Could it be that you performed poorly in your O-level exams?
I was recently called for an interview by a leading company in the country. Later, I received a call from the HR officer requesting the original copy of my high school certificate. ILLUSTRATION | FILE
What you need to know:
- HR practitioners scrutinise secondary school certification due to the proliferation and commercialisation of university education. Most universities have introduced bridging courses for students who miss the cut-off point that is decided by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Services (KUCCPS).
- In your case, the most probable reason you did not qualify for the job is that you may not have done well in your O-level exams. And yes, you must carry a copy of the original certificate when attending an interview.
Q. I am a Bachelor of Commerce graduate. I was recently called for an interview by a leading company in the country.
Later, I received a call from the HR officer requesting for the original copy of my high school certificate.
To my surprise, I was informed thereafter that they would not offer me the job. I suspect it had everything to do with the certificate. What is the value of the O-level certificate when I already have a degree?
Should one carry original certificates when attending an interview?
I encountered a case of a manager who had been recruited into an organisation after presenting a degree certificate. Later, when asked to submit his O-level certificate, it turned out to be forged, and on inquiring from the school, it was confirmed that the candidate had failed his Form Four examinations.
HR practitioners scrutinise secondary school certification due to the proliferation and commercialisation of university education. Most universities have introduced bridging courses for students who miss the cut-off point that is decided by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Services (KUCCPS).
However, the bridging courses and examinations are administered by the same universities, and since they are jostling for students, it is possible to bend the rules to make it possible for as many students as possible to get admission for the degree programmes. This raises questions about the viability of the bridging courses, and for that matter, the entry qualifications for the students. For this reason, some organisations have a cut-off mark for the O-level exam even if the candidate is a graduate.
In your case, the most probable reason you did not qualify for the job is that you may not have done well in your O-level exams. And yes, you must carry a copy of the original certificate when attending an interview.
You might think what happened to you is punitive, but visualise a case of a student who scored a low grade in English, yet is recruited to teach English after graduation. What would be the output of such a teacher? How about you consider pursuing CPA or ACCA, professional courses for accountants?
