May 31, 2018
Getting a blockchain tech job — for non-coders
There is a huge demand for non-coding blockchain industry jobs. Here’s how you can stand out from the crowd and get hired.
Before we start: a pre-requisite for this guide is that you have a basic knowledge of blockchain technology. If you don’t have that yet, start here with my list of free resources to learn about blockchain.
So, you want to work for a blockchain company?
Maybe you love crypto, or you believe in decentralization or even want to revolutionize the financial industry… whatever brought you here, I can tell you there’s one hell of a job market for blockchain tech.
There are WAY more positions available than can be filled. The industry is desperate for qualified candidates.
“It’s one of our biggest concerns. We can’t find qualified talent. Every time a new position opens up we struggle, and that has pushed up our starting salaries and hourly rates for freelancers”
These high paying jobs aren’t just for coders, either. Every position you can imagine is in demand: copywriters, community managers, sales execs, project managers, accounting, UI/UX… if you can think of it, there’s someone hiring.
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Now, I can’t tell you how to get hired for every type of job. But, I CAN give you a framework that can improve your odds.
I’ll do my best to open the door, but you need to walk through it.
In summary, the steps are simple. It’s just a matter of sticking to it.
- Be realistic about how much you actually know about blockchain technology —most people drastically overestimate their knowledge
- Get focused. Pick a specific technology or project and learn the ins & outs.
- Get involved in the community. Talk to people that work on the project.
- Put the right skills on your LinkedIn. Make sure recruiters can find you
- Get yourself on BNTY & Upwork. Do freelance work. Build a portfolio.
- Volunteer. Work for free if you have to. Demonstrate your value.
- GET HIRED!
So, let’s get started.
There’s some prep work to do before you start applying for jobs.
First, you need to get realistic about how much you actually know about blockchain technology. Employers are getting flooded with resumés from unqualified candidates.
What does that tell you? It tells you there are a lot of people out there that drastically overestimate their skills.
- First, take a look at some of the free bitcoin/blockchain introduction courses. I prefer Berkeley’s (all their coursework is available on their website and Youtube). Watch a few of the lectures and make sure you can follow along. If you’re struggling, than you may need to learn a bit more. Start with: Free resources for non-coders to learn blockchain.
Choose a project and do your due diligence
If you’re interested in a specific project or cryptocurrency you need to do your crypto-due-diligence™:
- read the whitepaper
- join the Telegram
- join the subreddit
- join the email list
- read any major news articles.
- If there’s a spec page or wiki available, read it, even if you don’t understand everything you read.
Make sure you understand the topics people are discussing in the community. You DON’T need to know how to code your own blockchain, but you DO need to understand how the core technology works and the value it brings to customers/users.
This understanding of the core technology gives you a leg up for any type of job. Even an accountant or graphic designer needs to understand the core technology they are working with.
Get yourself out there — build a profile
You’ve got to get out there. Hit the dance floor and show them your moves.
Start on Upwork. It has the most blockchain freelancing jobs for you to choose from. You need to build your portfolio and get some experience before applying to a full-time position.
- Learn how to write a strong profile. I suggest this site for guidance, the free articles cover everything you need to know.
- Learn how to send strong proposals. Here is some basic guidance.
- Start broad. You’re looking for any blockchain related jobs that match your skill-set. Don’t worry about focusing on one technology yet. You’re just looking to start a portfolio with anything you can get.
- Stay entirely focused on keeping your clients happy. You’re looking to get a few positive reviews. This will give you the credibility you need later on.
- Always tell clients you’d like to work with them again and would appreciate any referrals. This could pay off later.
This is all easier said than done. Don’t get disheartened if it takes time. If you send out 20 proposals and can’t get a job then 1) seriously review your profile and proposals and get a second opinion to make sure you’re not making obvious mistakes and 2) move over to alpha.bounty0x.io and start completing jobs there. Keep track of your experience. Use them for your portfolio
When all else fails write some articles.
Struggling to build your portfolio? Can’t get any freelance gigs? Can’t find decent bounties?
Then it’s time to start writing. If you already have a blog, great. If not, start writing here on medium. It’s easy to get started.
- Choose a blockchain topic you actually find interesting (this is important!). Readers can tell when you’re excited about a topic.
- Write an informative piece on the topic you’ve chosen. You’re going for three things: be thorough, show your personality, and show off your talents.
- Use formatting, add images, and if you go deep on a subject make sure to keep it entertaining. You’re goal is to keep the readers attention.
This is now a piece you can use as an example of your work. It’s an opportunity for you to tell a story about who you are and what you want to do.
Start volunteering.
As soon as you have some work in your portfolio it’s time to get involved with your favorite project.
Communicate with folks that are involved in the project. Figure out where people working on the project are congregating. Sometimes they are on telegram, sometimes on reddit, sometimes on forums. Do your research and figure out where the most people hang out.
Let them know you’re interested in the project and would like to help. Show them you have experience. Offer to do some work for free. Ask for the best place to get involved.
If you can’t get anyone’s attention than try doing some work on your own and post it publicly — if you’re a writer then write an article, if you do social media then start up a social account, if you do marketing make some examples of marketing collateral. Show your value. Be so good they can’t ignore you.
Begin the job hunt
Get your LinkedIn up to date. This lets people know your available, and gives you a professional profile recruiters can find. Make sure to include all applicable blockchain skills. Mention blockchain in your profile and include a sample project with your work.
Now you’re ready. First things first, try asking for a job.
- Reach out to a specific person in the department you want to work in. Don’t email a generic jobs@____.com address.
- Tell them your interested, explain how you could add value, and ask them to keep you in mind if work becomes available.
- Keep it moderately casual.
This works more often than you’d expect. My experience is that you are more likely to get a job this way than by sending in a standard resume to an HR department.
IMPORTANT: If that doesn’t work out, then figure where the company posts new jobs. You’re going to skip the standard resume/cover letter process and get straight to the people that matter.
- Watch like a hawk for new positions opening up. Follow social media accounts, telegram, etc.
- If you see a job posted that you’re interested in, wait to send in a formal application. First, do some googling to figure out who you’d be reporting to in the organization.
- Contact that person directly. There are lots of tricks for finding business email addresses, but the easiest is to search there name plus the company’s web address in google. If that doesn’t work, just google “how to find someone’s business email” and try some of the other techniques.
- Don’t mention the job posting when you email them, just tell them you’re interested in the work they’re doing and think you could add a lot of value to their team. This starts things off by setting you apart from the crowd.
If you’ve tried everything else and it hasn’t worked, then you can try sending in a standard job application/cover letter. If you go this route you need to do your research and understand what the employer is looking for. 90% of getting hired with a standard job application is understanding what EXACTLY the employer wants. Most people focus on themselves and their personal strengths… this couldn’t matter less. You need to focus on what they want, not what you like about yourself.
Hopefully, you now have a great job. If not, and you need some support, feel free to get in touch and I’ll be happy to offer some advice.
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