tensazangetsu20:

Seriously I don't know why but I believe if one is too cheap they don't know what they are doing. I remember wanting to hire a designer for some complex design and he told me 10k. I never contacted him again. I assumed him to be a quack.

You risk appearing like a quack when you under price yourself. If you were a lady, would you give your butt or boobs to a plastic surgeon who charged you 50k naira?. I bet you'll run for your life. Same analogy is applicable here.

Lindner:


That's it. Placing little value on yourself could be interpreted by employers as you don't believe in yourself. Why should an employer believe in you when you don't believe in yourself.

Good morning sir. I'm just getting started on this field. By December, my learning level will be up for junior dev role.

If I may ask, your input to get remote internship to get cooperate experience would be appreciated

tensazangetsu20:

Seriously I don't know why but I believe if one is too cheap they don't know what they are doing. I remember wanting to hire a designer for some complex design and he told me 10k. I never contacted him again. I assumed him to be a quack.

Hahaha.... I got a similar quote when I was considering a fintech project. I didn't even honor him by telling him we will get back to him.

Hannania:
Good morning sir. I'm just getting started on this field. By December, my learning level will be up for junior dev role.

If I may ask, your input to get remote internship to get cooperate experience would be appreciated

You do not need corporate experience to intern. Pick up an interesting open source solution. Look at the issues reported in the github repo. Develop a solution for any low hanging fruit and push back. If your solution is good it will be accepted and you can keep developing and gaining experience.

I currently work in telephony. No single work place experience. Got the offer purely from messing about with the solution in my house with my family members as lab rats

Hannania:
Good morning sir. I'm just getting started on this field. By December, my learning level will be up for junior dev role.

If I may ask, your input to get remote internship to get cooperate experience would be appreciated

I receive at least one email per week with the same question. I hope to create a thread soon where I'll share my own journey and practical tips to transition from a learner to landing the first remote job. I can't address it here cos it'll be too long. The problem is alot of people are learning which is good but they're doing so in a way that makes them unattractive to employers especially foreign companies.

Not to brag but I got my first remote role just 4 months after I started learning. I ascribe that to favour and the fact that I had a clear path to follow which others too have followed and achieved the same result. There is no secret here whatsoever, everything is available in public space for free. Of course, individual realities will differ.

airsaylongcome:


You do not need corporate experience to intern. Pick up an interesting open source solution. Look at the issues reported in the github repo. Develop a solution for any low hanging fruit and push back. If your solution is good it will be accepted and you can keep developing and gaining experience.

I currently work in telephony. No single work place experience. Got the offer purely from messing about with the solution in my house with my family members as lab rats

Thank you very much

Lindner:


I receive at least one email per week with the same question. I hope to create a thread soon where I'll share my own journey and practical tips to transition from a learner to landing the first remote job. I can't address it here cos it'll be too long. The problem is alot of people are learning which is good but they're doing so in a way that makes them unattractive to employers especially foreign companies.

Not to brag but I got my first remote role just 4 months after I started learning. I ascribe that to favour and the fact that I had a clear path to follow which others too have followed and achieved the same result. There is no secret here whatsoever, everything is available in public space for free. Of course, individual realities will differ.

Thanks for the response. Before you make the thread, highlights of such steps would be much appreciated. As I don't know when you'd make the post, so my learning curve will be more structured..

Please consider it �

Lindner:


I receive at least one email per week with the same question. I hope to create a thread soon where I'll share my own journey and practical tips to transition from a learner to landing the first remote job. I can't address it here cos it'll be too long. The problem is alot of people are learning which is good but they're doing so in a way that makes them unattractive to employers especially foreign companies.

Not to brag but I got my first remote role just 4 months after I started learning. I ascribe that to favour and the fact that I had a clear path to follow which others too have followed and achieved the same result. There is no secret here whatsoever, everything is available in public space for free. Of course, individual realities will differ.

It will surely be an interesting read. We will be waiting then.

shegzhkn:


Lol, poor orientation and exposure.
So did the recruiter told you they are now thinking of exploiting the devs. even more since they don't know their worth ??

