HOW TO GET AN ATTACHMENT IN KENYA

It‘s the end of the semester. You are just through with your exams then you notice that you are to go on external attachment just as per the requirement of your course. Simple as it may sound, it is really hard to get an external attachment. If it was another country I would not have to post this but since this is Kenya…

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An attachment is a program organized by the school so that you can make sense of what you are learning in school. There are two types of attachos;

you need that attachment buana

internal and external attachment. Internal just as it implies is done within the school and mostly applies to engineering and computer science students. An external/industrial  attachment is whereby the student is attached to a company which practices something that is related to the students’ course.

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This is Kenya. I hate reasoning this way but the easiest way to get an attachment in Kenya is when you are known to someone who knows someone who might be related to someone’s someone so long as it’s just not anyone or “no one”. It has to be someone. I hope things might change for the better or even the best in the future but this is the sad reality. You are lucky if your father is the Resident Engineer of a big project, your uncle is the chairman of ERB, your mother if director of the Institute of Engineers of Kenya, your father is a long time friend to The Director of KeNHA, your mother once dated The Director of KURA back in campo (of course before she met your father) and the mother to your cousin’s grandfather was one of the founders of the Civil Engineering Department in The University of Nairobi. If you are not such a person, I’m sorry but you have to tarmac. Other possible means of getting it are rare occurrences such as your dad’s debtor, the MD of Gibbs International, gives you an attachment as a means of reducing the debt. This is the sad reality; Lazima Ujuane.
So if you  want that great opportunity to apply what you learn in class in the field, swallow your pride and call your ex, her dad designed KICC. You may be lucky.
That’s it, that’s how you get an attachment in Kenya. Hope you will change this stereotipism.
And the good thing is that you don’t have to be an Engineer to get this.
This article is a sarcastic way of showing you how you will get an attacho. No hard feelings on the persons whose positions have been mentioned above.

Internship Programme - United Nations Office at Nairobi

The United Nations Office at Nairobi offers internship to students who are currently enrolled in at least the third year of a first university degree programme or in a graduate school (second university degree or higher) programme at the time of application, commencement and during the internship period. The Internship is for a minimum period of three months and a maximum of six.

The objectives of the internship programme are:

• To provide current students with important practical experience which complements their field of study, which at the same time will be of benefit to the UN offices to which the intern is assigned.
• To promote among the students a better understanding of major global problems confronting the world and to give them an insight into how the UN attempts to find solutions to these problems.
• To expose the students to the UN and its policies and programmes and have them become ambassadors of good will.
• To enable students from all parts of the world to exchange information during and after the internship so as to appreciate cultural diversity.

The Staff Development and Training Unit (SDTU/HRMS) manages the internship programme on behalf of the following UN Organisations:

• United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) including out-posted offices
• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) including out-posted offices
• United Nations Offices at Nairobi (UNON)
• United Nations Dispute Tribunal, Office of Administration of Justice (OAJ)

Please read carefully the ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA before application.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Due to the large number of applicants and the limited number of places available per year, applicants are strongly advised to note the following minimum eligibility criteria for an Internship at UN-HABITAT, UNEP, and UNON administered by the SDTU. If all of the requirements are not met, your application will not be processed.  Successful application does not guarantee placement.
The Applicant MUST:

1. be enrolled in at least the third year of a first university degree programme  or in a graduate school (second university degree or higher) programme at the time of application, commencement and during the internship.

2. be computer literate in standard software applications;

3. have a demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter; and

4. have demonstrated the ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which include willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views.

APPLICATION PROCESS
All internship vacancies will be posted in the United Nations Careers Portals. To view and apply for any of the open internship vacancies, kindly log onto the United Nations Careers Portal https://careers.un.org/lbw/Home.aspx. Note that due to a large volume of applicants, only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
Important note:
You must
1.  Upload with your online application, a letter from your University, stating that you are currently enrolled in a course of study and your expected date of graduation.  The letter should come from:

• Dean of Students or Dean of faculty, or
• Registrar, or
• Placement Office.

Please ensure that an official letterhead or an official seal is used for the recommendation letter. Candidates are advised that their online applications will not be processed without proper and adequate endorsement.

What to Include in a CV

 
When writing a curriculum vitae it's important to include all the right information so the hiring manager can see, at first glance, why you are a strong candidate for the job.
Kevin Fitzgerald, North American Marketing Communications Manager, Michael Page International, one of the world's leading professional recruitment consultancies, shares his advice on what to include in your curriculum vitae.
What information should a CV include?

