Why millennials walk away from well-paying jobs

Millennials tend to get easily bored and want to feel continuously engaged. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The maximum number of years they stay in a job is normally two.
  • Millennials tend to get easily bored and want to feel continuously engaged.
  • They also prefer working for companies which they perceive as interesting, they want something dynamic and the space to try other things.

Thanks to the continuing economic meltdown in the world, organisations are downsizing every other day while some are even closing down.

The fact is that jobs are becoming more and more scarce by the day. This then makes a 2018 Deloitte Millennial Survey a puzzle – the study found that 43 percent of millennials plan to quit their jobs within two years, and only 28 percent of this group plans to stay in their current role for more than five years.

The study, which was also published by Forbes, surveyed 10,455 millennials born between 1983 to 1994 across 36 countries. It featured those with college or university degrees who are employed fulltime and work predominantly in large, private-sector organisations.

Juliet Gateri, a HR practitioner and founder of Alternate Door Consulting, notes that millennials wanting to quit what seem like lucrative jobs is a common trend even here.

“The maximum number of years they stay in a job is normally two. Millennials tend to get easily bored and want to feel continuously engaged. They also prefer working for companies which they perceive as interesting, they want something dynamic and the space to try other things. An 8am-5pm schedule is hardly endearing to them,” Juliet says.

She also notes that as much as they come across as people not keen on old ways of doing things, they like order and structure and will likely leave a company if they feel that there are no proper channels and ways of doing things.

“They can quit even within a month if there is a lack of professionalism and clarity in their job. A recent survey we did showed that this group does not like working for family businesses because such firms are likely to lack properly defined structures. And unlike in the past, they have so many options – take up online jobs, become cab drivers, work from home and so on - they are not going to stick for lack of options, especially the skilled ones who are very good at what they do,” she explains. This week, we engage millennials that walked away from jobs many dream of having.

Euphy Ngami at Nation Centre, Nairobi, on November 7, 2018. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU

Euphy Ngami, 35

Graphic Designer & Founder, Rouge Creations Ltd

Ngami is a trained graphic designer. Some time ago, she resigned from her job as art director in a successful company in Nairobi. She had previously worked as senior designer at an equally successful company.

“I started working formally when I turned 22, in all the jobs that I resigned from, I felt that I was doing the same thing every day and also did not have work-life balance because my time was either spent at work or thinking about work.”

While on her second job, Ngami took up side jobs, and after sometime, she realised that the income she made from her job and what she made from her side jobs was almost the same, so she decided to quit formal employment and work for herself. She felt that this was the only way to have more balance and more control over her time besides growing her brand.

“I wanted to have more time for my family and friends. Since I was working in a demanding industry, I disliked the late working hours which never gave me time to do anything else,” she explains.

As a creative, she also wanted to have more control over her output and feel a direct ownership of her work so that if someone had a complaint or compliment about her work, she could own it, as opposed to the feedback being sent to a department or the whole company.

Starting her own business was not a complicated process because it was a continuation of what she was already doing - she even had ready clients whom she was working for, on the side. She however had to learn additional skills such as how to run a business and how to market.

“When I have to make a critical decision, I draw a pros and cons table to clearly weigh things, so when I got to the point where I was sure I wanted to leave the company I was working for, I had to realistically look at the options I was considering and really be sure that I was making an informed decision,” she says.

 She is quick to add that in all the companies she has worked for, her bosses supported her and were open to being challenged by her, so her reasons to leave behind a lucrative job were primarily informed by her wanting to be better, explore and do more.

Running her own business leaves her with more time on her hands because she is able to plan, has a more flexible working style and due to the autonomy that she now enjoys, she is able to work with her brain as opposed to just going to work because she has to, a factor that has greatly boosted the quality of her work. “For example, I work better from 3pm and can go on until midnight - maybe a cultural shift and approach to work styles could be a lifeline to many young employees who want something different which does not really risk the company’s turnover,” she says.

She is however not totally closed to formal employment because she still would like to challenge herself from time to time.

Timothy Mbugua at Nation Centre, Nairobi, on November 6, 2018. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO.

Timothy Mbugua, 34

Founder, Groomyard Barber Shop

Timothy notes that due to high unemployment among the youth, coupled with an oversaturated job market, young people compromise and take jobs they don’t necessarily want just to earn some income. He believes that those who leave well-paying jobs to pursue other jobs or go into self-employment are often driven by the frustration of working in jobs they didn’t like.

“After working for some time, I felt that I had the skills to do what my employer was doing. I left my first job in 2014 to start a business, but when it did not pick up well, I looked for a job but stuck around for only six months when I realised that I did not fit in,” he says.

Timothy started working formally at the age of 23, and by the time he decided to venture into self-employment, at age 30, he had worked for four different companies. Some of the reasons he moved jobs include curiosity, (he wanted to see what others had to offer) better offers by other companies and the search for work-life balance. “I spent between 12-15 hours a day working, I figured that working on my own brand for that long made more sense than putting in all that effort to build someone else’s brand,” he says.

While still employed, Timothy would get side jobs, thanks to referrals, which told him that he had what it takes to run his own brand.

“My experience in employment wasn’t in vain though, I believe that the seven years I spent working for others was important because it built me professionally.”

The shift from entrepreneurship to formal employment was jarring in a way he did not anticipate. He went back into employment out of need, but going back to working hours he had no control over was a struggle, and so he stepped away a second time.

