13 Online Jobs for Students in Nigeria
Nigerian students can select from a broad range of careers. Doubt it? In our guide, you will find the best online jobs and the current requirements for candidates.
Nigerian students can select from a broad range of careers. Doubt it? In our guide, you will find the best online jobs and the current requirements for candidates.
Research by The College of St. Scholastica reveals that about 70% of students combine work and education. The advantages of this practice are financial income, the buildup of experience and a portfolio, and as a result, a better chance of successful employment after graduation.
Although the current world situation has made adjustments to the labor market, it has also opened new opportunities. Now students can start or continue their professional path in the online format. This is a great opportunity to join two-thirds of people around the world who, according to IWG serviced office provider study, already work remotely.
In this guide, we will discuss the best online jobs for undergraduate students in Nigeria that will make your career independent of externalities.
Why is it Hard to Find a Job for a Student
On one hand, a college or university student has relevant knowledge about the industry and can thus provide a fresh perspective and innovative ideas for the company. But for some reason, employers do not line up for young talent. The following are a few main reasons why:
- Lack of experience - Some employers are still not ready to cultivate labor by providing jobs for the first steps in the industry. Often they are looking for high performance and results in the shortest possible time. Fortunately, more and more modern companies don't consider work experience as the primary selection criterion. Many startup projects prefer to gain momentum with young specialists.
- Lack of skills - According to Jobberman, the Nigerian online portal, the lack of critical skills for the profession is the most common cause of failure for young Nigerians. Undoubtedly, the school’s theoretical foundation doesn't always work under real-life conditions. In this case, gigs will help you test the waters, put accumulated knowledge into practice, and understand what qualifications you actually need for successful execution.
- Limited working hours - Employers understand that most students consider part-time employment, as they still need to balance work and training. Besides, undergraduates are not immune to academic changes that affect their work schedule and productivity. Legitimate online work, in turn, offers a flexible schedule option. It still requires your involvement and results but eliminates the need to make excuses for work hours changing.
- Poor self-presentation - Many students often do not realize their value and, therefore, do not know what they can offer the employer. It is the main reason why employers focus more on what you do not have (experience, advanced skills, the ability to work full time) instead of what you do have (knowledge, qualifications, motivation). To put it right, pay special attention to your application documents. The resume should contain academic and extra-academic activities and achievements. When writing a cover letter, remember the transferable skills you mastered during your training and campus life and the personal qualities you developed in the social environment. A competent self-presentation always proves that you are ready to offer something more than just a track record.
Best Legit Online Jobs in Nigeria
Online work, as well as offline activity, implies different types of employment. Given your student status, you should focus on either a part-time job that allows you to work up to 30 hours a week or freelance that involves gigs, project activities, and flexible hours. Whatever option you choose, your work will be paid, and your skills will be improved with each completed task.
We've put together the top online jobs in Nigeria for students. Your mission is to choose the best vacancy for unlocking your potential.
1. Translator
If you studied a second language at school or grew up in a bilingual environment, you already have a powerful tool for earning. In the era of globalization, companies are increasingly entering new markets and trying to attract target audiences from different countries. Your responsibilities may include translation or interpretation of:
- Texts and articles
- Social media content and company website content
- Promotional and marketing materials per the linguistic and cultural characteristics of the target audience
In addition to direct fluency in a second language, the following skills may come in handy:
- Research skills to learn the meaning of words, jargon, phraseologies, and the background of the text
- Critical thinking to keep the right vocabulary and tone of voice for the target audience
- Cultural awareness to interpret the text per the linguistic characteristics, traditions, and patterns of readers
2. Graphic Designer
Successful visual solutions are in demand in various companies, from book publications to advertising agencies. Accordingly, a qualified graphic designer is also worth its weight in gold if they can cope with the following main tasks:
- Development of logos, images, and illustrations that enhance the text
- Concept development per client needs and project features
- Creation of layouts, sketches, and design using the software
To apply for this vacancy, the candidate must prove a set of critical skills including:
- Fluency in software such as Photoshop, QuarkXpress, InDesign or Illustrator
- Analytical thinking for choosing visual solutions based on message and target audience
- Creativity to develop unique ideas that will appeal to consumers in the best way
3. SEO Specialist
In this era of digitalization, even the best sites are struggling for leading positions in the search engines Google, Yahoo, Bing, and so on. Search engine optimization allows users to get valuable content and help companies increase traffic to the website. Even the fact that you are reading this guide is a credit to the SEO specialist who copes with the following duties every day:
- Studying the most popular user search queries
- Identifying keywords for websites or social media
- Developing content and link building strategies
This sought-after profession requires specific qualifications including:
- Marketing awareness to understand user needs and analyze competitor strategies
- Analytical skills to determine search engine algorithms and factors influencing traffic
- Writing skills for the development of calls-to-action content and the conversion of users
4. Web Developer
A web developer is one of the most popular online jobs for Nigerians, since many companies often seek outsourcing specialists in your country. If you want to occupy this role in the IT field, be prepared to perform the following duties:
- Development and testing of applications and websites
- Maintain, update, and troubleshoot websites
- Integrate data from backends of services and databases
The primary qualifications for this position include:
- Knowledge of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP or other coding languages
- Understanding and managing database systems such as SQL and Oracle
- Attention to detail for writing valid code, timely detection of problems, and troubleshooting
5. Sales Representative
The advantage of this profession is the payroll system. Often, employers offer workers both a flat wage and the benefits of sales. Thus, your profit depends in part on your results. To achieve them, you will have to perform such duties as:
- Identification of the needs of potential customers for a particular product or service
- Effective product presentation
- Negotiations and closing of sales
Although the job description may sound like fun, not every employee can meet sales goals successfully. But if you have the following essential set of skills, feel free to apply for the position:
- Empathy to understand the needs of the audience
