How to Find the Best Company to Work for in Kenya

Do you have a list of companies you would love to work for in Kenya?

Oftentimes, job seekers in Kenya look forward to working in some companies. They often refer to these companies as "dream companies". It is okay to have a dream company that you would love to work for, but why are these companies your dream companies?

Interacting with some job seekers, we discovered that many job seekers term some companies their dream companies because of the following:

a. the size of the company.

b. the reputation of the company.

c. The salary structure, perks and benefits that the company offer to employees.

While all these sound reasonable, it still does not guarantee that you would love your job. Are you surprised? We understand that you would love to be associated with a top company and be well compensated for the work that you do, but that is not all there is to find the best company in Kenya.

Do you know that many employees in big companies are not happy with their job?

This may sound impossible to you because you have imagined how happy you would be if you land a job in a big company. A global poll conducted by Gallup has revealed that out of the world’s one billion full-time workers, only 15% of people are engaged at work. That means that a huge 85% of people are unhappy in their jobs. 

This shows working for a large company or earning a 6-figure salary does not always equal satisfaction. This is why it is good for you to learn how to find the best company to work for in Kenya.

Do you know that finding the best company to work for in Kenya is almost like finding your significant other. You find the right person: You grow, learn together, and eventually achieve your goals. You find the wrong person; otherwise happens.

If you are going to be spending 8-9 hours of your day in a place; then it should be a place that excites you. Spending the best parts of your day in the wrong company is one mistake you do not want to make. 

To ensure you don't make that mistake, we have put together 5 easy tips to help you find the best company to work for in Kenya.

 

Looking to land a job soon? See top companies in Kenya that want you on their team this week.

 

5 Easy Tips to Help You Find the Best Company to Work For in Kenya

1. Do a thorough research. 

a. Research the company’s employees.

b. Research about the company’s leadership (managers, heads of departments, etc).

c. Find out what other job candidates are saying about the company. (check company review).

d. Find out about the company’s growth opportunities. (check if there are growth prospects).

e. Find out the company’s values and ethics. (know what the company stands for)

f. Research the company’s salary structure. (understand their employee compensation structure)

2. Compare the company with other companies.

3. Research the company's leadership.

4. Ask questions during the interview.

5. Check out previous employees and customers experience with the company.

 

1. Do a Thorough Research 

Do you know that you may not find career satisfaction if you work for some big compnaies in Kenya?

Researching the company and all the details about the job is one very important step that will help you find the best company to work for in Kenya. many job seekers make the mistake of accepting a job offer without researching the company. Not researching the company before accepting an offer puts you in the risk of doing a job you don't like.

Before you say YES! to a job offer, make sure you find out important things about the company. You can research to find out details like:

• The company’s work model and location to know whether you can work with its system.
• What the company considers as important. You would know if the company’s value aligns with yours.
• The challenges and difficulties that the company has experienced in the past. This will help you know what to expect, should you get the job.
• The company's employees to discover how well you can work with them.
• The brand competitors to understand the solutions you want to provide.
• The company’s revenue sources to know if it is a place for you to grow.
• The company’s benefits and rewards to ensure work/life balance.
• The company’s healthcare benefits to ensure that you are fit to do the job.
• There are other details that you should research before deciding to work for a company. You should also research things like the company’s culture, brand image, etc.

Your discoveries will help you find out if the company is the right place for you. 

2. Compare the company with other companies of your interest in Kenya 

Many job seekers are not intentional about the company they work for in Kenya, they are only concerned about getting a job regardless of the company. If you are looking to land a job in Kenya, then you need to be more intentional about the company. 

If you are interested in a number of companies, then you can create a simple list of the companies that you are interested in. After creating the list, you can go ahead to compare these companies with its competitors.

Compare the company/companies of your choice with its competitors to ensure that you are making the right choice with these criteria:

• The company rating on company rating platform like mysalaryscale.com. See how employees and other people have rated the company.
• Check the company’s career opportunities with that of others.
• Check the benefits and compensation that the company provides in comparison with other companies.
• Compare the company’s work/life balance in comparison with other companies.
• Compare senior management staff members for competing companies to have an idea of the people that you would be working with.
• You can easily compare the companies that you are interested in by looking at company reviews on mysalaryscale.com and finding out more about the company on myjobmag.com.

