Titles vs. Money—Pick a Struggle!

Since moving from Nigeria to Sweden and now to Canada, I have grown to define what I want at the different stages in my professional journey, whether the goal is chasing big titles or making good money. Back in Nigeria, the corporate environment revolves around your official title and the company you work with. Already, the ironic classism in Nigerian society aggravates the situation. Hence, the obsession with well-crafted titles is common because there are too many folks who are more bothered about titles than the actual take at the end of the month.

I remember some years back when a boss in one big organization in Nigeria came out to say he was surprised at how many assets the drivers in his office had while he was struggling to balance at the end of each month. Granted, responsibilities for each person may vary, and comparison has its limits. Your money management skills are another factor. The point here, however, is how that realization opened up an online conversation on the reality of titles versus income.

Another incident was about an encounter someone working in corporate Lagos had with her favorite cab driver, which got her thinking deeply about money. One thing led to another during a casual discussion on the Lagos hustle, and the lady was shocked at how a taxi driver with barely any education, hardly able to form a full sentence in the Queen's English, could have 3 houses on the outskirts of Lagos and send his children to school despite having a large family. The driver broke down his money journey with her, and in that instant, she realized the importance of being clear about what you want in life, especially when it comes to money.

Just like the company boss and the corporate Lagos lady, there is a tendency to overlook people outside the corporate world and artisans when it comes to actual money in the bank and tangible assets. We struggle to get the best grades in school (not that grades don't matter) and get the next trending certifications but pay relatively little attention to our money management skills. Too many of us are out here talking about becoming wealthy, looking the part, and climbing the corporate ladder to earn those feel-good, brag-worthy titles, but our money business is a whole mess. Shady may even be a better word.

Agreed, we now have fashion brands like Mai Atafo, Veekee James, and Tuboreni that make bespoke, jaw-dropping designs, and already too many people are now on the bandwagon because suddenly there is good money involved in making clothes. However, there are still many underrated legit hustles, but that is a story for another day.

As an immigrant, you need to pick your struggles wisely in this abroad. To come this far and not be focused on what counts will be setting yourself up for failure. People will cross the Atlantic and be selecting jobs at the first stages of landing, knowing full well that they have no "Canadian experience" or references to sweeten their chances in the cutthroat job market. By the time they gallivant here and there, reeling from the fatigue of different CV workshops and career fairs, unyielding mentorships, and masterclasses, they suddenly realize, oh! Maybe I should consider being a taxi driver, becoming a plumber, or learning to be a mechanic or an electrician. Maybe I need to start learning how to braid or cut hair. Let me just find any job.

Why does it have to take all that time-wasting and rejections for anyone in that situation to realize that the goal is money to survive first? As a Nigerian, if you are not careful, you come abroad with a foolish sense of entitlement about your certifications and degrees because you are unable to define at what stage in your life you should focus on titles or making money. There are too many immigrants stuck in bigger cities, desperate for jobs, and some of those dangerous delusions are because of the circle they operate in.

Folks who tell you to remain in big cities like Ontario, NYC, Toronto, LA, Halifax, Chicago, and the like, but you already know this is not working. They tell you to take an underpaid job in these places as your claim to the big boys' status when you could be thriving in smaller cities and towns. You are barely making it, but being wired from a place like Nigeria about big city life, goals of working only in Fortune 500-ish companies, and obsession with big titles is sending you down into bottom-barrel depression. Yet, you will not budge. Because... giving up is not an option. Even though this narrative can hardly power boil the water for your cup of tea.

You are also burdened with being shamed for moving to "local areas" or a village after crossing the Atlantic. Like people care that much when you could be thriving better if you took that step back and focused on actually making good money to live a good life. You have to be making money first at some threshold, depending on your circumstances, before you can manage to pay bills and invest... but this is you with the big title, yet nothing to show for it after taxes and bills.

It dawned on me that if I did not define what I wanted per time in my career journey, then my dreams of wealth would just be some pipe dream. You work your prime years basking in titles, bragging about the company or brand associated with them, and wake up one day to find it is all over—you either retire or life happens.

A Nigerian in the UK said his driving license was more valuable to him than a master's degree, and it was met with all manner of counter opinions. Clearly, the man was speaking based on his reality and his immigration status situation. In no way was he invalidating the benefits of a graduate degree, but that post was misunderstood because people with those higher degrees took serious offense, and some even called it an insult. Some also insinuated he operated in a circle of people with very low aspirations.

As a Nigerian, I can understand because Nigerians love their titles, and again, many people missed the point of that tweet. A master's degree and a driver's license are two different things, serving different purposes, but depending on what stage you are in your life, one may become more valuable than the other. Let us not pretend like we don't understand how important a driver's license is in many countries. Even jobs that do not require you to constantly drive will require a license along with your other qualifications, just in case you have to use your employer's vehicles. Also, every immigrant will tell you just how important your legal status in a country is and how much it defines how well you'd thrive anywhere.

However, let's imagine the debate between having a driver's license and an MSc degree is just another ordinary discussion, fully aware that many people with degrees are unable to secure white or blue-collar jobs. They could have set aside their pride and started with whatever legitimate work is available to pay their bills and establish themselves before pursuing titles.

Never let anyone shame or gaslight you when you openly discuss these topics and hear comments like, "It's not always about the money." Yet, we are constantly reminded that it is indeed about the money. If you are poor, you are often overlooked and penalized for not being able to pay your bills. Cash is King, and the amount of disposable income or liquid assets you possess determines the opportunities you can pursue. Having money allows you to take risks and invest. Without cash, there is nothing.

Pick a hustle! Money or Titles.

Cover Photo: Marco Kaufmann (unsplash)