Best web3 Job Boards

How to find a job in web3/crypto in 2022

May 09, 2022

What is web3?

This article won't be a primer on web3, but it's always good to start with a definition - I think it helps set common ground.

The best description I've read so far is the following:

web2:

- Read

- Write

web3:

- Read

- Write

- Own

Ok - I get it. But what exactly is the 'Own' piece?

Simple: it means that thanks to the boom of blockchain technology, there isn't a need anymore for centralized platforms that store your data (think of anything like Google, Facebeook, etc) - you can be in full control of everything you do on the internet, and show proof of digital asset ownership (whether it be a picture, data, music etc).

Now, as with all revolutions, we are living the age of the 'wild west' - full of speculation, volatility, fraud, and thousands of new services being launched every day, literally impossible to keep track of.

If you've been reading some of the previous issues of The Chase, you may know I have strong feelings about the rise of web3, DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations) and believe that now is the best time to learn and get involved in this field if you are curious, and want to differentiate your tech career (or even create one of your own - money is literally being thrown on the table at this space every day).

So the main reason I decided to write this short guide, is to open a window for you into this little crazy world, at a time that feels (I imagine) like it would have to experience the big bang (lots of chaos, concentration of energy, order and cooling will come later).

Does Hiring for web3 and DAOs go through job boards?

Short answer: 'Meh' (or in Italian: 'Ni' - a beautiful cross between Yes ('Si') and No ('No'), I wonder if there is any other language that has such a beautiful word?)

In reality, most hiring happens through direct relationships, whether it be on Discord groups, or Twitter direct messages (or any other poison of choice like Reddit and so on. But NOT Linkedin). This is for a couple of reasons:

1. 🚤 Everything is happening so fast - I wish ther was some sort of measurement or data point I could refer to, but trust me that the speed at which things are happening in this space is mindblowing. Just take for example valuations of companies (like YugaLabs, founders of BoredApe) or NFT sales volumes:

2. 🐥 It's still a niche and network reliant - Given it's being built out and it's in its early years, the space is still very highly technical (mostly software development) and concentrated in some locations, communities. This means it's not 'industrialized' or truly global or accessible to all.

3. 🧾️ It's based on proof of work - Funnily enough, Proof of Work is one of the key foundations of the blockchain, where to allow the creation of a new 'block' on the ledger (i.e. a transaction, or smart contract) the way to avoid tampering is basically to ask to solve a puzzle and get the solution verified from a number of other peers in the network. The same concept is used for hiring: most is based out of contribution, and project based work vs standard hiring procesess where you submit CVs and are hired based on your past experience.

That said - as web3 becomes more 'mass' market, and as it needs some web2 talents it still uses in many cases a more standard process - hence the use of job boards much like the Linkedin and Indeeds of the world.

Most common roles available

Before we jump in the full list, I think it's useful to take a minute to lay a map of the land: what kind of roles can you find in there?

Technical Roles - The majority are for developers (most for specific technologies like Solidity, but there is a wide range) but you can find DevOps, QA, etc.

Project Manager - Whether it's through Agile, or other, a lot of coordination needs to happen for development, and this is the kind of role that just does that.

Product Manager - In a world that changes every second, you need product managers that help define what needs to be shipped to solve pain points you never thought existed.

Growth / Marketing - Someone needs to know about it, right? A lot of first principle ideas and marketing foundations will be the same, but tactics and channels in web3 will be quite different than web2: with privacy at the heart of the community, and general ad-avoidance, marketing is much more community and value driven, so tougher to fake.

Community Managers - One of the most re-born roles of the decade: this is the heart of web3. Being able to define the scope, and then launch and keep a community engaged in a sea full of competition, is probably the most important activity that needs to be done in a world where the money to fund the project comes from the users themselves.

Customer Support - This is an evergreen; you have customers? You need customer support - no matter what kind of technology. Probably a difference is tha being so community based, there is a lot more peer to peer support than in web2.

Sales & Partnerships - A lot of these products are not being sold as they are in web2, but sales teams exist for a lot of DeFi product that are B2B for example - and same thing goes for partnerships.

Internships - The age at which kids these days are starting to work is scary (I see more and more creators and kid-entrepreneurs by the day) so it makes a lot of sense to have learningful experiences like internships also in web3.

Full time vs Part Time and Remote and Benefits?

A lot of roles are going to be remote, many will be also async, and some can be part-time too. More than in web2, you will find flexibility and more modern approaches to benefits.

Some frequent benefits:

- Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO)

- Flexible Vacation Policy

- Flexible Work Hours

- Crypto Pay or Bonuses

- Equity

- Company Retreats

Many of course will use rewards like tokens, NFTs and other types of equity or incentives based on their own funding and community contribution governance, allowing you not just to earn, but also to be really a part of the decision making process.

The Top 5 List

Here's a shortlist of the best places to find a job in web3:

AngelList (more generic but generally a top spot to find startup and crypto jobs) - https://angel.co/jobs

How to Apply

As mentioned, some of these applications will require you to follow a standard application.

Others, you won't see listed, and will require you to do things the hard way: getting involved in the space and adding value based on your expertise / unique skills.

This will involve:

- Doing an internship

- Joining a DAO

- Wrting articles or tweets on a specific topic

You may not be feeling ready, but the truth is that in this space no one is, so my advice is to go for it - if it won't land you a job you will learn a ton among the way, and meet talented, energetic individuals who are looking to shape and revolutionise the way we connect and do business globally.

TLDR & Useful Resources

Web3 is revolutionising the way we do business and own digital assets and identity, but it also is changing the way hiring happens. This means it will require more than proof of ‘expertise’ but also proof of ‘work’ and contribution in the communities.

📕 How to get a Job in Crypto in 2022 - A good article summing up some of the potential ways you have to get involved and be seen in the web3 community