Ignore it at your own peril, but social media is the new
learning, playing, and increasingly, career-shaping ground.
Although there are various careers that one can nurture
through social media, most youths underestimate their significance to the
economy. Some, unfortunately, only use it for entertainment as they disregard
the power this platform possesses.
"In Kenya, there's a real problem of unemployment.
Approximately 40 percent of the population is not employed," says Caroline
Amollo, the founder and CEO of InfoAge Concern that trains youth on how to use
Internet facilities safely and to their benefit.
Young people should learn how to make use of technology and
social media to earn a living when they are still in colleges and universities.
Subsequently, when they graduate and are faced with a
handful of employment opportunities, they will have other prospects of making a
living apart from the course they studied.
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"If you look around, you will notice that some of the
youth are extremely idle, especially recent high school and campus
graduates," says Caroline.
"It would be excellent if they could take
advantage of their information technology training and the social media they
spend most of their time in to improve their lives.
A majority of the people who graduate from high school might
not be able to be absorbed in our local colleges, universities, and TVET
(Technical Vocational Education and Training) institutions.
Therefore, some of them might end up as idlers. It will be
admirable if they could consider exploring the Internet for their
benefit," she adds.
The biggest excuse for many is that the cost of hardware can
be prohibitive; that you must own a computer or afford cyber café charges.
With your smartphone in hand, however, you can upload photos
of products and services, place a price tag, send emails, chat with various
clients, negotiate and close the deal using mobile money transfer services.
Bearing this in mind, if you are interested in the following
careers, then you do not need to wait for that corner office.
You can practice them while still on campus or relaxing in
the comfort of home.
Comedy and entertainment
Comedians like Mamito, Njugush, Eric Omondi, Victor Naaman,
Kansiime, and Jaymo ule Msee have used social media as the main vehicle of
their art.
By doing so, some of them have garnered endorsements and
brand ambassadorship with reputable brands.
Gone are the days when upcoming artistes relied on
traditional media to publicise their work. Realising social media's potential,
a majority of the artistes utilise the platform to launch their latest
creations includes the latest music, videos, and even movies.
They do this across all platforms, which include Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and Google, among others.
They have accounts geared towards their careers, which they
use as private media units to inform their fans about their latest projects.
As an artist, you can go a step further and register the
copyright to your work by visiting the Kenya Copyright Board offices. This will
protect your work.
Hair and Beauty
The days when one struggled to get a good hairdresser are in
the past. There are numerous pages on social media where hairdressers and
beauticians advertise their work.
The aspiring hair and beauty student does not need even to
be employed or own a physical salon.
All it takes is a social media account, talent, and a
working spirit.
This perceived hurdle is actually a strength because it
presents the client with the convenient option of accessing the service from
the comfort of their home.
Caroline says: "Our company trains young people on
making use of technology and creating entrepreneurship opportunities. A good
number of them get stuck on the point of acquiring capital. You will need fewer
resources and less capital when launching some of the beneficial online
ventures."
Beauty products like skincare, hair, and nail products can
also be conveniently sold on any social media platform even without a physical
store. All it takes is a social media account and a reliable contact number.
Fashion
The late Steve Jobs once said: "Technology is just a
medium. What matters is what you do with it."
If you are a fashion enthusiast or you are even pursuing a
fashion-oriented course, then you need to heed Steve Jobs's advice.
All you need to do is to advertise your products on your
social media pages.
These could include the finished products of your practicals
if you are in college.
Online Shops
The current fad when it comes to course selection, is IT.
"All Kenyans are encouraged to acquire digital skills, but what do we do
with them? They are useless if they are not utilised well," says Caroline.
You can take advantage of this knowledge and start an online
shop where you will be able to sell anything. It can be simple electronics like
earphones, clothes, shoes, or handbags.
To improve your chances, join a page that serves as a
marketplace and advertise your products aggressively.
According to a study done by InfoAge Concern in 2016, 70
percent of the youth in Kenya spend most of their time online.
That, in essence, will be a ready market for you. All you
need to do is find a desirable product that solves a problem.
Even as you conquer the domestic market, prepare to tap into
the international potential as well. This is because the Internet is a global
resource.
Recently the Africa Netpreneur Prize Initiative launched its
global Netpreneur Prize. The Jack Ma Foundation founded this initiative, and it
intends to discover and grow the next crop of African entrepreneurs.
The program will work closely with Nailab in Kenya and other
reputable tech incubation companies all over the continent. It hopes to award
the winner Sh100 million. However, it will take ten years for this to happen.
It will focus on small businesses, grassroots communities,
and women enterprises. The call for the applications has already started, and
it will end on June 30.
Catering
It is simple to run a social media-based catering and
cooking business.
Start by taking photos of the simple meals that you prepare
for your family and advertising them on your social media pages. Soon enough,
one of your friends might be interested in one of them, and that is your cue to
prove your prowess.
The beauty of this is that you would be handling the food from home and will be able to bypass some of the capital that is needed to start a restaurant or food venture.