Very very sad development! We need reorientation on negotiation of salaries.I am an upcoming freelance dev. I can't accept such amount even as a start.

Lindner:
I've engaged with some developers on nairaland about this topic and out of frustration, I just surrendered.

Since the pandemic and the popularization of remote work, it's no longer news that western tech companies now look to source talents from Africa and Some parts of Asia. The rationale is to cut cost.

A recruiter that recruits for some of these tech companies recently told me that they no longer disclose potential salary budget to candidates from Africa, especially Nigeria.

She mentioned that they are always shocked at the salary expectations of candidates. She went further to state that 9 out of 10 candidates from Africa request for between 20% to 80% below the budget of the companies( Even though the company is already saving a lot by recruiting from Africa). And the fact that she mentioned Nigeria specifically got me a little angry.

Why tf will you guys be asking for $500/month for a software development role no matter whether its entry level or not? What values do you place on yourself? Just because you live in Nigeria? A cleaner does not even get paid $500/month in those companies. Do you feel good knowing the colleague you'll be working with is earning ×5 of what you're being paid and you're probably even adding more value. Don't you get angry?

The painful part is that some of these companies didnt even offer to pay you these miserable salaries, you requested it yourself.

Sometime ago, on another thread here on NL, on the same topic of remote job compensation, some folks came to the thread with alot of justification why $500/month is a good offer. They cited exchange rate, poverty rate in Nigeria, how there's no job and every other pathetic reasons why they should slave away to a western company. I can't even begin to reason the ones that are hawking their "skills" here on NL offering to build a full fledged e-commerce site with integrated payment solutions for 10k naira.

I don't care what you say, if you know your shit and have good self esteem, you can earn as much as $4k/month. Before you come here and start reciting all the impossibilites in your books, know that I'm writing from a position of knowledge. I have statistics and real life examples to substantiate this figure. I myself have been working remotely even before the pandemic.


I wouldn't have bothered to even write, but this development is now coming back to bite some of us just because we answer the name Nigerian.

Please sir, what websites can i get this remote jobs.

Femmyfestus:

Please sir, what websites can i get this remote jobs.

There are a lot of those websites out there. My most successes have been through LinkedIn.

Lindner:


There are a lot of those websites out there. My most successes have been through LinkedIn.

alright. Thank you.
If you have any links please kindly drop them

I would suggest if there’s a way all software developers in Nigeria can come together, because some of them don’t know that what they are doing is wrong, and whatever they do will affect everyone of us.
Both aspiring and experienced ones, we should have a platform for Nigerian software developers, so that we won’t have issues like this. Because reading this, I felt really bad and annoyed.

Lindner:


There are a lot of those websites out there. My most successes have been through LinkedIn.

Mine has been reddit

genaro2000:
I would suggest if there’s a way all software developers in Nigeria can come together, because some of them don’t know that what they are doing is wrong, and whatever they do will affect everyone of us.
Both aspiring and experienced ones, we should have a platform for Nigerian software developers, so that we won’t have issues like this. Because reading this, I felt really bad and annoyed.

I think it makes sense. It wouldn't be nice for Nigeria to be labelled as the go-to place for the cheapest "labour".

These recruiters network within themselves as well and they work with multiple companies, it wouldn't take much time before words get out and they start offering us $100/month �

Lindner:


I think it makes sense. It wouldn't be nice for Nigeria to be labelled as the go-to place for the cheapest "labour".

These recruiters network within themselves as well and they work with multiple companies, it wouldn't take much time before words get out and they start offering us $100/month �

Jesu

Lindner:


I think it makes sense. It wouldn't be nice for Nigeria to be labelled as the go-to place for the cheapest "labour".

These recruiters network within themselves as well and they work with multiple companies, it wouldn't take much time before words get out and they start offering us $100/month �

Seriously, the Nigerian recruiters are not helping matters. You'd see them wanting a full stack developer with 2 years of experience for N150k per month full time.

When a developer is used to such meager pay, they would never believe they have the right to earn huge amounts especially if they are not yet seniors.

Some companies even ask to bring payslip of former working place.

