Data pulled from the research firm statistica.com shows Youth unemployment has been hovering around 26% from the year 2010 to the end of 2017. Earlier this year, Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) put the figure at around 20%, while the number of unemployed Kenyans seriously looking for work stood at over 1.4 million and is still rising. The figure excludes more than 5.5 million people who have given up completely. Overall, more than 7 million Kenyans are unemployed.

The bottom line is that jobs are scarce and you can’t afford to be picky, which is true. In other words, you may want to grab whatever comes your way and hold it tight until something better comes along. Such grim statistics make this decision seem like a brilliant idea, but is it?

As a specimen, I can authoritatively confirm that settling on any job is a terrible, short-sighted, and often wrong idea. His first job plays a pivotal role in his career progress as it gives him a platform to fill in the gaps left by theoretical studies. Which sometimes turns out to be many. As a recent graduate, you also have the opportunity to network (very important), interact and learn from the best minds in your field. And even if the salary is barely enough to keep you together, the fact that you’re making a mark in the industry is a coin unto itself.

Ultimately, you will either rise to your rightful position or get a job elsewhere that recognizes your worth. Now let’s talk about this guy wasting his time on a dead end shitty job. When an opportunity finally arrives, the candidate realizes that his knowledge has been diminishing over time. He can no longer write code, program a computer, he has no idea of ​​the latest industry trends that have been adopted since then. If the company is interested, they will accept you as an intern because, technically, you have a mountain to climb. The result may be a little different if you have been away for a considerable amount of time. The gap has to be explained somehow. Recruiters would not be blamed for thinking that time has reduced its supposed lethal bite to a toothless bite. Simply put, your abilities will be in question and consequently you will not be considered as a first choice.

The worst case scenario means you say goodbye to your academic papers and chart an uncertain path in a new field. Sometimes this works, we have plenty of people who can vouch for it. Many times, it turns you into a frustrated professional misfit doing a job you probably hate, in a stressful work environment, facing an uncertain future.

While I recognize that the turbulence in the labor market is undeniably disturbing, I strongly disagree that anything counts.

How to spot a dead end job.

Poor pay/late pay

A position held by any candidate is always bad news for the worker. The peanuts you are entitled to as salary are not even guaranteed at the end of each month. Salaries are paid in the middle of the second or withheld for months. When you live in a city where everything is paid for, it certainly is a difficult position to be in.

no formal contract

A shitty job has no binding contract. Employers want to keep things neat and simple. That means there is no job security for you; you can be on your way to “early retirement” any day or at any time. A job that keeps you ahead of the curve can be a source of mental and emotional torture.

indefinable scope of work

An employer can exploit the “other duties as assigned” clause to make you a jack of all trades and a master of nothing. He is assigned duties that are not related to his job description or position. Today you are the receptionist, next week the delivery boy, the driver, the pet, the receptionist, the salesman, etc., all in a short space of time. Run away from that miserable “job”.

Long and irregular working hours.

A job that requires all of your time denies you the opportunity to explore. Additionally, you may be required to work irregular hours without being fairly compensated for your efforts.

bad for your self esteem

Trust is key to delivery. When you doubt your every move, you may fall short of goals that were previously possible. Just because you’re replacing a junior position doesn’t make you a doormat or punching bag for senior employees. In a toxic work environment where no one seems to listen, he is ignored and his role is belittled, he may soon become convinced that he really is worthless.

Having said that, I should point out that there is usually something to learn in every job. It just can be useless if you can’t build on it or apply it anywhere. Ideally, your first job should be a stepping stone to a better position in the future. That only works if the job is compatible with your career. A vacancy in the hospitality industry can hurt the prospects of, say, a telecommunications graduate in the long term.

I’m not advocating that people sit on their asses, rather I urge young graduates to take the less bright path like volunteering or completing one internship after another, while building relationships and leaving an impressive record wherever they go. go. . In an era of scarce job opportunities, the referrals/connections you make will be helpful in landing a permanent job. Explore other opportunities, for example, online jobs where many people earn a decent living.

Unfortunately, the situation in our country at the moment is not that different from what Chinuá Achebe once described in his book, a man of the people “…it didn’t matter what you knew but who you knew.” I’ve heard people say that even a lion eats grass if it misses meat. The likes of Strive Masiyiwa will tell you that a lion will never eat grass, even if it misses meat. What crusade are you listening to?