

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.
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."
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?
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.
“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”.
Wouldn't it be a good idea to create a course?