A Call to Keyboards: Disillusioned FAANG Employees, Come Work on Web3!
Welcome to the very first edition of WebDev Level Up: Intro to Web3! In this ongoing series, I’ll introduce you to the world of web3 — and the tools, techniques and more to begin working with it.
If you’re curious about Ethereum Javascript and you’ve wondered how to leapfrog from web development into the world of smart contracts, decentralized apps and more, I’m here to guide you along, answer your questions, and show you why it’s the way of the future.
But first, a call to keyboards!
Recent protests and growing distrust of large tech companies is a natural outgrowth of their corporate power and influence. While I applaud the actions taken by employees of these companies as they try to hold their corporate masters accountable, I believe there is a better and more effective path to return tech to its principals.
Leave your job and come work on web3. I’m serious.
If you’re an employee at one of the top companies in tech right now, you can write your ticket to almost anywhere. Instead of bouncing around the valley, losing all your money to rent or an insane mortgage, leave your job, leave the valley, and come work with us, from anywhere!
Why web3?
Many of us found our way into tech because we believed in the promise of a free, fair flow of information. While initially conceived on these principles, many feel that major tech companies today have lost sight of that ethos.
But there is a place where people work every day to build a freer world, a place where you can apply your talent to a new way of transferring information — and value.
Web3 isn’t one technology, though primarily it means the Ethereum network today. The promise of web3 is a decentralized web of services where users can have a wider spectrum of privacy options than they do today.
Some of the smartest engineers and business people I know have been drawn to this space. But we need more.
How can you help?
Right now, web3 is in a race against time. Applications need to be built to replace the current tools provided by FAANG companies. Getting started is as easy as joining GitCoin or finding bounties you can earn to build features. Beyond that, there are endless opportunities to recreate centralized tools.
Here are some examples of product categories that web3 needs more work on:
- Social Media
- Financial tools
- Business Tools
Extra Credit — Move!
Go back to your hometown or move to any of the cities that Steve Case highlights in his annual road trip. Find a city with an appetite for growth and talent where you can add a lot of value. It can be scary to go to a new place, but with the knowledge you have accumulated, you can help a lot of people get into the tech ecosystem.
You’ll be glad to know that most web3 companies are remote first. Companies like Lambda School are finding remote jobs for their new graduates all the time, and as a senior engineer you’ll be fine. Better yet, start a company and be an example to your community!
The promise of web3 is the original promise of the web, but it won’t happen on its own. Take your giant brain and come help build the future.
