The Actuary Who Never Showed Up For Work

Over the last 10 years, I have had no less than 20 hiring rounds, and in each of them, there’s always that one person who will send in an application, take the call inviting them for an interview, politely confirm availability, then either: fail to turn up for the interview, or, totally impress at the interview then fail to turn up on the first day of work. When the first happens, I assume that the person is fickle, and when the second happens, I figure that I failed to impress them as an employer. I have never imagined that they got distracted by other fun stuff. For life. Either way, I have wished I could have a chat over coffee with these fellows.

Well, I recently met one of these people, and instead of coffee, Munyaka Njiru was gently guiding me down the treacherously hilly Kalembwani Hill along Mombasa Road. To distract me from the pebbles that kept causing me to slide down, Munyaka regaled me with stories of his career as an actuary that never quite took off, because he did not show up for work!  After years of studying tough math, Munyaka decided to instead have fun for a living. He was person who “always has the plan” in campus, and he decided to make “having a plan” his way of life.

Today, Munyaka is the founder and director of Black Hammock, a corporate team building and travel company, and Bucketlist Travels Club, which in my experience is the most organized, most fun hiking and travel club in Nairobi.

Mountains are definitely more fun than spreadsheets

The Kalembwani hike was my first hike with them, and Bucketlist far exceeded my expectations, and totally impressed me, which usually takes a lot.

Munyaka takes his work personally. From the extremely detailed trip updates sent on Facebook and email, a well coordinated pick-up schedule, detailed briefing before the hike, the sumptuous lunch and a mug of steaming tea after the hike, he works hard to make sure everything is perfect, all the while appearing not to work hard at all.

I have since gone on two other hikes with Bucketlist.

This Saturday will be my third, and on Labour Day weekend, I will be going on my first camping-hiking trip ever. Munyaka has me convinced that camping can be fun, and I believe him!

I am now a bit more gracious towards the interviewees that choose not to show up, because there’s a chance that they discovered what they truly love to do, and are doing it.