Looking for a Job in Crypto? Here Are 5 Skills You Need

Do you need a degree to showcase your mastery of blockchain technology?

Malekan, a blockchain consultant for clients like Citi who teaches an MBA course on blockchain and cryptocurrencies, says demand far outstrips supply in job postings at both crypto and non-crypto-native companies.

While the job market may have shifted during the COVID-19 economic downturn, startups are "Hiring super aggressively" for engineering help, says Philipe Forte, partner at The BlockVenture Coalition, which brings together 41 university blockchain groups and 44 funds.

In job interviews at crypto-oriented companies, "The first thing that you'll hear is: How does Bitcoin work?" says Nir Kabessa, former president of the Columbia Blockchain Club and founder of Yup, which rewards users with tokens for social media activity.

"Everyone has heard of blockchain and its related buzzwords, but they do not necessarily know what it brings," says Ng. "Teaching the fundamentals is our goal to make blockchain more accessible."

"You need to speak the language of the crypto-native while empathizing with mainstream users' general lack of caring about the fact your product uses blockchain," she said.

Nisreen Bahrainwala, co-founder of the Midwest Blockchain Consortium, a network of universities, entrepreneurs, and corporate partners, advised taking a page from her failed blockchain startup, Viveca, which tracked prescription data in an effort to tackle the U.S. opioid crisis.

Anthony DiPrinzio, head of BASF Blockchain Lab, works to find the right use cases and business models around blockchain technology for the company to pursue.

"A lot of people get caught up in the hype" of using the technology, he said, "But they need to understand blockchain doesn't solve all the problems." It's essential to understand how blockchain is being used in the market before pitching a new idea.

Events have largely shifted online, from ETHGlobal's ETHOnline to local-turned-virtual marathons like LA Blockchain Summit and NY Blockchain Week - as well as CoinDesk's own Consensus: Distributed conference in May."Back in 2019, students like us in the Midwest couldn't go to all these big conferences on either coast," said Bahrainwala.