Who says you must have a University degree before you can land a job and or earn money in Cameroon today? There are so many skills that pay so well, skills that you can learn entirely on your own. In this article, I’m going to share 8 of the most profitable skills you can learn in 2021.
These skills will earn you really good paychecks, and you do not need to study at any University to get hold of them. But Hey, I’m not talking about bricklaying or bartending skills here! Look around you, this is a blog that teaches people how to make money leveraging digital technology.
Truth is, some skills are more valuable than others. In 2021, the most valuable and profitable skills are digital. I’ll be talking about skills that can put money in your pocket, with only your phone, laptop, and Internet connection as physical resources.
Tear through this article from Kuza Cameroon, on 7 interesting ways to make money selling your skills online in Cameroon, the 2021-way!
Before we dive in, I’d like to draw your attention to an interesting paradox about education in Cameroon.
Our educational system focuses so much on teaching fields like; law/Political science, Geography and planning, management, physics, biochemistry, language, etc. But, we already have too many lawyers, or teachers, or business managers, etc.
Yet we fail to train professional graphic designers, copywriters, content marketers, community managers, professional photographers, SEO experts, UI/UX designers, etc. Why don’t they hammer on fields like this? is it because they’re not so valuable?
Well, paradoxically, these are some of the most profitable and in-demand skills from 2020, through to 2021 as this chart from Statista will reveal.
Most profitable skills in 2021, learn and earn without a University degree.
1. Copywriting/Storytelling
“Great copywriting can move mountains” – Neil Patel. I recently took an introductory WhatsApp course in copywriting. Lord, I learned so much about this amazing field. I realized that prior to the course, I had absolutely no idea what Copywriting really is. I was under a complete misconception, which I assume is the same pot you’re in now!
But today I’m not a professional copywriter, not yet at least! Still have a really long road to travel to get there. The interesting thing is, I could go from zero to an 8-figure earner with copywriting, learning every single thing online. No University, not formal school whatsoever.
If you have this ability to talk people into buying something even if they’d not planned to buy it, then you have some copywriting in you. Now you just have to put that talking into writing. As you must now realize, copywriting is NOT copy-righting.
While copy-righting seeks to protect the work of an individual, copywriting seeks to sell the work of a business, through creative writing. In essence, you’re writing “copy,” that persuades a reader to take an action – place an order, subscribe to a service, etc.
According to salaryexplorer.com, the average copywriter (with 2 years of experience) in Cameroon earns about 320,000 XAF. This might not be very precise, as different copywriters can negotiate pay differently; especially the freelancers.
There is no precise way to learn to Copywrite, but the two sure ways to earn from it are; freelancing on platforms like Fiverr and Upwork, or working for businesses. This guide from Neil Patel is a good place to start a career in copywriting
2. Graphics design + UI/UX design
Graphics design + UI/UX design is one of the most in-demand skills in the world today, even in Cameroon. Buyer and supplier organizations are in dying need of professional graphics designers.
Oh my, I enjoy how the guys who know their trade are tearing up on opportunities and making good amounts of money from it. Personally, I have friends who make enviable sums of money designing and teaching how to design – on platforms like WhatsApp.
Every living company is in need of some graphic design work. Skilled designers earn through freelance, fishing their customers on social media, or professional freelance platforms like Fiverr and Upwork. Companies also hire their own designers at a really good pay rate. The best part, you can learn from scratch on your own – with your phone and the Internet.
3. Web/Mobile application development
“Software developers are one of the most in-demand professionals in the Cameroonian tech industry. Their shortage, at first sight, would mean software development jobs receive a fairly high salary.” Emmanuel Ngwa – Afro Hustler.
According to statistics from several Cameroonian software developer forums, developers could earn between 50,000 FCFA and 600,000 FCFA. This huge variation is contingent on the role (senior developers earn more than their junior counterparts), company (some companies pay way better than others).
But with the pandemic, there is a spike in remote work and demand for remote employees. This means a very skilled developer from Cameroon has the chance to work for a high-paying foreign company. By software development, the obvious focus is on mobile and web application development.
If you’re not a tech guru, this option might not hit you well, I apologize for that. But if you were considering a career in tech; specifically in software development, I strongly advise you to jump right in. There’s a swamp of opportunities waiting for you.
A lot of web and mobile application developers also dive into freelance. With the ability to build just a simple WordPress site, you can already start making a nice side income. Advanced skills are a significant plus.