You can search for the company on MyJobMag by simply using the “search-box”. When you search for a company on MyJobMag, you see some details about the company and their job openings.

 

 Related: Top 100 frequently asked job search questions in kenya

 

3. Ask questions during the job interview

Are you aware thet the job interview section is not just a time for you to impress the recruiter?

The job interview gives you an opportunity to find out some details about the company that you may not likely find online. It gives you the opportunity to know the company beyond what you can find on their "ABOUT US" page.

The opportunity for you to ask the recruiter questions during the interview is an opportunity that usually comes at the end of the interview when the recruiter asks: "Do you have any question?"

When you are given this golden opportunity, never say: “I don’t have any questions”

Use this chance to ask questions that will help you determine if the company is a great fit for you. These questions will ensure that find out useful information from the interviewer that will influence your decision on whether or not the job is right for you.

• How does this position contribute to the organization’s success?
• What does a typical day look like?
• What would my first week at work look like?
• Can you show me examples of projects I’d be working on?
• What are the skills and experiences you’re looking for in an ideal candidate?
• What would my day-to-day routine look like if I got the job?
• What attributes does someone need to have to be successful in this position?
• What types of skills is the team missing that you’re looking to fill with a new hire?
• What are the biggest challenges that someone in this position would face?
• What sort of budget would I be working with?
• Is this a new role that has been created?
• Do you expect the main responsibilities for this position to change in the next six months to a year?
• What are the primary responsibilities of the position?
• What would I be expected to accomplish in my first month/year on the job?
• What is the key to succeeding in this role?
• Would I need to travel for the position?
• What kind of hours are expected for me to perform the role at maximum capacity?
• Is overtime expected and/or allowed?
• Could you tell me a little bit about the person I would report to directly?
• How many people will I be working with?
• What is the typical career path of someone in this role?
• How does the company culture affect this role?
• What are the most immediate projects that need to be addressed?

Asking the recruiter strategic questions during your job interview will help you find out details about the company from the company.

 

4. Research the company’s Leadership 

have you ever imagined that the attitude of a leader/founder of a company can impact the company? Yes it can. That is why you should research the leadership of a company before accepting an offer. 

The leadership of a company can affect your growth and job satisfaction in the long run

It is good that you research the company’s leadership because a company appears to be a reflection of its leader. No doubt, if a leader has some bad habits these habits will likely rub off on the company. You may notice it from the culture and even the company’s policies.

It is easy for you to assume that a company with a leader that has many years of experience is a great place to work, but that is not always the case.

You can discover some information about the leadership of a company by knowing some details like; how the company has progressed, operational methods, etc.

For example, if Founder has started 3 companies in the last 5 years, then it may suggest that the person will admire qualities like:

a. Quick decision making

b. Problem-solving

c. Innovation

d. Entrepreneurial spirit. 

 

On the other hand, if the CEO/employer or the leader rose to the top through an organized logical progression, then it also suggests that the leader will likely value qualities like:

 

a. Commitment,

b. Dedication

c. Hard work etc. 

Researching the company’s leadership gives you an idea of whether or not the company will be a great place for you to thrive.

 

5. Check out previous employees and customers experience with the company

Do you know that what previous employees and customers say about a company can reveal many things about that company? The value that a company is able to add to the customers as well as employees can to a large extent determine the success of the company. 

Well, it is easy to measure the success of a company from the values they can influence in the lives of their employees and customers.

It is good that you know what customers think about the company that you intend to work with. You can discover:

a. What do the customers think about the company’s services?

b. How do customers perceive their products?

Etc.

You may be wondering why you should check out what customers think about the company? The truth is that even if you work for a company, you still want to make a difference by contributing your quota. So, you would want to make sure the company you want to work for is adding value/solving problems with their products or services.

As much as you want to know what customers think about the company, you also want to know the experiences of previous employees.

You can search for the company on LinkedIn to find out details about previous employees. Details like:

a. Where previous employees worked before they joined the company.

b. The positions that they occupied in the company.

c. How long do they tend to stay in the company?

d. Additional roles they had to take on.

e. The company and roles they moved into after leaving the company.

If you want to land a job that best for you in Kenya, then you have to start putting all the tips that you learned in practice. If you look forward to growing in your career, getting a job that you love, then you grow beyond applying for every and any job.

There is a huge difference between landing a job, and landing a job that is best for you.

Do you have any questions? Let us know in the comment section.