For four years, university students work towards degrees hoping to secure careers in their chosen fields, but finding the right path can sometimes require starting over.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

Elishebar Miuruki, a business analyst in the insurance industry, knows this experience firsthand after moving from graphic design into industrial software development and business analysis.

Miuruki shared her experience during the Co-op Bank Youth Forums on Friday, September 18, under the theme "Building Your Own Lane: Career Growth, Switching and Creating Opportunities."

Miuruki studied Computer Science and developed an interest in technology early on, including working on an artificial intelligence modelling project that trained a system to assess how businesses perform and predict future trends.

📌 What You Need to Know

Although she was trained to code, Miuruki said she eventually found herself struggling to connect with the field and began exploring other areas that could excite and challenge her.

She moved into computer-related work, including CCTV installations and hardware, before trying graphic design. She later juggled graphic design with computer-related businesses as she searched for a career path that suited her interests.

Speaking during the Co-op Bank Youth Forum, Miuruki advised young people considering a career change not to make emotional exits, particularly after investing years and money in a particular field.

Before making the switch, she prepared two CVs, one focused on business analysis based on her university project and short courses and another highlighting her graphic design experience.

She said she applied for several graphic design jobs and attended more than 10 interviews without securing an opportunity.

The experience eventually pushed her to make what she described as a difficult decision, particularly because she had already invested heavily in graphic design. However, she encouraged herself to "stretch to her customers" and use the skills she had gained from working with clients.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke