A beginners guide to starting a career in crypto industry

Blockchain, while still nascent in India, has a lot of untapped potential and with proper education, information and planned implementation, a person can not only just start a career in blockchain but also excel in it. In today’s column, we discuss exciting career opportunities a person can pursue in the field of blockchain.

Starting a career

To start a career in any field, leave alone Blockchain, what’s important is to identify the interest. For example, if you are interested in the technical aspect, you may want to explore options on becoming a developer. If you’re interested in a non-technical role, then product management, project management, business development, partnerships, and community management roles might be the best options for you.

“Blockchain careers require a wide range of technical proficiency. It is crucial to be knowledgeable about programming languages, cryptography, and data structures. In order to handle challenging problems, blockchain specialists also need to be innovative thinkers. Strong interpersonal and teamwork abilities are also crucial because projects are generally developed and built-in teams,” Om Malviya, President, Tezos India told indianexpress.com.

It also majorly depends on what kind of role one is opting for. From a developer’s perspective, one must know programming languages like Java, Solidity, C+, Python, and JavaScript to code and build projects on the blockchain. From a business development perspective, one must be good at data structuring and critical thinking to establish successful communication between the two parties.

“The one foundational skill that’s extremely crucial for a successful career in the blockchain is the understanding of the technology and the industry, its structure and its functioning before jumping into it. It’s a very fast-paced, ever-developing industry and we need to keep up with it,” Malviya noted.

Search for courses

Building any career requires in-depth knowledge. Start with a formal course on Blockchain which is relevant to your core area of interest. These courses can be found online. “If you are a computer science student then technology-related studies are important. If you are a marketeer, a basic understanding of the segment is good to go,” said Ankitt Gaur, founder and CEO of EasyFi, adding that “a professional course will provide you with guided blockchain lessons that will help and offer valuable tips for a better understanding of the technology and its workings.”

According to Gaur, aspirants should look for relevant formal courses that offer a deep dive into the subject and fundamentals with real-time information. “You should also give a lot of weightage to self-study as well. Also, do not hesitate to meet people in the industry about various events and meetups happening around, there is a lot you can learn from people who are already in the business.”

Eligibility criteria

Malviya notes that there is no particular eligibility criteria or a list of requirements to be a part of the Blockchain Industry. “Anyone in this world can opt to be a part of this revolutionary technology as it is so welcoming when it comes to opportunities and identifying potential. Prerequisite knowledge is going to be beneficial but it’s not essential,” he said.

It should be noted that to work as a blockchain professional, you don’t need a college degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related profession, although having one will offer you a significant advantage — especially if you’re looking to crack your first position.

There are various roles in the job aspect of the blockchain world apart from coding and developing. Community manager, content development manager, product and services head, business development executive, and marketing are some of the roles in the blockchain industry which do not require a technical background for an occupational approach.

Salary expectations

Blockchain is one of the fastest-rising industries in the labour market, with more job openings than skilled developers, according to a report by Indeed. Malviya highlights that like any other industry in the world, the blockchain industry also thrives on excellence. “If people are skilled enough and know how to put in hours and get the best out of the labour they’ll never have to worry about the pay and job security. They’ll always be in demand,” he said.

“Person with relevant skills and zeal to perform is the one who will always be in demand. There is an opportunity for anyone who has the relevant skills – tech or non-tech. Pay is commensurate with experiences and skills, however, of late, the pay has been higher than corresponding roles in other industries,” added Gaur.