The blockchain industry offers exciting opportunities for those seeking to establish a career in these new technologies – and the rewards are significantly higher for jobs in blockchain than in comparable roles outside the sector.
Over the past three years, blockchain and cryptocurrency have evolved from being a relatively niche interest to a full-scale industry that promises to revolutionise everything from Fintech to supply chain management. This movement has spawned a range of new opportunities, with jobs in blockchain paying a premium over similar positions in the conventional IT world.
There are three reasons people tend to work in blockchain: the tech, the impact and the money.
Decentralised technologies are revolutionary, offering users unique new capabilities and enabling organisations to adopt completely new business models. This is an exciting sector, and jobs in blockchain enable free-thinking individuals to explore the possibilities fully.
The money doesn’t hurt either. Even entry-level blockchain jobs tend to pay around 20% more than broadly similar roles at other companies, partly due to the shortage of people who understand the tech.
Lastly, there’s a real chance for social impact – since blockchain is an inherently levelling set of technologies that allows end users to control their own finances and personal data, rather than entrusting them to corporations.
If you’re interested in starting a career in blockchain and have relevant transferable skills (from communications experience to UX design), it’s worth checking out entry-level blockchain jobs on LinkedIn and other jobs portals. You’ll also find senior positions on these platforms, which will require highly specific expertise.
For more casual work, try looking around on freelancer platforms, some of which specialise in crypto and blockchain jobs. And, of course, there’s the grassroots approach, which involves going directly to the source and becoming involved in the online communities that many of these initiatives have launched and maintain.
There are a number of places you can pick up blockchain and crypto jobs, from traditional recruitment sites through to blockchain-specific freelancer sites and crypto forums. Here are ten of the top options:
Blockchain jobs salaries tend to pay significantly more than comparable jobs in other sectors.
On average, you can expect a 10-30% pay increase over more traditional opportunities – though it’s a competitive field and you’ll need to work hard to secure the best jobs.
While courses in blockchain are available, the most important factor is a willingness to explore these technologies and learn about them yourself. This is emphatically a career choice for self-starters, and the best way to familiarise yourself with blockchain is to dive in, try using it, and build things yourself. There are lots of online resources, and forums where you can interact with other developers, ask for advice, and showcase your work.
Blockchain skills are underrepresented in the workforce, and the best professionals command a premium. You can expect an average 25% pay increase over comparable developer positions in other companies, for example. Entry-level blockchain jobs will likely offer a competitive salary, and there will be fewer unpaid internships.
At the top end, high-level marketing and data scientist roles can pay as much as $150-175,000 – and even more, in some cases. (This varies from region to region, and from company to company, of course.) There are typically other benefits, too – including the ability to work remotely.
Jobs in blockchain can be rewarding in a number of ways. This is an excellent time to start building a career, since there is soaring interest in blockchain but still a lack of experienced professionals. Moreover, at a time when working from home has become the norm, it helps that many of these roles can be done remotely.
If you already have a job, the best way to get started is likely to learn about the technology and become involved with online blockchain communities in your spare time, applying for minor roles as you learn more. Once you know what you are doing, you stand a chance of picking up some of the permanent positions on offer.
Regular jobs and recruitment platforms (like LinkedIn and Indeed) are a good place to start, but you may also find success if you have a grassroots presence and are active in the crypto world, and are able to leverage any contacts you have in different projects.
There are courses available, but the best way is still to teach yourself. Get involved with one of the developer communities online and learn by collaborating with those who are already building dApps and other projects.
Salaries are typically competitive, often paying a 20-25% premium over comparable roles in other sectors. At the top end, you can expect a salary of $150-200,000.
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