Whenever a new industry makes its way to the forefront of our collective consciousness, we find ourselves trying to gauge whether it is a job market or an opportunity market. After all, in this dog-eat-dog world, everybody is trying to grab a piece of the proverbial pie and nobody can afford setbacks in their career. Therefore, it is hardly surprising that many aspiring techies, developers, designers and other IT professionals approach the burgeoning field of blockchain and cryptocurrency with trepidation. Thankfully, we have assembled a list of five questions to help you make a judicious decision once and for all whether a blockchain career is the right path for you.
What do I need to get started in a blockchain career?
The first thing you need to understand is this: Blockchain is an infrastructural system. This means the technology is going to underlie all other software, including mobile and web applications. As blockchain gains more traction in the industry, the apps and tools that facilitate its use are growing in number too.
Being open source projects, the leading blockchains make their source code available on the Internet for adaptation and reuse. If you choose this career willingly, you will need experience with GitHub where developers discuss and share their code.
The majority of these projects are developed in C++. This means you must possess a concrete knowledge of the language if you wish to move up the ranks. But libraries are available in easier programming platforms and languages. Find a few good places to get started below:
- Web developers can start their blockchain career by acquainting themselves with the dynamics of the blockchain technology. Get your hands on as much literature as you can and make sense of what’s going on. Look up a few examples to put the theory to practice.
- For C# programmers, blockchain programming happens to be quite in-depth. So, it is best to remain focused and break up the complex processes into simpler aspects to have a clearer sense of what’s going on.
- Also pay attention to decentralized apps on the Ethereum blockchain. Brush up on your JavaScript knowledge before access and knowing C++ is always an added bonus.
What should be my key areas of focus?
Design matters more than software development in blockchain technology since a lot of the existing knowledge may be “ported over.” The systems still depend greatly on traditional design methods, like A/B testing, visual design, and wireframing. Start displaying blockchain-related work to better understand the benefits and drawbacks of blockchain technology.
Also, make some time in your busy schedule to design blockchain-related work, like a cryptocurrency wallet concept or a product-landing page. Also, scalability and transactions need to be fully comprehended if you want to make a mark in the field.
You should even pay attention to product management. Most blockchain services are startups with one product, already managed by the company’s CEO.
Utilize the opportunity to create a new product from scratch to attract attention from the industry. Team up with someone who shares your passion for blockchain and complements your skills. Usually, when a software developer teams up with a product manager, they succeed in creating a minimum viable product.
Can I set up my own blockchain business down the line?
Let’s get one thing straight about blockchain — it is an opportunity market. So you do get the opportunity to create a job for yourself, albeit eventually. Start by creating a product that addresses the needs and problems of the blockchain community, on either the consumer side or the business side. You might draw a blank when searching for the right idea, but over time you’re sure to hit the blockchain idea jackpot!
Concentrate on building something meant for blockchain instead of using blockchain technology. Finally, a full-time blockchain career ensures uniqueness, greater transparency, and eliminates the middleman problem. There are lots of real-world applications that fit the bill.
Remember that the most difficult part of entrepreneurship isn’t finding the perfect idea, but it’s familiarizing yourself with the thought of creating the right opportunities for yourself.
Will blockchain remain as exciting a career choice down the line?
Our world is quickly becoming more digitized. Now, tech firms collect private data and that’s worth a lot of money but can create a firestorm (just witness the problems Twitter and Facebook are enduring). Hackers and other malicious digital entities are always attempting to steal this data, your digital currencies, and your identity from the comfort of their homes.
To deter these digital asset stealers, you need to learn to exert your own control. Accumulate and protect whatever form of assets society values the most. Blockchain will always help you do that. And that is precisely why it will continue to maintain high standards of popularity with the masses in the coming years. Jumping on the bandwagon now can pay off rich dividends later.
Which blockchain is going to reign?
Cryptocurrencies are crawling out of the woodwork, and it’s hard to keep track of all the goings-on in the blockchain industry. More applications also mean that multiple forms of blockchain will provide utility to the user.
Thus, you need to pick projects that have been custom designed for supply chain management, real estate ownership, and global payments. All these possess unique features and technology that drive them towards success.
Remember, blockchain will thrive only when it possesses the ability to interoperate and interact — same as your blockchain career will. Like the Internet change from distinct proprietary networks to a global web (thanks to the core communication protocol), disparate blockchain systems will also grow into a full-fledged network consisting of decentralized distributed ledgers in time.
However, this will happen only via a common language, such as the Interledger Protocol or ILP. These data packets or information sharing systems across ledgers support the Internet of Value, which happens to be the economic equivalent of the Information Internet.
The promise of the Internet of Value or ILP means that you should not wait for the future to pursue a blockchain career. Rather, it’s all about identifying the right solution that meets your career requirements and harnessing your skills to obtain a solid job with real staying power.
Golden opportunity
Any techie opting for a blockchain career is bound to have questions. The five mentioned above do not cover all the areas, but they do offer a general idea to help you understand whether this is what you wish to do.
However, considering the insane potential blockchain has, it’s a shame to pass up on this golden opportunity.
Featured image: Pixabay