I once read of a company that recruited for one top foreign tech company's scheme in Lagos Island, they were paying their developers N150k, short changing them, these people were just like middle men o. During COVID-19, the original employers shared $500 as relief packages but this Lagos company converted it to loan.

Some developers are naive though.

Have you thought about the fact that low cost is reason why they choose Nigerian devs?

Nigerians can't even get PayPal to facilitate money transfer to Nigeria due to a bad reputation.

Why would I choose a Nigerian for nearly the same pay I can give an American or a European.?

That is the bitter fact.

Karleb:


Seriously, the Nigerian recruiters are not helping matters. You'd see them wanting a full stack developer with 2 years of experience for N150k per month full time.

When a developer is used to such meager pay, they would never believe they have the right to earn huge amounts especially if they are not yet seniors.

Some companies even ask to bring payslip of former working place.

I once read of a company that recruited for one top foreign tech company's scheme in Lagos Island, they were paying their developers N150k, short changing them, these people were just like middle men o. During COVID-19, the original employers shared $500 as relief packages but this Lagos company converted it to loan.

Some developers are naive though.

That is wickedness.

Lindner:


I think it makes sense. It wouldn't be nice for Nigeria to be labelled as the go-to place for the cheapest "labour".

These recruiters network within themselves as well and they work with multiple companies, it wouldn't take much time before words get out and they start offering us $100/month �

Well, that is how China became rich.

Isn't it?

A lot of people are naive about the world.

Nigerians do not have the international leverage to demand high pay for such a competitive market.

Karleb:


Seriously, the Nigerian recruiters are not helping matters. You'd see them wanting a full stack developer with 2 years of experience for N150k per month full time.

When a developer is used to such meager pay, they would never believe they have the right to earn huge amounts especially if they are not yet seniors.

Some companies even ask to bring payslip of former working place.

I once read of a company that recruited for one top foreign tech company's scheme in Lagos Island, they were paying their developers N150k, short changing them, these people were just like middle men o. During COVID-19, the original employers shared $500 as relief packages but this Lagos company converted it to loan.

Some developers are naive though.

This is man's inhumanity to another man.

Go to upwork.

Many Nigerians are struggling to get jobs just by the reputation of their country.

It would take years of building our reputation by consistently producing globally acceptable quality, for us to compete favourably with devs from Europe and America.

And that is what determines value.

A beggar has no choice.

Not everybody is you.
Most people are just struggling to get in the door.

CSTR2:
Have you thought about the fact that low cost is reason why they choose Nigerian devs?

Nigerians can't even get PayPal to facilitate money transfer to Nigeria due to a bad reputation.

Why would I choose a Nigerian for nearly the same pay I can give an American or a European.?

That is the bitter fact.

There's cheap and there's cheap.

Most VFx in Hollywood are done by Indians because they would happily do it for half the price but a developer of 2 years experience earning $500/month remotely is criminal.

$2k and above would be fair.

CSTR2:
Go to upwork.

Many Nigerians are struggling to get jobs just by the reputation of their country.

It would take years of building our reputation by consistently producing globally acceptable quality, for us to compete favourably with devs from Europe and America.

And that is what determines value.

A beggar has no choice.

Not everybody is you.
Most people are just struggling to get in the door.

A beggar has no choice?

These are the kind of mindsets that shouldn't be promoted. We shouldn't let our background as Nigerians put our backs on the ground.

Remember, by employing you, they're not doing you any more favour than you're doing them. Ffs, no one should become a hypothetical beggar in a recruitment. No matter the hardship, no matter how saturated the market is, you've still got some value.

CSTR2:
Have you thought about the fact that low cost is reason why they choose Nigerian devs?

Nigerians can't even get PayPal to facilitate money transfer to Nigeria due to a bad reputation.

Why would I choose a Nigerian for nearly the same pay I can give an American or a European.?

That is the bitter fact.

PayPal?! My employers pay directly into my Nigerian Dom account. And they pay ALL the charges without touching a cent from my pay.

Being employed isn't charity my brother. Put in the effort to be good at what you do. Trust me they will bend all the rules for you. This mentality of them doing you a favour is what makes Nigerian IT guys under price themselves.

