4 Ways to Jumpstart Your Career in Blockchain

July 27, 2020 Writer: Rayan Ghandour Editor Ben Clossey

With 2020 seeing over 4.3 billion USD spent on blockchain solutions worldwide, a pathway that blockchain neophytes can follow has yet to be established. Unlike other industries, especially technology, the traditional high school degree followed by a college diploma does not guarantee an illustrious career within the blockchain realm. While it’s undeniable that these achievements may help, there are several other factors that overshadow the magnitude that a degree normally carries.

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Despite the current ambiguity that surrounds transitioning into the blockchain world, blockchain is listed by LinkedIn as the most valuable hard skill any applicant can possess in 2020. Not only did LinkedIn state that there are currently in excess of 15,500 blockchain jobs in demand, but TechCrunch also reported that “Blockchain-related jobs are the second-fastest growing in today's labor market; there are now 14 job openings for every one blockchain developer."

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In a world where everyone is racing to become part of the “next tech revolution,” it is important to learn how to distinguish yourself from your competitors. This short article aims to highlight four simple, yet effective ways you can stand out among a myriad of blockchain enthusiasts; a fast-track to becoming the ideal applicant.

1. GO beyond the basics, FIND a specific niche your interested in, and HONE in it

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While knowing that each block on a blockchain primarily consists of three sections (data, hash, and hash of previous block) will impress your mother at dinner, it will most definitely not impress any recruiter working in blockchain. Learning the basics is an important first step, but you cannot simply stop there.

The next step is determining what aspect of blockchain resonates most within you. What application of blockchain excites you the most? Are you a technically-savvy person or do you prefer to work on a macro level?

“Blockchain has become a line of business for a who’s who of the corporate world — IBM, Oracle, JP Morgan Chase, Microsoft, Amazon, and American Express, to name just a few. Blockchain is now being used in industries ranging from shipping to healthcare, from farming and food safety to entertainment and gaming.”

Bruce Anderson, Talent Blog Specialist at Linkedin

No matter what field in blockchain you decide is right for you, it is paramount that you find an important factor within that domain, and focus your efforts on understanding it beyond its surface level. Below is a list containing some examples of specific blockchain niches that can simultaneously bolster and distinguish your candidacy:

Cryptography: As assets transition from the physical world to the digital realm, cryptography, which is the “art of writing and solving codes,” is gaining momentum every day. To convey the current significance of cryptography, try visualizing the following: a piece of information in Bitcoin cryptography can be worth as high as $300,000,000,000. By taking a high level cryptography course from a credible source such as Udacity or Coursera, blockchain aspirants demonstrate not only their self-drive and intellectual curiosity, but more importantly, they prove to recruiters that they know what they want to do within blockchain (key cryptography, cryptographic hashing, etc).

Security Frameworks: With over 700 billion USD on blockchain-based cyber security alone, security frameworks are constantly evolving for legal, compliance, and regulatory needs. Deciding to delve deep into security variables including Merkle proofs and elliptic curve digital signatures will instantly set you apart from others.

Interoperability: or in other words, “the ability of computer systems or software to exchange and make use of information.” Having a rudimentary understanding of the structure and function of various blockchain platforms like Ethereum, R3 Corda, and Ripple is unfortunately no longer sufficient. You need to develop almost a sixth sense for interconnected ledgers across varying technological platforms. A good place to start is Solidity (Smart Contracts) and Mysql.
In summation, studying and becoming an “expert” in one of these focused areas will guarantee that you stand out from the general applicant pool, whereby the average individual claims to understand blockchain because they read an article discussing how the FBI owns 1.5% of the world’s bitcoin in circulation.

2) Be an ACTIVE member of the blockchain community to gain EXPOSURE

With regards to the fundamental question posed above, what blockchain field/application do you want to work in, there are a plethora of choices. The massive amount of options can be seen demonstrated by the figure below, and the only way to come to a definite conclusion is by getting your hands dirty as a part of the blockchain community.

Let’s say you are a bitcoin owner and crypto currencies are your primary source of interest. There are tens of thousands cryptocurrency projects on the market that you can explore, such as the Bitcoin alert system using Bolt IOT or CryptoBike. By dabbling in such projects, not only do you gain necessary on-the-job training mechanisms, but you also confirm, both to yourselves and recruiters, that your fascination with cryptocurrencies is professional and not a momentary infatuation.

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Not a fan of cryptocurrencies, but an avid follower of blockchain security frameworks? Start participating in ISO/TC 307 initiatives and hyperledger working groups to enhance your understanding of personally identifiable information (PII), vulnerabilities, and cyber-security risks.