- Presentation skills to prove how the product solves the client’s problem, which significantly increases the likelihood of a purchase
- Negotiation skills to handle objections and reach a compromise for all interested parties
6. Social Media Manager
Have you ever considered that Facebook or Instagram could make you money? The position of social media manager provides you with this opportunity. Social platforms have become indispensable tools in promoting goods and influencing the target audience. And your role is:
- Explore current trends and audience preferences
- Create a content strategy based on the business goals of the company
- Manage social media accounts, including preparing images and texts, posting, processing feedback, and performance analysis
In addition to the love of social networks, a promising specialist can offer professional skills such as:
- Strategic thinking to develop a content plan and setting measurable goals
- Writing skills to create engaging and selling texts
- Business acumen to generate ideas that will turn followers into buyers, and buyers into brand advocates
7. Writer
Writing gigs provide you with a broad selection of topics and wordage of texts. You can write both short notes in the magazine and scientific long-reads in a journal. Regardless of your choice, writing includes several typical responsibilities:
- Define the core message for the target audience
- Keep the tone of voice set by the customer
- Collect useful data and information to make the text informative and engaging
Feel free to apply for a job if you have some of the following critical abilities in stock:
- Research skills to help you fill the text with valuable insights and provide quality material for readers
- Written communication skills to put thoughts on paper and deliver the guiding idea
- Attention to detail to help to avoid grammatical, stylistic, and punctuation mistakes
8. Tutor
During your studies at school or college, you accumulated a specific theoretical foundation and excelled in certain subjects. Tutoring will help you monetize your knowledge. You can conduct individual sessions with the student through such platforms as tutor.com. Or upload short instructional videos. For this purpose, Udemy is the best site. You just need to choose your area of expertise and consider what useful information you are ready to provide. Regardless of the selected tutoring option, you will need such skills as:
- Communication to be accessible and understandable to students and an uninformed audience
- Technological awareness to create lectures and interactions that will take place online
- Patience to work with students of all levels and to explain the information several times
9. Virtual Assistant
Modern employers are increasingly entrusting administrative tasks to virtual assistants, which saves time and money. Your responsibilities may vary by company, but in general, be prepared for:
- Scheduling for management or staff
- Planning of business trips, including booking accommodation and tickets
- Preparation of reports and presentations
- Communication with the company's customers to record the purpose of the appeal and redirect the request to the appropriate recipient
Being a crucial auxiliary link, you need to have a set of relevant skills including:
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office for managing company documentation
- Verbal and written communication skills for phone calls and correspondence
- Self-organization and time management for scheduling employees and maintaining the productivity of your working day
10. Affiliate Marketing
The goal of affiliate marketing is sales. But unlike traditional sales, you do not cast yourself as a representative of a particular company, but instead provide informal recommendations for a product or service on third-party resources. Each purchase made through your review brings you a percentage of sales. Your responsibilities include:
- Study and selection of suitable online platforms whose audience matches the target audience of the product
- Writing a text that mentions the product and its benefits
- Placement of your native advertising on selected platforms
This position should not be taken as easy money since your success and earnings directly depend on your qualifications which may include:
- Research skills to help you identify the strengths of the product for its winning presentation
- Analytical thinking to promote the competent choice of platforms where the recommended product matches the theme and audience, thus providing value (remember, even high-quality products and winning advertising will not work with the failed selection of recipients)
- Creativity to help you write a breezy text that proves to the audience why you chose this product and how it helped you
11. Transcriptionist
The profession of a transcriptionist includes audio or video recording for quick information distribution. You have the opportunity to work in different industries, and your unchanging responsibilities will include:
- Converting audio or video files into text
- Checking documents for semantic, stylistic, and grammatical errors
- Formatting documents for easy reading
This role is an ideal gig for students, as it requires only a high school diploma. Nevertheless, be prepared to apply the following skills:
- High typing speed per minute for processing a larger number of files per day, which will positively affect both the loyalty of employers and your earnings
- Attention to detail for avoiding any errors in the text and providing high-quality material
- Fluency in Express Scribe for quick decryption of recordings
12. Proofreader or Editor
Professionals in editing or proofreading are in demand among business companies and publishers, as well as bloggers, authors, and copywriters. Your goal is to bring the text to perfection. To achieve it you have to:
- Check the paper for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors
- Check if the main message has been delivered
- Improve the word choice and tone of voice per the selected audience
The main requirements of potential customers to these specialists include the following items:
- An eye for details so as not to miss a single mistake that can ruin the general impression of the text
- Language comprehension to choose the best linguistic and stylistic solutions
- Writing skills to edit the material while preserving the idea and message of the author
13. Data Entry Clerk
Each company collects information about its customers, market, competitors, internal corporate environment, and so on. To save and use it for further decision-making, employers hire data entry clerks who:
- Transfer documents from paper format to electronic databases
- Create spreadsheets and diagrams
- Create backup copies of essential papers and sort them for quick search
This position does not have strict educational requirements but implies the presence of specific qualifications including:
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Word and Excel
- Perseverance for error-free processing of large amounts of data
- A typing speed of at least 30-40 words per minute
Final Words
The combination of work and education is a challenging but critical step for each student. On the one hand, it significantly limits your leisure and requires a competent allocation of time and attention between two essential activities. But this is a modest price for the opportunity to understand how the industry works and avoid unemployment after graduation. Contrary to popular opinion, many modern employers are open to cooperation with "rookies" and appreciate their value. Therefore, do not create artificial borders and obstacles for yourself.
To support you, we provided a list of professions, duties, and requirements for candidates. As you can see, many qualifications are already on your list of competencies. Therefore, focus on your skills for the selected position, and believe that you are a worthy candidate before proving it to the employer.