In 2021, Rhoda Adeola reached a significant career milestone when she received her inaugural payment of €500 from a Dutch company while working remotely from Nigeria.
“Before I ever earned in foreign currency, I used to convert ₦10,000 into dollars just to make my church offerings,” she reminisces. “Earning in international currencies was always a dream of mine. Ambition and determination have been integral to who I am.”
Though she did not have formal education in software development, Rhoda was fascinated by the minds behind technology-the coders, designers, and innovators. Her mission became identifying such talent, linking them with opportunities across Europe, and motivating them to embrace new professional challenges.
Little did she realize then that this would be the beginning of a career that would cross borders and reshape the meaning of work for a driven woman from Ibadan, located in southwestern Nigeria.
A distinctive journey into the technology sector
Rhoda’s academic foundation is in physics, which she pursued at the University of Ibadan. While she valued the discipline and precision of science, her true enthusiasm was in guiding individuals through their career paths. By volunteering in employability initiatives, she developed expertise in crafting resumes and coaching for interviews, naturally steering her toward human resources.
“Helping people find their next career step gave me a deep sense of satisfaction,” she shares.
After completing her studies, Rhoda joined an HR firm in Lagos. When the pandemic forced a shift to remote work, she observed how rapidly the tech industry adapted to virtual environments. This inspired her to transition into tech recruitment, identifying a unique space where she could connect companies with talent and facilitate international growth.
Through LinkedIn, Rhoda connected with a Nigerian recruiter at Microsoft who mentored Africans eager to break into tech recruitment. Volunteering to assist with coordination, she gained practical experience in screening software engineers, reviewing CVs, and managing candidate pipelines.
This hands-on exposure led to a position at Matchr, a Dutch recruitment agency expanding its footprint into Nigeria. It was here that she earned her first euro while still working from Nigeria.
Navigating industry disruptions
By 2022, Rhoda had saved enough to pursue a master’s degree in HR in the UK, all while maintaining her remote role with the Dutch company. However, 2023 brought widespread layoffs across the tech sector. Major players like Meta, Amazon, and Miro-a key client of hers-began downsizing, sharply reducing demand for tech recruiters. As a result, her contract was terminated amid the hiring freeze.
“That period was tough,” she admits. “But it pushed me to evolve and stay relevant.”
She realized recruitment was shifting beyond conventional practices. Employers now sought professionals who combined recruitment skills with data analytics and strategic foresight-individuals who understood both market trends and human behavior. Rhoda dedicated time to mastering analytics tools that track salary benchmarks, hiring trends, and talent gaps. She also embraced workforce planning, advising leadership on long-term talent acquisition strategies.
Tech recruitment had evolved into a forward-thinking discipline focused on forecasting talent needs and cultivating candidate pipelines before roles became vacant. It demanded a blend of methodical planning and authentic empathy.
Describing her daily workflow, Rhoda explains that she begins by analyzing job specifications from hiring managers, mapping out essential skills, and researching talent pools across multiple countries. She then reaches out to candidates with tailored messages, arranges interviews, and leverages referrals and online communities.
“Aligning a candidate’s abilities with the right organizational culture is vital,” she notes. “Success occurs when an individual’s goals resonate with the company’s values. Listening attentively to what candidates want in their next role-and whether the company can deliver-is fundamental.”
This evolved approach led her to her current position at a workplace safety software firm, where she manages recruitment across the UK, US, Australia, and Asia-Pacific. Her duties include designing hiring workflows, ensuring compliance with various labor laws, and balancing local expectations with global standards.
“In developed countries, workplace safety is paramount,” Rhoda explains. “They employ Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) managers who use technology platforms to report incidents, track them, and produce compliance reports.”
Decoding the international talent ecosystem
Rhoda offers valuable perspectives on the intricacies of global recruitment. She understands why some companies hesitate to hire from emerging markets.
“Many multinational firms remain wary of recruiting from Africa despite the abundant talent,” she observes. “Concerns about legal systems and tax regulations create perceived obstacles, and some underestimate the adaptability of African professionals.”
She believes Africa’s reputation on the global stage is strengthening as more professionals consistently deliver results internationally.
“Just as India built its global standing over decades through visibility and performance, Africa is now shaping its own success story,” Rhoda remarks.
Her role often involves educating clients to move beyond stereotypes. She highlights how global payroll and compliance platforms simplify hiring from anywhere. Additionally, she serves as a cultural bridge, clarifying communication styles and expectations among diverse teams.
“Global recruitment demands understanding what matters to different individuals,” she says. “A software developer in Berlin might prioritize work-life balance, a graphic designer in Nairobi seeks career growth, while a data engineer in San Francisco values independence.”
Based in the UK, Rhoda balances a career that spans continents with a life anchored in one location. She values the flexibility remote work provides but appreciates the stability of her current home. Although relocating to countries like Germany or the Netherlands would be straightforward, she prefers the consistency of her present environment.
“I enjoy the stability here,” she concludes. “But if I decided to move tomorrow, my work would support that change.”