What if I don’t know what specific area I am interested in, just that I want to work with the general technology itself? Reach out to reputable blockchain startups and offer your help. Below is a brief list of currently available blockchain opportunities/internships:

JD Digital Al Labs- Research Intern

IBM- Summit Summer Intern

IoTex- Software Engineer Intern

SPL.YT- Business Development Intern

NEAR- Associate Marketing Analyst

More often than not, you will be required to work in different domains involved in blockchain. Whether it be working in community outreach, developing applications, or doing something completely out of your comfort zone, you will be able to strategically eliminate the areas you do not enjoy working in. Once you finally figure out what piques your interest, shift your full attention to developing experience and gaining exposure in that specific domain. If you realize later on that this job is not tailored to your strengths, repeat the cycle until success is ultimately achieved.

3) Think CREATIVELY: Outside the box, inside the block

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Given that blockchain applications are being implemented on an international stage, and are no longer solely focused on one specific area, the workforce population is set to be much more diverse in skill and talent. Nowadays, blockchain companies have stopped focusing on recruiting individuals who only know how to program, but rather people who are also able to solve critical issues under time constraints. Developing skills like design thinking, DevOps, and market predictions will help make your application shine.

“Blockchain by itself isn't transformational, however it is foundational. As a foundational innovation, Blockchain's value can only be fully realized when the business process is transformed to take advantage of its capabilities, leading to ROI for existing business models and the ability to create value through new ones”.

Tom Golway, Chief Technologist at Hewlett Packard

In essence, a large chunk of blockchain technology is yet to be uncovered, and as a result, blockchain enterprises are rushing to find the freshest talent that can help them integrate/create the most lucrative blockchain application. There was a point when a blockchain practitioner could thrive in the digital realm due to their operational tech skills/training, but times have changed. Due to the unlimited growth and potential blockchain tech possesses, being able to think creatively creates intrinsic value for any company: They want to gather human assets that have the ability to innovate, and have the potential to become worth (or retrogressively, save) billions of dollars.

4) COMMUNICATION is the final KEY

Whether you are seeking a technical or non-technical position, being able to communicate clearly and concisely is a valuable tool to have. The primary way this will be tested is in the interview portion, but don't be naive, your communication skills can make or break your overall application.

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As a technical personnel, being able to explain to your peers the goal, trajectory, and outcome of your project/research is critical. What’s the point of spending time and money to innovate, only to find out that no one neither understands nor enjoys your developed product/service? The non-technical positions are in fact the middlemen between tech and business. Not only are they responsible for bridging the gap between the two domains via a channel of free-flowing communication, but they also have to use these channels to stay ahead of the curve in order to survive in a rapidly and constantly developing blockchain world.

Conclusion

Blockchain is not only rapidly developing and changing, but it is quickly becoming one of the most demanded technologies in the world. Although only 0.8% of the global population has currently adopted blockchain, its demand, due to its wide-spread applications, is meteorically rising: it is expected that at least 80% of the world will be involved with blockchain in some regard within the next decade. The impact of Blockchain on the world can be seen in the results of Deloitte’s 2020 Blockchain Survey (below):

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With the advent of this highly-anticipated blockchain boom, comes a sea of hungry enthusiasts ready to jump on the bandwagon (before it's too late). Follow these four key guidelines to ensure that you not only become part of the blockchain movement, but more importantly play the role you desire going forward.

4 Ways to Jumpstart Your Career in Blockchain

Stop stalling!

Your blockchain career

is waiting for you.

1. GO beyond the basics, FIND a specific niche your interested in, and HONE in it

BlockDriven Academy gives you the education you need for any blockchain career.

2) Be an ACTIVE member of the blockchain community to gain EXPOSURE

Take the next step in your blockchain journey

3) Think CREATIVELY: Outside the box, inside the block

4) COMMUNICATION is the final KEY

Conclusion

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4 Ways to Jumpstart Your Career in Blockchain

Stop stalling! Your blockchain career is waiting for you.

1. GO beyond the basics, FIND a specific niche your interested in, and HONE in it

BlockDriven Academy gives you the education you need for any blockchain career.

2) Be an ACTIVE member of the blockchain community to gain EXPOSURE

Take the next step in your blockchain journey

3) Think CREATIVELY: Outside the box, inside the block

4) COMMUNICATION is the final KEY

Conclusion

No subscriptions have been created yet.

Click "Edit Contents" and start uploading your learning material.

Select a course first to display its contents.

No available contents for

Registro y Pago

Registro

Producto

There are no free, paid or coming soon courses in your school yet.Why don't you create one?

The school owner is working hard preparing the courses for you.

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No blog posts found in your blog. Why don't you create one?

Stop stalling!

Your blockchain career

is waiting for you.

There are no free, paid or coming soon courses in your school yet.
Why don't you create one?