Why are Millennials So Complicated and Confused?

Stats show that the unemployment rate in Kenya stands at 39 percent with 80 percent of those who make up these statistics being the youth, commonly known as the millennials.

Most millennials, therefore, are constantly looking for jobs which are so hard to come by. The education system in Kenya has been blamed for being too theoretical and not equipping the millennials

The truth is white-collar jobs are hard to come by but I do think the young people themselves are to blame for their failure to secure jobs in most cases.

Despite the fact that our education system has terribly failed in providing our young people with the much-needed skills, the majority of young people are doing little to improve on their pathetic state of knowledge.

I have had the privilege of interacting with some young people looking for jobs and here is what I have found out about real-life stories:

Answering Questions in an Interview

Young people, despite the fact that they are looking for jobs, they do not know how to answer questions during an interview. They go for job interviews unprepared and without a clear knowledge about the position that they want.

“What can you do as a journalist to improve our deliverables if we take you on board?” I asked one of the interviewees.

The lady looked at me, like an auditor from the DPP’s office trying to scan through a fraudulent tender form and said, “I don’t know what I will do but I can do anything.”

“May I have your CV please,” I asked another one.

“A CV?” he asked, shocked, looking at me like he had seen a ghost. “I wasn’t told to come with one. I just came the way I am.”

Young People Don’t Know Their Worth

Most young people looking for jobs in this country do not know their worth and in stating out how much they should be paid.

It is a common knowledge that in every job interview, a question such as “What are your expectations?” or “How much would like to earn if taken on board?”

Those are indeed difficult questions but one that needs to be answered because believe it or not, those questions are the ones that help organizations or potential employers make a decision as to whether to take you on board or not.

Most job vacancies often have the expected salaries besides them. Most job seekers ignore taking that into consideration. Nonetheless, in the event that the salary hasn’t been disclosed and the question is posed to you, ask for the company policy, like how much do they usually offer for new employees or how are they offering for the position.

Such answers as “I don’t know” or “anything” whenever you are asked how much you would like to earn show that you are either ignorant, desperate or just don’t know what you want.

Poorly Written CVs

I remember, during those days in secondary schools, teachers used to train us on how to write curriculum vitae (CVs). In fact, the section is part of the curriculum in both English and Swahili. I don’t know whether it is the teachers or the young men and women just don’t see the need of having a CV.

Your CV should be the first thing that introduces you. How you present your CV plays a major role in you getting a job. There are organizations that receive thousands of job applications and the only way to sieve them through is by sampling out the CVs.

Young people are fond of saying that a CV doesn’t matter, that what matters is what is in the brain. Nonsense. How can you present a CV that is half a page and expect your potential employer to miraculously discover what is in the brain?

Indiscipline

Truth be told. Most young people are just indiscipline. They don’t respect authority. What is more astonishing is that some show their true filthy colors immediately they are offered a job. For most new employees, it is always good to ‘pretend to be good’ even if you are not, to learn how the company operates but how on earth do you start setting rules and making demands on your 3rd day of being employed? For instance, how can you miss going to work without an explanation on your third day of being employed? How can you ask for a leave on your third day of being employed? It is indiscipline.