There’s a big buzz surrounding blockchain, which has caused a massive spike in job openings that won’t be slowing down any time soon. If you were wondering where your smartest career move would be, blockchain would be a great place to focus your training and development. If you like the sound of working for an exciting start-up in cryptocurrency or FinTech, here are four ways to land a job in blockchain:
1.Gain a deep understanding of the platforms, languages and principles of blockchain systems
There are various blockchain platforms to choose from, which can cause confusion to those breaking into the career, according to this helpful article by IBM. They recommend that budding blockchain professionals should gain a deep understanding of Ethereum, Hyperledger, Ripple and R3 Corda. Experience in the blockchain programming language, Solidity, will also give candidates a significant advantage.
2.Develop your own skills and contribute to public projects
You will need to develop your own skills in blockchain to be in with a chance of securing a job in the space. Get stuck in with personal projects (using Solidity or the Hyperledger family) and contribute towards open-sourced blockchains (Bitcoin) to demonstrate your competence and understanding. Join in with discussions within forums and online platforms, share code and build on what you already know in development. This is a new space and you’ll need to be comfortable with continuous on-the-job learning while the tech becomes more established.
3.Get your head around the business outcomes
Because of its newness and the fever-pitch buzz, every company seems to be lured by the intrigue of blockchain without necessarily knowing if it’s the right solution for their business. If you can demonstrate a solid understanding of the business case and how the architecture will work throughout business processes and an organisational eco-system, you’ll be able to add much greater value to your employer.
4.Immerse yourself in disruptive technology and security
Blockchain is naturally evolving as more developers jump into the ring. In addition to the basics of computer science and multi-language coding, you’ll need to absorb yourself in the latest trends and discussions surrounding emerging technology in IoT and security frameworks for cryptography if you want the edge in the job market. Do this and you could be a major player in the blockchain development space.
From permanent and contract positions to freelance opportunities, blockchain jobs come with attractive salaries in many guises. Blockchain developers and engineers, data scientists, DevOps engineers, project managers and technical consultants all have one thing in common in this industry in that they all must be prepared to roll their sleeves up and be flexible in how they work. If you’re comfortable with an agile way of working, a career in blockchain could be for you.
If you want to find out more about jobs in blockchain, get in touch with the Provide talent team are working with global organisations in the cryptocurrency space and have more advice and career insight they can share.
