How do you get a tech job in Nigeria? Is it possible to get a tech job with no experience? Read on to find out.
A few years back, getting a job in a foreign company was quite difficult for Nigerian job seekers. Job seekers would be required to have a prolific portfolio and network with Nigerian companies with direct work relations with foreign companies. Today, with the dynamism of the technology industry, it is possible for Nigerians to work directly with foreign companies through remote jobs. Apart from the flexibility that comes with jobs in tech, employees also receive handsome payments for their skills.
Table of Contents
Step by Step Guide to Get a Tech Job in Nigeria
Here are steps you must follow if you are interested in getting a tech job in Nigeria.
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Be determined
The first step to getting a tech job in Nigeria is to build determination. Be mentally prepared for what you are going to do. Like every other industry, getting a job in the tech industry will take some processes. The processes involved would only be progressive when you have a focused mindset.
Ensure you have a way of tracking your progress. It could be by adding it to your schedule or goals. This way, you will monitor your decisions and ensure you are on the right path.
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Get a laptop/Desktop
You must have seen people talk about getting a tech job by using mobile phones, and this is possible. But, if you are looking to get a scalable job in tech that pays you well and helps you to advance your tech career, you will need a laptop or desktop. This is because you would be working with software that you can only utilize on a laptop or desktop. Mobile phones will only give you access to a few limited opportunities.
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Learn a scalable tech skill
To get a tech job in Nigeria or anywhere else in the world, you need tech skills in high demand. Having tech skills is one thing that majorly distinguishes the tech industry from other industries. You can have zero tech experience, learn a skill, and still scale through in the tech industry.
Some of the skills in high demand in the Nigerian tech industry include programming, software development, UI/UX design, digital marketing, product management, content creation, QA & software testing, data analytics, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, cyber security, and blogging. You can acquire these skills in a training academy like Coursera, Udemy, Utiva, YouTube, and Google.
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Join tech communities
Networking is another way you can get a tech job in Nigeria. After you have chosen the tech skill you would like to learn, the next step is to mix with people who are practising those skills. You don’t have to meet with them physically.
You can use professional networking channels like LinkedIn, Twitter, Slack, StackOverflow, Quora, Andela learning community, ForLoop, Ingressive, Figma Africa, and GitHub Education. Telegram is the most receptive platform you can search; just search for the community you want and you’ll definitely get something.
The benefit of being part of tech communities are
- Meeting experienced professionals in the field.
- Internships and job opportunities, and access to boot camps.
- Get volunteer work and other activities that will help in accelerating your career in tech.
Read also: Networking tips for students in Nigeria
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Get familiar with tech tools and trends
Getting familiar with tools and trends in the tech industry shows you are on the right track to getting a tech job in Nigeria. For example, as a software developer, you can attend an interview and your interviewer asks how StackOverflow helps you in software development. Getting this question right shows your recruiter that you understand how to manage yourself when carrying out your tasks.
Tools like Slack, Trello, Gmail, Zoom, Google suite, Evernote, and Canva are the most common to techies. Try to get familiar with them before starting a career in tech or during the exploration phase.
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Stable internet connection
Internet connection is a vital part of working in the tech industry. Most of the tools you would be required to work with as a tech employee would need a stable internet connection to function. That is why you hardly see a tech company with no reliable WiFi connection.
In some cases, you might find yourself working from home. So, ensure you get an internet connection that will not disrupt your work.
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Build a portfolio
A portfolio is the compilation of all your works, projects, or tasks. For better chances, you need a portfolio before you can get a tech job in Nigeria. That is because most tech recruiters are interested in what you bring to the organization.
When you check through most job application processes on LinkedIn or Jobberman nowadays, you’ll notice that there’s always a section for you to include a link to your portfolio. If you do not have any work experience before, you can create content or products around your skill and upload them on your LinkedIn and other social media platforms.
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Apply for internships
A simple way of getting jobs in tech is by applying for internships. As an intern, you will be trained and exposed to the skills the company needs to grow. It is easier for a company’s HR to recruit interns already familiar with the organization’s culture and standards than to recruit new staff who will undergo training.
Some internship programs are paid, while some are not. Top tech companies in Nigeria that annually recruit interns include Andela, Jumia, Paystack, Flutterwave, Softcom, and Konga.
Read also: How to get work experience as a university student in Nigeria
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Pitch your product
Instead of waiting to get a tech job in Nigeria, you can take a step by creating a product and pitching it to companies. For example, you are a UI/UX Designer currently looking to work with any tech company in Nigeria. You can design the interface of a website or mobile application and pitch it to selected tech companies.
This could prompt companies to work with you because you are selling your skills to them. In pitching your product to companies, it’s normal to get a few ‘No’s,’ but don’t relent. Keep trying till you eventually get that ‘yes.’
Conclusion
There’s more to getting a job in tech than wishing and fantasizing. Technology is a well of fortune, which means there’s an extent to which you must dig before you find your fortune. Hopefully, this has helped to a great extent.
Would you like to gain experience and build a winning portfolio? Join insight.ng internship program. Also, join our Whatsapp community to interact with beautiful minds.
About Author
- I haven’t found an easier and more convenient way to express myself than writing. I chose this path because I believe that a writers pen or as it is in this tech age, tablet is still powerful enough to change the world. Apart from being a writer, I am also a digital marketer.
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