Everyone is hiring. Now is the time to get yourself a new crypto job.
There has never been a better time to get a job in crypto. Every company is hiring. If you've been considering a move, now's the time.
What a wild day we had yesterday. TSLA announced that they bought $1.5B in Bitcoin. Then BTC passes $47,000 for the first time. And then I managed to get yet another issue of the newsletter out just in time to hit your inboxes.
Thanks for following along. If you have any thoughts or feedback, feel free to tweet at @MarketMix_. You can also DM me at @bradmichelson.🔺
This week’s issue is sponsored by Blockworks
My friends at Blockworks just launched their new site and it’s gorgeous.
If you don’t know Blockworks, they’re the leading media company in the digital asset space.
They help investors understand Bitcoin, crypto, and digital assets through their 20+ podcasts, events, webinars, daily newsletter, and more.
I’ll be sharing more info from Blockworks over the coming weeks.
For now, check out their new site.
The crypto markets are going through a new boom cycle. We’re seeing a massive move toward consumer adoption right now, and the companies in our space are overwhelmed with new users. How do they tackle this problem? Hiring, obviously.
I don’t know about you but my inbox is flooded with recruiters hitting me up about crypto marketing jobs. All of the major brands in our industry are working to bring on the best talent they can to help scale their businesses.
Interest for these jobs is also skyrocketing, with Google Trends showing search volume approaching the highs from 2017.
We’re entering unprecedented times for our industry (anyone else miss precedented times?). Hiring agencies are blowing up and racing to fill all of these open roles. Don’t believe me?
CryptocurrencyJobs.co has over 580 open listings
PompCryptoJobs.com has about 400 jobs available
Proof of Talent has over 40 roles listed
And we’re just getting started.
As this rally continues more and more companies will see 2021 as an opportunity to double down and expand.
I’ve been getting a few messages from prospective graduates and on-the-hunt professionals asking for advice on getting jobs in the crypto industry. I think that because we’re such an emerging niche within the fintech niche there is a veneer of exclusivity to it, as if getting a job in crypto is harder than in any other industry.
And this might have been true in the past. I got my first crypto job in 2018 at a DEX. That product, especially back then, was a confusing sell for any marketer. As a result, having an existing familiarity with the space was a must.
But now, years later, most of the major companies in our industry have exhausted that tiny talent pool and have started hiring people from other industries, coming from diverse backgrounds outside of crypto.
This has actually become a huge boon for crypto. The more diverse skill sets and background, the more opportunities companies have to create innovations that put them above their competition.
There are a lot of complex questions people tend to ask about working in our industry, so I recruited some crypto marketing friends to help answer them.
1. Do you need to be an expert in cryptocurrency to work at a crypto company?
This question is probably the biggest misconception about working in crypto. No, you don’t have to be a blockchain expert. Take it from Dan Held, the Director of Growth at Kraken.
Short answer is you don’t! In fact it can be an advantage. Bitcoin and crypto is confusing to newcomers. Having someone from a great marketing background, but light on technical knowledge is great as a calibration for the copy and creative.
Should you be able to explain the value propositions of blockchain technology? Yes. Do you need to be able to code a blockchain? No, not even close. Make your existing experience work for you and apply those skills to this industry.
2. What do crypto companies look for in a marketer?
One of the main questions I get from people is whether the skillset of a crypto marketer is any different than a regular marketer. Well, no, not really, but the answer is more nuanced than that. Dorothy Chang, the VP of Marketing & Comms at Paxos has some thoughts on this.
Crypto is still a very young industry so we are all looking for people who are extremely creative, clever and adaptable. We are inventing brand new products and categories, so crypto marketers have to be able to quickly understand a solution, figure out how to position this brand new thing, and grow a new customer base for it. As the ecosystem, competitive landscape and regulatory environment are all also in development, we need people who thrive on change. We often find this in people who have demonstrated individual success and impact at fast-growing companies.
At Paxos in particular, we don't necessarily look for people with crypto, blockchain or finance experience. We find it to be more valuable to focus on finding people with the right orientation to the mission and commitment to it, along with an insatiable hunger to learn and grow. The most successful people at Paxos are extremely self-motivated and brilliant, but also kind, humble and collaborative.
The biggest thing here is being curious and adaptive. We’re all creating new best practices and setting new standards. Having the vision to do so puts you in a position to succeed in this industry.
3. What kind of things do crypto marketing hiring managers look for on a resume?
There’s a misconception that working for a crypto brand requires some kind of specialized skill or experience. While that might be true for engineering or technical roles, that’s not necessarily the case for marketing. I asked Steve Capone, the VP, Marketing at Fidelity Digital Assets for his take.
My ideal crypto marketing hire has a passion for financial services, as well as emerging technology. You want someone who is data-oriented and willing to defy traditional Fintech and FinServ tactics based on data and insights. As with any growth-oriented role, I expect a commitment to learning and agility (based on the rapidly changing crypto market). Social media is the core community platform for the crypto world, so an experience with social and an excitement to explore new platforms is valuable.
One of the best things about hiring employees with varied backgrounds for your marketing team is that you get a variety of skill sets to leverage. Obviously having someone with a background in fintech is great, but all you really need is to have an interest in it. In my experience, it’s a lot easier to teach someone about fintech and crypto than it is to teach them about marketing.
At the end of the day, the best practices are pretty much the same across verticals. So, like we discussed above, hiring curious and engaged people to your team is always a winning combo.
4. What advice do you have for college graduates for getting their first job in crypto?
This is the question that I probably see the most these days. Demographically, we know that interest in cryptocurrencies tends to weigh heavier with younger demographics. With thousands of new young people entering the workforce right now, there is a huge opportunity for these young professionals to enter this emerging industry.
Maria Pesce, Brand Marketer at Gemini, has this advice:
Tap into your network. Connections are key to getting your foot in the door. Surf social media and find individuals in the crypto space who inspire you. A DM can sometimes go a long way!
One of the coolest things about our space is that no matter how big some of these companies are getting, the individuals on the leadership teams are just a Twitter or LinkedIn message away. You’d be surprised how far you can get just sending a DM to your favorite founder.
There probably has never been a better time to make a career move into the cryptocurrency space. Every company is hiring right now. Even if you’re just curious, I highly recommend throwing your hat in the ring for an exciting role you see. You never know what will happen. 🔺
Who’s Hiring in Crypto?
Email Marketing Lead @ eToro US [APPLY]
Sr. Business Development Representative @ The Tie [APPLY]
Senior Social Media Strategist @ Paxful [APPLY]
Brand Ambassador @ Coinbits [APPLY]
Director, Business Development Insights & Analytics @ Gemini [APPLY]
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