Working In Crypto: How To Get Started

Published in

NEARWEEK

6 min readApr 28, 2022

The crypto industry is in continuous expansion. Venture capital funding and other investments are pouring into this new sector, fueling growth and strengthening already existing technologies and infrastructure. As crypto’s popularity increases by the day, so are the opportunities for job seekers from all backgrounds.

According to a recent report by Market and Markets, the current blockchain market, which is currently at $4.9 billion, is projected to grow to $67.4 billion by 2026. In 2020, the job posting opportunities in the crypto industry rose to 395% (LinkedIn) despite the recession caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, and regulators both in China and the US trying to tighten their oversight on cryptocurrencies.

*Growth in crypto/blockchain-related job postings on LinkedIn. Source: LinkedInSource: LinkedIn*

The crypto industry is an industry hungry for talent, and not just in the tech sector. There is an increasing need for community builders, social media managers, moderators, writers, content creators, designers, and many other roles that do not yet have a name. It’s a space that has a lot of opportunities to offer to professionals that want to work at the forefront of innovation and for those that are not afraid of challenging the way things are traditionally done.

Understanding The Crypto Work Environment

As the crypto sector is still in its cradle, the space presents itself as fluid, with little structures that limit what is possible. That makes it an appealing environment for those struggling to fit in in traditional roles, either because of their backgrounds or previous working experiences.

Crypto has lower entry barriers compared to traditional industries as it’s a space in dire need of workforce, but also because it is a space full of misfits who left their traditional jobs to enjoy more freedom. Being eager to learn, be involved with the community, and discover new ways of contributing to the growth of an ecosystem are really the most important qualities to succeed in crypto. And sometimes, lack of experience in traditional jobs might be one’s advantage in an environment where there are no prescribed formulas for doing things.

That said, the fact that employers in crypto won’t be discriminating against those that might be less experienced, does not mean that they will trust anyone blindly, it only means that the selection criteria are very different. While in traditional environments a lot of time is spent reading CVs and interviewing candidates, in crypto, interested parties will be immediately put to work and evaluated on their attitude and output.

In another article (The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly About Working In Crypto) I discussed more in detail what one can expect from working in crypto so I will not spend much time going over it. However, I do want to stress that it is important to spend some time trying to understand how working in crypto is by either asking directly those in the space or reading about it. This is going to help you navigate this space without being taken advantage of and without having unrealistic expectations.

This is very important to understand for those coming to crypto: You need to make yourself valuable before you are given guarantees of pay and employment. If you are not willing to invest some of your time and energy before being given assurances then you will not go very far. But if you will, then many doors will open up for you as you will have gained trust and respect. If you are comfortable in an environment where you have a lot of freedom and you need to carve your own spot then keep reading to learn more about getting access to job opportunities in crypto.

How To Get Started In Crypto?

The crypto space is attracting more and more people from Web2 and other working environments that cannot offer the same benefits and freedoms to its employees. The space is really open to different professional profiles making it easier for people from all backgrounds to get involved. At the same time, crypto is a space that might take some getting used to for newcomers that often struggle finding the information and the people they need to get access to these opportunities. Below I will list some of the actions you can take to get more embedded in any crypto community and start your career.

Learn About The Protocol

If you are interested in working in crypto, the first step to getting started is exploring the different Protocols and projects out there. Once you identify the ones that grabbed your interest, start diving into it and learning as much as you can about it. Although you do not need to reach expert knowledge, you need to make sure to cover some of the basics to understand how you might want to contribute to its growth. So, check their website, do your homework, and be curious!

Try Out Some Crypto Products

One of the best ways to learn about crypto is by using crypto products and getting hands-on experience with this revolutionary technology. This will allow you to form an opinion on different products, understand how they work, how they could be improved, and how they can benefit users.

Identify Your Interests In Crypto

While learning about different protocols and products you will discover new domains that will trigger your curiosity. From NFTs, DeFi, ReFi, Gaming, and more, crypto has a lot to offer. It is a matter of putting in a little effort to find what resonates most with you. Once you identify what you find most stimulating it will become easier for you to orient yourself in the sea of information and opportunities in the space.

Ask Your Questions On Forums

Protocol’s forums are the best place for newcomers to get information about different initiatives and groups within the ecosystem. There you can find a repository with questions on different topics and also have the opportunity to ask your own questions to the community that will be more than happy to give you guidance.

Join Relevant Telegram Or Discord Groups

Telegram and Discord are the two main channels of communication for crypto communities. Here you will find dozens of different groups where their members continuously share opportunities, events, and important information. It is a great place to start making yourself noticed, make new connections, and shoot your doubts and questions.

Follow The Most Active People On Twitter

Twitter plays a very important role in crypto. It’s a great space to keep up with news, events, and good material to dive more into crypto. Importantly, Twitter is a good platform to get involved in conversations and networking.

Join Discussions, Make Yourself Visible

There are many opportunities in crypto but more often than not these opportunities are not advertised in traditional ways. Some projects might post job openings on LinkedIn or on their Website but there are many more job opportunities floating around the community that are filled only through word of mouth. One of the best ways to get to know about these gigs is to be active in chats and be willing to participate in conversations and events. By doing so you will become more embedded into the community, you will understand what is happening, and gain a better understanding of the role you might play in this context.