Lots of people will tell you that they work in crypto, what most mean is that they work with crypto or for crypto.
These next few lines have absolutely nothing to do with earning bitcoin, cryptocurrency, or volunteering to help develop blockchain projects. Instead, I am going to talk to you about what I have learned from actually being employed by blockchain companies as far as getting hired goes.
Why in the world would you want to work for a blockchain company in the first place?
Although it may seem obvious to some, this is the first question that you should ask yourself before you even start looking for jobs in the blockchain industry.
Every single employer will ask you why you want to work for their company? And isn't that seriously annoying? I've been to a few interviews where I straight up told the interviewer I was there for the money, and guess what? Got hired every single time!
But before you go on telling people that you're after money, which in all likelihood is at least your main motivation so that actually goes unspoken, the reason I got hired is because they believed in what I was saying. They saw that I was honest, that I wasn't just regurgitating what I thought could be the answer they wanted.
Depending on the nature of the job, you might want to make the answer to that annoying question a little more diplomatic. There are jobs that might require a fair amount of regurgitating after all.
So what am I trying to say with all this? The company has to believe you want to work, maybe not with them, but work. You have to at least spend 5 minutes researching that company, at least. You have to at least be able to tell them what their website says the company does. I shouldn't have to state this, it should be obvious, so let's move on.
Why reinvent the wheel?
To get started in blockchain I'd recommend shooting for a job within your skills and experience. The truth of the matter is blockchain, in concept, is not that hard to understand. Understanding why it is valuable? That's harder for most people. But understanding why it works, yes, most people could learn that in less than a minute.
A few years ago I was tasked with hiring a whitepaper writer. This was around 2017 at the peak of the ICO madness...do you know how many examples of whitepapers were available? There was no end to it, similar to the way NFTs were dropping not too long ago. As an employer I was more concerned with finding a good investigative and creative writer than I was with finding an "expert" in blockchain technology who couldn't write a letter to Santa.
With this I'm trying to say, just get that entry-level position if you need to. That job you think it's beneath you it's actually your way into the industry. Doesn't work out and can't grow in that company? Tell the next interviewer how you have crypto experience and are looking to challenge your skills, simple.
Do not adjust to Blockchain. Adjust Blockchain to you.
So what do these crazy skills you wish to challenge look like? Better be prepared to answer that too because this is a merit-driven industry, results. Sure, there are celebrities in blockchain too as I am sure there are people who get a paycheck for doing nothing. But most people in crypto work their ass off, seriously. So what are you going to do for this company or for yourself? Where do you want to be? What do you want to be doing?
Where do I want to be? What do I want to do? Yes! Those are vital questions for you to ask yourself before coming over. It might sound weird, but you can sincerely ask yourself those questions and shoot for basically anything you want. We need creative people just as much as we need people not so creative, we need people, but we need passionate people.
So whatever it is you do, make sure you do it well, because there are plenty of other dudes and dudettes who will take your place...even thieves work like hell in this sector. This is why I recommend thinking hard about what is it you enjoy doing beyond spending money...unless you're shooting for a job spending money in which case you can probably find it in crypto too.
"I raise mice and snakes for a living, I don't even know how to work a computer, I have no skills"
Are you kidding? You've got to have a phone! I want to see the mice and the snakes, and then the mice in the snakes and out the snakes! We're paying for that too, right on this platform, on the very same site you're on now reading this. Please, let us see them critters and tell us about whatever you think is boring. We love it here and we are paid every week right on time, every time, which is the beauty of blockchain. This masterpiece of technology is transparent, accurate, a beauty of design once you really study it.
"Okay, I'm sold. I'm ready for whatever, where are the toilets I need to clean?"
You can find Blockchain Jobs right here on HIVE, you can search specific terms that apply to you or join a community like this one where crypto jobs are shared free of cost. At this point, there are even jobs in government that deal with crypto, nothing is really out of the question, you could end up creating your own position. For example, in the not-so-distant future, we're going to be seeing blockchain lawyers. No, not lawyers who defend crypto companies or lawyers that defend consumers from crypto companies, but rather lawyers who defend code for smart contracts. Someone has to interpret digital law too...I can't wait to see those court cases, that will surely make for some quality entertainment. "If you couldn't read the fine print why did you sign?" I can't wait, I just can't wait!
In the meantime, if you don't want to use HIVE to find blockchain jobs with ease because you're hard-headed, then just use Google and get in the habit of using it because you'll sure need it in your new career.
Do not adjust to the blockchain, adjust it to you. Best of luck!
