New employers: Kenyan youths now turn to influencers for jobs
Kenyans youth are now turning to influencers for employment opportunities, diverging from the traditional method of knocking on corporate doors.
This trend emerges as Kenya’s youth unemployment rate peaks at 13.35 per cent.
This is a new way of job seeking as opposed to what is known which is knocking on corporate doors.
Grace Muthoni, a 25-year-old graduate of economics, is the embodiment of the struggles and aspirations of her generation.
Faced with the persistent scarcity of employment opportunities, Grace decided to explore an unconventional path.
Instead of knocking on corporate doors, she turned to social media – a realm where fame and digital presence thrive.
“I have a degree but I’m still jobless. The struggle is real. My job hunt has yielded no results. Now, I’m taking to social media, reaching out to social influencers,” Grace told Nairobi News.
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The trend of seeking jobs from social media influencers is quickly taking root in Kenya.
Top influencers such as Amber Ray, musician Akothee, comedian Eric Omondi and rugby player Dennis Ombachi, are now viewed as potential employers. Their massive online following and lucrative corporate endorsement hold the promise of job openings.
On August 31, Ombachi said his DM is full of job seekers.
“Unemployment in Kenya is the new pandemic, my DMs are full and I am in no position to help. It’s saddening,” Ombachi tweeted.
Socialite Amber Ray also shared the same concern a few weeks ago, saying she is receiving DMs from job seekers but she is not in a position to help.
This despite assurances from President William Ruto that his government is committed to creating jobs for the youths.
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Early this week, the Head of State said the government will construct 20,000 houses in Bungoma, creating 30,000 jobs for the region’s inhabitants.
However, some time this year, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua told graduates that the government does not have jobs for them.
Kenya’s youth have been living in the shadow of the government’s pledges regarding job creation.
Amid such unfulfilled promises, influencers have stepped into an unexpected role, offering young people hope for a different avenue to secure their future.
According to recent statistics from the government, only 27 per cent of the youth in the country are employed in formal sectors.
With such a grim picture of the reality, trend of job seeking from influencers hints at a dynamic shift in the way the young generation now perceives opportunities. It’s a testament of the resilience, innovation and adaptability in the face of adversity.
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