• Personal details. Most CVs start with these but take care to avoid superfluous details, such as religious affiliation, children's names and so on.
• Education and qualifications. Take care to include the names of institutions and dates attended in reverse order; university before school results.
• Work experience. The most widely accepted style of employment record is the chronological CV. Career history is presented in reverse date order starting with most recent. Achievements and responsibilities are listed against each role. More emphasis/information should be put on more recent jobs.
• Skills. Include computer skills and (genuine) foreign language skills and any other recent training/development that is relevant to the role applied for.
• Hobbies and Interests. Keep this section short.
• Referees. These can simply be 'Available on request'.

How long should a CV be?
A good curriculum vitae should ideally cover no more than two pages and never more than three. Aim to ensure the content is clear, structured, concise and relevant. Using bullet points rather than full sentences can help minimise word usage.

Top tips for writing a perfect CV

Where do CVs go wrong?

If you want your CV to be shortlisted, you have to make it very easy for the employer to see why you are the ideal candidate for the role by emphasizing your relevant skills and experience.  The way your CV is presented will also be subject to scrutiny. For instance, you may claim to have great attention to detail or be an excellent communicator, but the employer is unlikely to believe this if your  CV is sloppily presented or the language you use is clumsily expressed.

For more career advice, as well as hundreds of intriguing graduate-level jobs, visit iJobs

Unfortunately many candidates get this wrong.  In a Personal Career Management survey of 500 CVs ranging from senior managers to graduates, 98 per cent of the CVs were clearly heading straight for the reject pile. The good news is that if you are able to avoid the common mistakes made by most candidates, then you are far more likely to be shortlisted ahead of the competition. 

These are the pitfalls to avoid.

Lack of relevant information

Many candidates make misplaced assumptions about what is important to the employer and so fail to provide the relevant information in their CV. Do your research and show that you have the specific skills, experience and approach required within the first half page of your CV, so the recruiter can quickly see your suitability.

Insufficient evidence

Unsubstantiated claims won’t work. You need to prove you have what they need. So instead of your CV saying you have 'good communication skills', give an example of where you demonstrated this to good effect e.g. 'write monthly blog on company developments as part of our social media strategy'. 

Too generic

Many candidates write a broad CV because they want to keep their options open. However, unless it is clear who you are and what you do, then recruiters won’t know what to do with you.

Errors

Nine out of 10 CVs have errors on them and are often rejected on that basis alone. Your CV must be impeccably presented if you want to demonstrate your professionalism and attention to detail. Always ask someone else to check it over for you.

Negative information

Your CV should include only positive information. Never criticise a previous employer or refer to difficulties or disappointments unless you were able to turn them around. 

Poor language

The use of jargon, clumsy expression or clichés can sabotage the chances of even the most capable of candidates. Instead of using the 'I' pronoun, such as I did this, I did that', use positive action words to lead bullet points e.g. 'Initiated this, created that”, which will seem much more dynamic. This will give a very energetic feel to your CV and help reinforce the message that you are an upbeat, 'can-do' type of candidate.

Software issues

When you apply online for a role, your CV is scanned by software before human eyes ever see it.  Formatting options like columns, shading, boxes etc may look nice, but they could interfere with the software’s ability to store the information on your CV. So make your CV as plain as possible or if you are uploading a pdf file, make sure it is compatible with the software. Online recruiters will use key words to search for CVs containing particular skills and qualifications, so ensure that your CV includes the relevant key words likely to be used.

Dos

• Research: Find out exactly what the employer you want to impress is looking for, then write a CV that exactly matches their requirements.
• Evidence: Prove what a great candidate you are by including examples of achievements, improvements you made at work or problems you solved.
• Two pages: Aim for a two-page CV. Any more than this and you are likely to be waffling, but any less and you have not provided enough information.
• Proofreading: Thoroughly check your CV for errors and ensure that what you have written makes sense. Then ask someone to double-check it for you.
• Covering letter: Always provide a covering letter or email to go with your CV, as it’s another chance to convince the employer of your suitability.

Don’ts

• Be negative: Avoid any criticisms of past or present employers, or mention any difficult periods in your career history. Your CV needs to be very positive.
• Photo: Do not use a photo with your CV unless you are specifically asked to. It’s usually only relevant for work like modelling or promotions work. 
• Rely on one CV: Expect to have a number of CVs that you change depending on the job you are applying for. Always tailor your CV.
• Use fancy layout: Avoid unusual fonts, columns, tables etc in your CV when writing it in a Word document. The formatting can so easily go awry when it is read by a recruiter.
• Be disheartened: If your CV is not being shortlisted then talk to a career coach or someone who works in your chosen area, to check whether your CV is doing you justice and that it is a good match for the roles you have been applying for. Advice and feedback from others is the best and quickest way to turn around a job search campaign which doesn’t seem to be working.

Corinne Mills is the MD of Personal Career Management, a specialist career coaching firm.