Is Blockchain a Bright career opportunity for Non-techies too?

“Non-Technical jobs in the blockchain industry get paid an extra 10% more than their non-blockchain counterparts”

– Based on data from AngelList.co

Who doesn’t want to be paid more? Or do a job with a flexible working style?

Almost everyone loves it. The recent spur in blockchain focussed startups is generating job opportunities, and that’s not just true for engineers. These companies are actively seeking candidates for non-engineering tasks because an agile blockchain developer may not be a handy manager or an influential copywriter.

“About 38% of jobs in the blockchain industry are for non-technical roles in a variety of areas.”

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But why should you go to the blockchain industry? Let’s dive into the above-mentioned perks in detail.

Why a career in Blockchain?

Blockchain is a highly demanded industry, it is expected to grow in the coming times. The market is likely to expand and is expected to reach USD 1,431.54 billion by 2030.

It is used to store data in such a way that it becomes impossible to breach, hack, or perform any malicious activity. It is a digital ledger of transactions that is replicated across networks.

Organisations are turning digital and data is stored digitally. The requirement to protect and save this data has also become important. 

There are various types of applications of blockchain across industries. The wide applicability makes the industry diverse and open to various job opportunities such as technical and non-technical. Thus, making blockchain for non IT professionals a good option.

The application of blockchain technology is in various fields, such as healthcare, banking, finance, real- estate, government, cybersecurity, AI, social media, etc. There is a requirement for various blockchain jobs for non techies in these fields. 

Beyond the hype, there are many rational reasons why this is a perfect time to enter in Blockchain space. Here are a few:
• Higher Pay
If you are worried about the salary, then we can assure you that even the non-technical roles in the blockchain industry get paid more than jobs in other sectors. Between jobs in blockchain and others, there is a difference of about 10% in the median salary with blockchain leading.

Do not forget that most companies even have profit-sharing arrangements and many other perks.

• Remote Friendly Work
Another major perk is the added remote flexibility. Going for a job in cryptocurrency / blockchain means raising your chances of getting a remote gig by 22%. Apart from these, there are those startups that have flexible working schedules, where you do not need to come to the office every day.

• Better Equity Liquidity
This perk is limited to token companies only. In normal startups, you get shares of the company as equity. Those shares can only be converted to fiat currency during a liquidity event. Practically, this may be a complex process. Sometimes, grants given by companies are restrictive even blocking secondary transactions.

However, in a blockchain company, employees are granted token in place of equity. These tokens are already liquid but some of them may have a few restrictions. However, they are still more liquid than equity.

Now we have answered, “Why you should go for a blockchain career?”. Let’s look at exactly what can you do for such a job.

What Are The Most Popular Non-tech Roles In Blockchain?

From the data, we can infer that Operation is the most sought after job role area. Design / Product is in the second position, with Business, Sales, Management, and Content right after each other respectively. The current lack of talent in blockchain managerial positions makes these roles in demand.

What Employers Are Looking For In A Non-Engineering Employee?

Most non-tech roles are standard in every other startup or company. But employers in the blockchain industry are keen on specific traits in their ideal candidate.

• Fast Learner
Being comfortable with ambiguity is important, they need to be able to figure things out without instructions. We need candidates who take the risk of figuring it out on their own.

— Mernit at Smartshare

The ideal candidates are supposed to have the ability to research, understand, and decipher complex subjects as quickly as possible. While they are not required to go into the nitty-gritty details of implementing blockchain, they should be aware of how things work around them.

Fast learners are required by the industry to actively support the organization’s goals. Someone coming from a non-technical background should be having some basic knowledge of the industry that makes it easier for them to bring value addition thus enriching their roles as well. Young professionals having the apprehension “Can a non technical person learn blockchain?” should definitely be assured that yes, they can and they must!

• Understanding Of Blockchain
We expect people to have prior knowledge, but the good news is there are many resources out there for people to get started learning on their own. We don’t care if you have a degree. We care about your ability to learn and execute.
— Elizabeth at Lightning Labs

The basic understanding of blockchain help in involving in the conversation and goals of the organization. In non technical blockchain jobs, there is also a requirement for working with other teams, understanding their job roles and delivering according to the requirement. The understanding of blockchain helps in cross-team collaboration and better functioning. 

A general working understanding of blockchain is essential for understanding a product, as it is useful when troubleshooting problems. As a result, the candidate is able to speak about complex technology confidently.

• Coding Skills
Because space is so new, general programming ability is the most important thing. That’s followed by a passion for open-source projects and hobby projects. In a new space, many ‘hobby things’ become ‘real things’. Finding that passion is so important.

— Mernit from Smartshare

Blockchain is a programming marvel and to truly understand it, the candidate should get his hands dirty with coding. To become a blockchain expert, one should be able to understand the whole technological architecture and be able to connect with other tech employees, clients, and industry experts in general.

If you are looking for a systematic approach to learning about blockchain and developing the required understanding, then we have the perfect answer to your worries. `

Closing Thoughts

In conclusion, every new industry brings new opportunities for everyone and it is up to the people to seize them. Non-technical job roles at a blockchain startup/company will come with their own perks but the work will definitely be challenging. You can find job postings for these roles on most of the prominent job posting websites like AngelList, LinkedIn, Indeed etc. Stay tuned for more information on blockchain careers.

If you are interested to create blockchain applications from scratch, check out upGrad & IIIT-B’s Executive Certification in Blockchain from IIITB.