“I decided to step out of my field, design and advertising, and try something new, different and fresh. That is how Groomyard Barbershop, located on Dennis Pritt Road, Kilimani, came about.” Timothy feels that sometimes millennials are judged harshly for wanting different things, yet it is noble to want to create something with your name on it. His advice: “You might have a great skill, but that is just one skill. Running a business requires many more skills, so resigning from a job should never be a decision based on emotion.”

Entrepreneur Samuel Wanjau at Nation Centre, Nairobi, on November 7, 2018. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU

Samuel Wanjau, 26

Partner, Sani Kollections, Director, San Wen Financial Consultants

When Samuel landed a job in a medium-sized accounting firm almost immediately after he graduated, he was the envy of many of his peers, who were not as lucky.

“In this firm, people were totally committed to their jobs. The salary was not that good but the teamwork was amazing. The partners of the firm treated us well, we received bonuses every year and a salary increment every year too. The first two years at the company were great, and there was a sense of belonging,” he recounts.

And then he made observations that worried him: some of his colleagues were getting too comfortable - he decided to challenge himself.

“I had gained all the skills I could, and did not see what was tying me down to that company. Also, the salary was too low compared to what we made for the company. We knew our employer was doing well but that did not reflect on our pay cheques. The money I earned, I realised, was only enough to pay my rent and foot a few expenses. I could not help my parents in any tangible way despite them having heavily invested in my education. I wanted more,” he says.

His equally dissatisfied but older colleagues encouraged him to explore other options because he had what it took to start something of his own.

“I was young, with no responsibilities, so taking such a risk was easier for me,” he explains.

As he was still mulling over the prospect of leaving, he got a job offer which he immediately took even before he left the company he was working for. However, he did not want to commit 100 percent of his time to his new employer, a factor they were okay with - he goes to work three-four days a month.

“With my free time and the additional income, I set up a tailoring business, Sani Kollections, which I run with my girlfriend. We exclusively tailor suits for men and women. In April 2018, I set up San Wen Financial Consultants, which  offers tax, accounting and other financial services.

I get most of my clients through my extended networks,” he says.

Kevin Ogola at Nation Centre, Nairobi, on November 8, 2018. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO

Kevin Ogola, 29

Entrepreneur

Kevin once worked for a company for only a month, and another for four months.

“Both were 8am to 5pm jobs, an arrangement that simply did not work for me. I was also tired of being ordered around and felt that being told what to do limited my creativity. I was also doing the same thing every day and therefore felt that I was not growing, so I decided to leave,” he explains.

Both times, Kevin had side jobs going – he was modelling, acting, and was also a scriptwriter and casting agent. Due to the unpredictable nature of this field however, he had decided to look for something more concrete, a job that would assure him of paid bills on a monthly basis. He points out that he applied for these jobs without really considering what they entailed since he simply wanted a job that could pay his bills.

“With my second job, in a telecommunications company, I hoped that things would turn out better because this was a field that was closer to my creative side. I knew I had made a mistake right after I arrived, so I just worked until the end of that month, got paid and then left,” he says.

He explains that the place was restrictive and he was expected to meet too many unnecessary deadlines with a salary that was really not worth the effort, so he decided to quit and focus on growing his career.

“Now I enjoy the flexibility of being engaged in a project for say a week, get my money and then move on to the next project – this way, I get to work on different and exciting things,” he says.

Entrepreneur Petronila Adongo. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU

Petronila Adongo, 25

Entrepreneur

Petronila was first employed in 2013, while still in university.

“It was a work-study programme, so I worked during the week and went to class over the weekend. I got on this programme because I was one of the brightest students in my class, but after two years, I knew it was time to leave - I got myself a better-paying job with an NGO,” She says.

Petronila managed to put in only three months at this new job before resigning to join student campaigns at her school.

She is very expressive, and the job she had just left felt restrictive, a problem she would have to deal with in her next job a year later.

“I won the elections and became the Vice-President of my school (Great Lakes University). Through this participation, I built networks with several politicians, and in the process, joined the social media branding team for my county governor,” she says.

When she resigned from the NGO, many of her friends were surprised because they felt that she was lucky to have started building her career, even before graduation, but had chosen to squander the opportunity.

“I wanted a job where I had freedom, the ability to move around, I wanted my mind to be free and just explore things. I felt that being in the midst of eventful political campaigns gave me this,” she says.

After she graduated, she got yet another job, this time with a big corporate that could offer what at first looked like everything she dreamed of: a job that paid well and gave her room to be creative and frequent paid for travels. After two years however, she resigned.

“The schedule was too tight, I worked odd hours and my social life was fizzling out. For example, my off days were on Mondays or Thursdays – when there was really no one to see or spend time with. I am very extroverted, so I do not thrive in empty spaces.”

“Then there was also too much pressure at work caused by situations I could not control. I started getting sick frequently. After two years, I couldn’t take it anymore and therefore resigned.”

After leaving her job, she started a business, Timeless Gowns. She sells wedding gowns imported from the United Kingdom.

This is not all, she teamed up with three friends, and together, they set up Penharo, a company which supplies items such as stationary to various institutions.

“I have more time now – I visit home more often and have even started a farming project.

I enjoy acting and have more time to attend more acting auditions - I have even been behind the scenes of various productions. Besides this, I have more time to travel,” she says.