A Career in Crypto: How to Work in the World’s Fastest Growing Market
The cryptocurrency revolution is more than just a fad – it is creating real jobs in the economy. Recent data provided by LinkedIn showed that bitcoin-related job postings in the financial sector alone skyrocketed 900% over the last three years, a clear sign that enterprises were seeking cryptocurrency experts. This figure is 460% in the software industry alone.
ICO
Initial coin offerings (ICOs) are all the rage these days, and for good reason. The controversial, but highly lucrative crowdfunding model has emerged as the holy grail for startups wishing to fund their big ideas.
Currently, there are at least two dozen well known ICO service providers helping companies launch their token.
Join a Startup
Launching an ICO is only one aspect of the crypto economy. The businesses that develop the ICO must have a solid use case behind it. They also need to ensure they have a solid business model that will make the token raise successful in the long run.
The IT world is budding with blockchain euphoria at the moment, and there are literally hundreds of companies launching ICOs each week. If you have a background in IT, marketing, sales or business, joining a blockchain startup could just be the most exciting bet.
Keep in mind that many startups are low on cash, so it may be wise to join them on a part-time basis. If you’re looking to make a career move, it’s wise to apply to established IT companies that are jus now expanding into the blockchain.
Content Development and Marketing
Content development is one of the easiest ways to enter the crypto economy. Demand for solid writers who understand the ICO and cryptocurrency domains is absolutely huge. If you’re a good writer with a solid background in SEO, copy, journalism or analysis, the author strongly recommends that you simply email a crypto news site, blog or ICO service provider. There’s a really good chance they are searching for you.
If you’d prefer not to go the cold route, simply create a profile on Upwork and start applying for jobs. There are currently more crypto-related content jobs than you handle. Content development is one of the best ways to get your foot in the door.
IT
If you have a background in IT, your opportunities are endless. Developers who can quickly Segway into blockchain are in high demand right now, which means there’s no shortage of exciting projects. Platforms such as TopTal usually provide the best opportunities for software developers and other IT professionals. Upwork also has plenty of opportunities in this field.
IT professionals can also offer their services directly to startups, ICO issuers and other service providers operating in the blockchain space. There are plenty of job openings on Wall Street as the big banks continue their exploration of blockchain. Governments and research labs are also expanding their footprint into blockchain. In each of these examples, you will probably spend less time working on cryptocurrencies and more time on the technology that underlies it.
Legal and Regulatory
As the crypto economy expands, governments are playing catch up to adequately define the space and bring forth meaningful regulations that can govern its use. Of course, governments typically do a poor job regulating technology, and this is duly the case for the blockchain.
That being said, the evolving legal and regulatory environment will impact the entire crypto economy. This is especially true considering that crypto regulations differ based on jurisdictions. This is placing considerable pressure on ICOs to identify a suitable jurisdiction in which to launch their token raise. It also means designing a cryptocurrency that avoids the SEC’s dreaded “securities” definition.
Against this backdrop, legal and policy professionals will see huge demand for their services. A growing number of law firms are now specializing in blockchain, and ICO issuers are also recruiting people in this field.
Like any field, entering the cryptocurrency economy as a professional requires lots of dedication. However, now is as good of a time as any to make your mark on the industry.
