As the pandemic continues to decapitate the economy, most companies have been forced to lay off employees with statistics indicating that more than half of employed individuals are now out of work.
Kenyans, on the other hand, are known for their peculiar habits of dodging questions on whether they are employed, instead offering vague and funny answers.
The individuals choose to lie either to friends, family or future employers for different reasons citing a need to save face and their societal standing.
Others have previously admitted that they lie about their unemployment status as they believe future employers prefer candidates who are still employed elsewhere.
Kenyans online, on Monday, September 1, revealed some of the fictitious job descriptions they invoke in conversations to prove they still cash in monthly pay cheques although they are no longer employed.
Consultant
This is perhaps the most common title used by people, some of whom claim they are self-employed but are actually afraid of admitting that they are out of work.
Most of them often give a vague meaning beyond the word and cannot really pin down on their exact field of specialisation in their consultancy business.
"I am a consultant, I have done a lot of consulting work, I have consulted for a lot of international companies, we have set up a lot of consulting of businesses, we consult," shared one tweep as his job description online.
I work in Events
Although events organising and management has proven to be a profitable venture, quite a sizeable number of people who use the title do not command as much of a fortune as they try to make others believe.
Some of the people dangle the word so much and accompany it with additional exaggerated sources of income including farming.
I have a warehouse and exports to Europe
Well, Agriculture is the backbone of the country's economy but it does not have to be ridden on false terms.
Most Kenyans participate and make a living from the craft but the make believe type take it way too far by bragging about the exact earnings they make and how they supply to numerous continents.
"People usually add something like... I also farm... I have started farming, french beans.. we are trying to export them to Europe. People have a really hard time explaining how they make their money in this country," shared Sam Gichuru.
Instagram model
For the youngsters, after squandering thousands of their parents' money in university school fees, majority are unable to admit that several months, even years after graduation, they are yet to have a solid source of income.
Most of the young men and women turn to social media, particularly Instagram and Snapchat, to parade themselves as models although they never get invited to actual runways.
I am a creative
The creative industry is vast and includes various other sub-sectors including music, film, beauty as well as art among others.
With some little talent and in order to save face, some Kenyans present themselves at events as creatives and can proceed to crunch income figures in the genre but would not produce a single, quality piece of work they successfully executed themselves.
The latest report by Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has indicated that 13 million Kenyans are out of work after Covid-19 pandemic worsened the economy between May and June.
In the period, the proportion of Kenyans who lost jobs increased from 49.9% to 61.9%
How to turn it around
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Media Expert and Consultant of four years Dennis Mbau Confirmed that a number of the unemployed individuals would lie to save face but they do not have to.
He explained that the individuals are better off developing a skill in the field to legitimately refer to themselves as experts in it.
"If you tell someone you are a consultant, they dismiss you as jobless. The legit consultants are able to survive because they are used to such a way of living. They are not always employed but they keep thinking where they will get their bread from.
"If you are not an expert in any field, strive towards being that. Instead of saying you are a consultant, just say you are an expert," explained Mbau urging individuals to invest towards being experts in their fields.
This, he also noted, would help them explain gaps in their curriculum vitae with tangible proof.
"It is more important to do something constructive which you can explain during an interview. This is the point you see the creativity a person has. When someone tells you (as the employer) that they were studying or doing something to keep themselves busy, that is someone who will come up with ideas even when a business is declining
"A person who is just trying to save face shows they do not have a grip of life," he explained.
