A young woman in Nairobi, Dreenmersher, has revealed that she rejected a job offer despite meeting all the requirements, citing the low starting salary of Ksh 25,000.
Dreenmersher, who shared her experience in a TikTok video, explained that she found the offer insulting given the massive workload expected of her.
Dreenmersher had been working with the company for about three months on probation. During this time, she received a small transport allowance of Ksh 10,000.
She was simultaneously pursuing a certification to enhance her degree in Graphic Design.
She was part of the KCB Tujiajiri programme which focused on graphic design, video editing, photography, and videography.
Her employer allowed her to attend school while on probation.
The situation came when her probation ended, coinciding with her finishing school. She was scheduled for an interview to sign a full-time contract.
Dreenmersher went into the negotiation well-prepared, having researched the company’s finances and their competitors’ pay.
“I did my research on the company, I know its clientele, I know how much they generate, and I know what the employees earn.”
She expected her pay to reflect the value of the work she was already doing.
The proposed full-time role was Digital Marketing. However, Dreenmersher was expected to handle three distinct responsibilities: Digital Marketing, Video Editing and Photography
She argued that hiring three separate entry-level professionals for these roles would typically cost the company at least Ksh 90,000 (based on Ksh 30,000 to Ksh 35,000 per person).
Given her existing experience and the immense workload, she presented her salary expectation which was Ksh 60,000.
The company firmly stated they had a budget of only Ksh 25,000 for the position and Dreenmersher was stunned and felt undervalued.
“The amount isn’t bad, but it’s not enough for the workload they expected from me. I felt insulted.”
She noted that the previous employee in the same role, doing similar work, was paid more.
Unable to agree to the firm Ksh 25,000 offer, Dreenmersher rejected the job and walked away.
“I had done my market research and knew how much they paid, yet they chose not to value my worth.”