4. Content Marketing
Now let’s assume that after reading this beautiful piece of content, you decided to create your accounts on Fiverr and Upwork, to start your freelance journey. I would’ve given these two companies a new user (they too will be making some money from the money you’ll earn).
So with my content, I’ve managed to turn you into a user for these platforms. I’ve also brought new customers to them; “new market.” Is it not only logical to call what I just did content marketing?
Content marketing refers to the production of any kind of content (graphics, text) to pass on an important/interesting message to a prospect while paving the way for a sale/purchase. When the focus is on written content – as is the case here, we call it content writing.
To learn more about content marketing; read this article; Content is King – The Importance of Content Marketing.
Content writing in Cameroon – One of the most profitable skills to learn in 2021
I’m taking another introductory course in content marketing, you can join me there. There are so many great resources to learn everything about content marketing from the very beginning, from which you can make a really nice side or main income.
Just like graphic designers, every company is hiring a content marketer these days, though freelance is a beautiful option to explore as well.
5. Social media community management
I watched a TV Interview on Canal 2 International. The guest was a professional community/social media manager from Cameroon. When asked about the Salary of an experienced community manager in the country, he said – and I paraphrase; “about 300k on average.”
To think that some social media managers earn less than 30k a month, leaves you wondering – is it just a difference in experience or what? Truth be told, many people in this field only do it for some extra cash; but it does pay really well.
What’s interesting is the fact that there is no formal training on community management. Anyone can fill that role for a company looking to build their brand, or get closer to their customers on social media. All it takes is the ability to grow a social media audience, produce quality, sticky content to keep people coming.
I often see job alerts for social media managers on LinkedIn, the pay is always eye-catching. To be a professional here only requires completing a few online courses, practice, a few years of experience, and a couple of social media audiences to show for. It’s a really good way to make a living or just some side-income.
6. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Search engines are applications that allow us to search for information on the web. Google is the most popular search engine. When you search for information, products or services, the search engines decide what results to display at the top. Hardly would you go looking for results beyond the first page.
Every online business (website) is hassling to be at the top of search results. There is fierce competition between these businesses; for whose website or article or product or service, goes up first. For this, these websites must be optimized for search engines. That’s the concept of SEO.
Search Engine Optimization: One of the most profitable skills to learn in 2021
According to paylab.com, the average SEO expert in Cameroon earns between 120,000 FCFA to 267,000 FCFA. That’s a full package. At the same time, SEO agencies in Cameroon charge between 100,000 to 500,000 for one-time SEO projects, and hourly rates for consultants fall between 10,000FCFA TO 25,000 FCFA (stats from dreampointech.com).
SEO is a really big deal in 2021, and pay rates will only keep rising. You can become an SEO expert from home, studying every grain of the bag with the Internet. It’s a really long journey to expertise, but it’s very doable. Kick off with this resource; SEO Made Simple: A Step-by-Step Guide from Neil Patel.
7. Digital Marketing – Most profitable skill in 2021
At least they teach a bit of this one in some professional schools in the country. Nevertheless, you can become a professional digital marketer completely on your own, with the aid of the Internet. What is digital marketing by the ways?
Basically, digital marketing refers to any online marketing efforts or assets. Email marketing, pay-per-click advertising, social media marketing and even blogging are all great examples of digital marketing-they help introduce people to your company and convince them to buy.
Digital marketing in Cameroon
I have a physics teacher who’s now a digital marketing expert. He even offers training to help others, and may already make more than he earns from teaching. Even with a master’s degree in business management, he had to learn everything he knows about digital marketing on his own. The Internet alone, was his teacher!
Digital marketing is so broad and complex, it’ll take months for the average person to get a good grasp of it. It entails almost all the other areas we’ve discussed here; content marketing, SEO, social media management, etc. Does pay excellently well in the end though. Lots of resources online to get you started in this thrilling, highly in-demand and profitable field.
Wrapping Up the most profitable skills in 2021, that you should learn
In every conversation about growth, there’s always the “change the world” part. We’re interested in the “make money part” here. We’ve just decapitated through the 7 most profitable skills in 2021, which you can learn at home – on your own.
No need to attend a university to acquire skills in Graphics design, copywriting, web/mobile application development, content marketing, etc. All you need is an Internet connection. So, what’s stopping you from learning any of these skills, and using them to make a living, or earn some extra cash on the side?
Nothing good comes easy, but it only takes some courage to begin. Which of these trades are you going to start learning today? Tell us in the comments. Also, share this article to help someone else.