Being employable is a quality that can be developed over time depending on the industry. However, when it comes to an innovative field like blockchain & bitcoin, it takes a slightly different approach to getting hired. Human resource management and personnel professionals have established a broad bandwidth of expected employer-employee formalities in the traditional workspace over the years. However, since 2017 when blockchain roles first began to appear, enterprises and the industrialization of blockchain (and the crypto space in general) have created numerous job opportunities to be filled with the right candidates.
In traditional industries, the process of getting employed is heavily reliant on years of experience in that field and related level of education, but the case is different in the blockchain industry. Due to the disparity in operations of most enterprises and organizations, there is a wide range of positions to be held in finance, technology, product development, and project management, just to name a few. For that purpose, it becomes evident that there is no experience/education restriction when it comes to working in blockchain.
The sought-after attributes of a qualified candidate in blockchain must include passion, skills, and a willingness for self-learning. Blockchain and digital assets enterprises have not been in existence long enough to set benchmarks for experience when it comes to hiring people for projects, or as team members. The most important part of hiring and getting hired is having a passion for the project or job. Following the spike in the value of cryptocurrency, and more and more people trading and in the crypto space, along with the creation of thousands of blockchain roles globally, there is a lot of interest in the industry. However, this interest does not always translate into work ethics. That is the primary reason why having passion for a project or role is a key determinant of employability when it comes to getting hired, as opposed to having experience.
Passion, in the context of hiring for blockchain roles and projects, has to do with the willingness, commitment, and readiness to learn on the job, conduct personal research if need be, and put in all the required hard work to make sure the job is completed as expected. The self learning aspect comes in as blockchain has not been in the mainstream corporate industry long enough to have individuals with a lot of years’ worth of practical experience, except those who are already experts in the blockchain or crypto space. This lack of practical experience makes it essential for every new employee to undergo training to fine-tune their skills to fit into the required standards for peak performance. However, due to the somewhat lax demand for experience as a criterion for employment, other desirable qualities a candidate must have is skill and expertise.
Because a potential employee need not have a lot of prior experience working in the blockchain industry, that person must still be exceptionally skilled. Since being hired for a new job and getting acclimated to a new role is a process, a new-hire may not be able to put those skills to practice immediately. Networking with like-minded people, both in and out of the industry, and word of mouth is the best way to let your skill set do the talking. Most blockchain enterprises and organizations operate like partnerships, and the only way to feel out the possibility of a partnership is through one's immediate personal network. Publishing works like blogs, online articles, white papers, or even books to gain followers will establish oneself in the industry as an expert.
An individual’s capacity and ability may get them hired, but it is the people they are surrounded by that will get them their foot in the door. Partnership skills highlight professional skills, and while it is a largely technological industry, soft skills are key as well. Communication skills, both written and spoken, are vital and significantly increase the chances of being hired. A candidate must be able to understand a problem, be able to break it down to clarify concepts, and provide valid solutions. The ability to problem solve increases the employability value of a potential employee.
The process of getting hired and the hiring protocol in blockchain focuses primarily on the individual having established a solid brand that can be validated through their professional skills and network within the industry. Then, the person should have some extent of familiarity with blockchain and the work to be done. Lastly, and most importantly, the person must be able to understand the product and/or service of the hiring company.
Resources
If you are interested in getting into the blockchain industry, Bitdegree, in January 2020, provided a compilation of the Top Blockchain Jobs and Careers You Need to Know About. These Tips for Getting Hired in Blockchain from Alex Ortiz may also be useful.
Other details on the needs for employability have been discussed in this article on Blockgeeks, complete with a guide on suitability. An article on JobMob focuses on How People Are Actually Moving to Careers in Blockchain Technology and features an interesting summary of the hiring process in blockchain as having a lot of experience in a similar role in a different industry + genuine interest based on your background = fast mover into the industry.
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