seven tips to surviving the employment crisis.

Related: Top 5 Reasons You Never Hear From Employers 

And now into matters related to job search. If you are applying for jobs and not getting feedback, Corporate Staffing Services has the perfect event for you. Come mingle with professionals and get advice on CV writing, job search and interviews.

Lilian Wamaitha is a Communications and Digital Marketing Officer at Career Point Kenya. Contact her via lilian@www.careerpointkenya.co.ke. Click here to like us on Facebook.