₦airaland Forum

Remote Work Is Not a Joke – Learn the Game Before You Enter

I can run a mock interview with you, and I bet I’ll tell you where you're getting it wrong.

A lot of us want foreign remote jobs, but we don’t understand that our Nigerian work habits (indiosyncrasies) don’t always fly.

You don’t acknowledge emails.

You confirm availability but don’t show up.

You arrive late to virtual interviews.

Your background is noisy and unprofessional.

Let me be blunt: getting a remote job is a job on its own. Do you know how many rejections I’ve faced?

I didn’t just dabble into remote work. My journey started when a Kenyan company entered Nigeria and needed someone to educate them about the Nigerian market. I jumped on that chance—even while still doing my 9-5.

When their West Africa manager flew in, I was the one that moved around with him. That was my first taste of remote. But guess what? I still got rejected by other Kenyan companies.

Then, one day, an opportunity came. The pay was TERRIBLE. My friends laughed at me. But I didn’t care. I took the job because I wanted to learn and break out of the 9-5 system completely.

It was a US-based company, owned by a Nigerian. That job taught me Google Sheets, virtual meeting etiquette, communication, time management, and more. When we eventually got laid off, the CEO still relied on me to book her trips to Nigeria and prep her accounts. That’s the level of trust I had earned.

Remote Work ≠ Nigerian 9-5

Too many of us think our Nigerian 9-5 experience automatically qualifies us for remote work. It doesn't.

I've worked remotely with:
1. 🇮🇳 Indians – Low pay, high workload
2. 🇳🇬 Nigerians in diaspora – Be ready to multitask for real, and communicate like your life depends on it
3. 🇬🇧 British – Clear communication, follow instructions to the letter
4. 🇺🇸 Americans – They’ll track your hours, monitor productivity tools, and check your attention to detail
5. 🇨🇳 Chinese – High pressure, tight deadlines, very structured
6. 🇳🇬 Nigerians in Nigeria – Endless meetings, because they think you’re “cheating” the system by working remotely

If you don’t bring your A-game, they’ll move on. Quick. Skill Up Before You Burn Out

Don’t look at the pay when starting. Learn the game first.

Remote work is not a vacation. It’s a high-trust, high-performance environment. Nobody’s chasing you. Nobody cares if you showed up—what matters is, did you deliver?

If you're late to respond, sloppy with tasks, or bad at communication, you’ll be ghosted.

You want to earn more? Learn more.

Automation is changing the game. Even in accounting, things like VAT filing, bank reconciliation, reporting, and auditing can now be done from your living room. The tools are evolving—so should you.

Final Word:

Start from anywhere.

I was laughed at when I started. People thought remote work wasn’t real work. Today, I’ve worked with professionals across continents.

Don’t wait to be chased. Chase growth.
Don’t compare remote to 9-5. Respect the difference.
Don’t fixate on money at the start. Learn first, earn later.

Remote work is not beans.

But for those who are ready, it’s a global passport to the kind of career freedom many only dream about.

Author SMjay
Founder Remote Jobs (RJ)