Uganda’s job market: It’s about who you know!

I am sure that many of our readers have heard of this popular adage: “It’s who you know, not what you know”. In Uganda, you don’t need to have the greatest skills, talents, or brains to get hired. It’s mostly a matter of being in the right place at the right time and saying the right things to the right people.

 Every day offers evidence of this thesis and it is one of the hardcore realities of our adult lives. Almost every day, I hear of someone being selected for a job because s/he was recommended by a powerful friend of the boss.

 I know of a Ugandan executive who was recently made the chief executive officer (CEO) for one of the major government parastatals but to everyone’s surprise, she had neither applied for the job nor did she possess the minimum academic requirements.

 Have you ever asked yourself: why do some people shoot straight up to the top while others instead languish in the unending morass of unemployment or lower management? Well, the real answer lies in the strength of somebody’s networks and connections.

 There are plenty of smart people out there, with the abilities necessary to deliver the greatest results in a workplace. But sadly, those things don’t really matter when you’re not well connected. You can get way further with who you know as opposed to what you know.

 In these times, job search is one of those real-world concerns of everyday life that no university degree or textbook can prepare you for. Job search and its related unwritten rules should perhaps be added in all programmes pursued at institutions of higher learning in Uganda.

 Normally, before somebody is hired for a job, at any level, s/he should be adequately assessed and of course, subjected to some tests. Key among those tests should be enquiries regarding their integrity, intelligence and maturity.

 Employers should hire people with integrity. People with integrity tell the truth, and they keep their word. They take responsibility for past actions, admit mistakes, and fix them. They know the laws of the country, sector, and company and abide by them.

 The test for intelligence should not mean that a person must have read Shakespeare or can solve complex physics problems. Also, having a degree in Social Work and Social Administration doesn’t mean that somebody is intellectually inferior.

 But the candidate must possess a strong dose of intellectual curiosity, with a breadth of knowledge to work with or lead other smart people in today’s complex business world. We should not confuse education with intelligence.

 Another important ticket into a job is maturity. You can be mature at any age, and immature too. Regardless, there are certain traits that seem to indicate a person has grown up: the individual can withstand the heat, handle stress and setbacks.

 Here’s some advice to job-seekers: you need to grow your networks, with people from within and out of your organisation. The larger your network, the more access to opportunities you have.

 Be part of social events. Take advantage of social media (LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.) to engage and connect with individuals that matter. Be result-oriented in whatever you do because the best way to get noticed is with results.

 Last one: qualifications and capabilities are great to have - and should be celebrated - but they are not enough to get you a job or promotion. They can get you at the door, but not in the room. And oh! I almost forgot: congratulations to Jenifer Bamuturaki on her recent appointment as the Uganda Airlines CEO!

MrMukalazi is a Ugandan executive and socio-economic thinker.                           

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