I remember turning down a Tekxperts job because the pay was rubbish. And I was unemployed at the time o. So no, employers aren't doing you a favor. You are providing value for them. And should be paid your worth.

Karleb:


Seriously, the Nigerian recruiters are not helping matters. You'd see them wanting a full stack developer with 2 years of experience for N150k per month full time.

When a developer is used to such meager pay, they would never believe they have the right to earn huge amounts especially if they are not yet seniors.

Some companies even ask to bring payslip of former working place.

I once read of a company that recruited for one top foreign tech company's scheme in Lagos Island, they were paying their developers N150k, short changing them, these people were just like middle men o. During COVID-19, the original employers shared $500 as relief packages but this Lagos company converted it to loan.

Some developers are naive though.

That's Tekxperts.

airsaylongcome:


That's Tekxperts.

Oh! You know about them. I guess they recruited for Microsoft.

airsaylongcome:


PayPal?! My employers pay directly into my Nigerian Dom account. And they pay ALL the charges without touching a cent from my pay.

Being employed isn't charity my brother. Put in the effort to be good at what you do. Trust me they will bend all the rules for you. This mentality of them doing you a favour is what makes Nigerian IT guys under price themselves.

I remember turning down a Tekxperts job because the pay was rubbish. And I was unemployed at the time o. So no, employers aren't doing you a favor. You are providing value for them. And should be paid your worth.

So on point. No one is doing anyone any favour. And for the middlemen-like companies milking employees dry, it's because everything goes in Nigeria. And these are the ones popularizing Nigeria as a tech slave port.

Lindner:


A beggar has no choice?

These are the kind of mindsets that shouldn't be promoted. We shouldn't let our background as Nigerians put our backs on the ground.

Remember, by employing you, they're not doing you any more favour than you're doing them. Ffs, no one should become a hypothetical beggar in a recruitment. No matter the hardship, no matter how saturated the market is, you've still got some value.

You are correct, he is also right.

The recruiters in the country are offering incredibly low pay, you get on the online market place to offer your skill you are faced with myriad of stumbling block, all this will have some effect i guess.

It not a matter of choice for these folks, they've got no other choice.

CSTR2:

Well, that is how China became rich.

Isn't it?

A lot of people are naive about the world.

Nigerians do not have the international leverage to demand high pay for such a competitive market.

Waoh! Shoot me!!! What leverage do you need? That you aren't as good as them? Or what? We are talking about knowledge economy here. Not a skill that requires special physical tools. As I'm seated here on Naija my employer's have shipped 4 desk phones at their cost for me to work with. They did the same for colleagues in Latvia and Argentina. Agreed you don't get certain benefits like you would if you were in say the US. But for compensation, you are rated the same as your US colleague until you desperately under price yourself. Do your research on Glassdoor for pay ranges and price yourself appropriately my man

Karleb:


Oh! You know about them. I guess they recruited for Microsoft.

Technically they recruited for themselves. They are what is called Managed Service Providers (MSP). They don't recruit for Microsoft but rather are contractors to Microsoft. But Microsoft pays them well for each person on the job. Maybe $20/hr for Labour. The idiots (excuse my French) pay staff less than a tenth of that. And pay at ₦360 to the dollar (they call this nonsense "Tekxperts dollar rates" ) . I know them well well. During Lockdown they had their staff in very fancy hotels in Lagos where monthly cost for each staff was more than staff salaries.

The same Tekxperts pay their Rwandese staff way more than they pay their Naija staff. And the Rwandese office is mostly a BCP setup that provides cover for EMEA markets in case Nigeria goes down

CSTR2:
Have you thought about the fact that low cost is reason why they choose Nigerian devs?

Nigerians can't even get PayPal to facilitate money transfer to Nigeria due to a bad reputation.

Why would I choose a Nigerian for nearly the same pay I can give an American or a European.?

That is the bitter fact.

Nigerian or no Nigerian,you should see yourself as an equal or even better than foreigners.Stop justifying such discrimination because Nigeria is a dead country. We have geniuses that are ten times better than them. Stop this mindset please.