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Our economy is weak and unemployment is high. People are desperate for jobs so they are willing to work for anything.
Companies from the US, Europe etc take advantage of this and outsource their development to us for very little $$
Companies from the US, Europe etc take advantage of this and outsource their development to us for very little $$
This is good for their margins but it hurts local talent. When you try to charge or ask for what you're worth, these employers roll their eyes and tell you they can get cheaper developers who can do pretty much what you can do.
Here's the problem with yielding and agreeing to work for peanuts. You get treated like a commodity that can be replaced. You're reminded every other day how "lucky" you are or how grateful you should be to be working for a company that pays you in forex/ to have a job in tech.
Choosing to only work with clients or companies that'll pay you your worth might mean going for long periods without work, losing time that could be useful to gaining experience.
During this time you still have to pay the bills and take care of your BIG African family.
During this time you still have to pay the bills and take care of your BIG African family.
Almost everyone I know(locals) in tech has to make this choice. Most choose whatever is offered to them and are happy to have *a* job, even when what they make isn't enough to cover their basic costs and leave something for savings.
They work hard, are loyal to their companies and go the extra mile hoping & wishing that they'll get recognition, appreciation, a raise or promotion. These are the very same people who sacrifice their time & relationships for these companies only to burn out in the end. When this
happens, their productivity drops and like the commodities they are, they are dropped, given bad reviews or don't get promoted(can't have a low paid African being the boss of you right?)
I see this happening to many of my friends and I hate it. Tech pays very well and no one should have to be treated like a commodity.
I understand what pushes people to this however and I honestly don't blame them. Companies care about the bottom line. Workers have families to
I understand what pushes people to this however and I honestly don't blame them. Companies care about the bottom line. Workers have families to
take care of and responsibilities and burdens Westerners would never understand. I don't know what the solution to this is because this problem is bigger than me, but I have a few ideas.
1) As a developer(or any other proffesion in tech), master your craft. Learn as much as you can about your stack and if you can, have a specialty that separates you from the rest.
2) The odds are stacked against you, accept that and find a way around it
2) The odds are stacked against you, accept that and find a way around it
Do what you can with what you have. If that means coding on your phone, using the internet at midnight, walking long distances to get to a power source, or using an old beat up laptop that only runs windows xp, you do that.
3) Publish as much work as you can. Do the best you can to make yourself stand out as an authority in your line of work. You don't have to pretend to be an expert but talk about what you know. This isn't for everybody but it definitely helps you get inbound marketing.
Write a blog, start a podcast, tweet, attend conferences and meetups, speak if you can, write a book, contribute to open source. This will help set you apart from.everybody else and improve your standing.
4) Network. Attending meetups and conferences allows you to meet other Devs in your space. Get to know them, collaborate on projects with them, hang out and help them out when they need it.
You can also do this online, follow Devs you like, interact with them, comment on their
You can also do this online, follow Devs you like, interact with them, comment on their
blogs, videos or tweets, get to know them better. Doing this helps you meet the people who are already in the game. These are the very same people who might refer job opportunities your way.
5)This one goes out to the allies. People with influence in companies. Don't let an African be thrown under the bus and get a low ball offer just because of their geolocation.
There are gatekeepers in your companies who don't like us, help us by opening doors that we can't open
There are gatekeepers in your companies who don't like us, help us by opening doors that we can't open
6) Be your own advocate. Tell your story as it is, don't self deprecate. You are who you are and the experience you have is what you have.
And lastly have the right attitude. Be humble, adaptable and teachable. If people reach out to help you, let them, don't be rude. If someone helps you, pass it forward, help someone else.
When you make it, don't be a jerk. Share knowledge, opportunities and pull others up with u
When you make it, don't be a jerk. Share knowledge, opportunities and pull others up with u
Ngiyabonga
