Remember when the only type of currency you had to worry about was the kind sitting in your wallet? Oh, how times—and money—have changed from copper pennies and dollar bills to, well, we’re getting to that.
Cryptocurrency, bitcoin, blockchain—you hear these words on the news and see them all over your social feed, but does anyone actually know what any of this really means?
What is cryptocurrency?
According to Investopedia, cryptocurrency is “a digital or virtual currency that uses cryptography [secret code] for security.” But unlike traditional currency, it isn’t backed by a government or bank.
Instead, it is tracked and traded on a decentralized public digital ledger known as the blockchain. You can think of it sort of like the Venmo app, but for cryptocurrency.
The original and most-widely used cryptocurrency is Bitcoin, but there are others such as ether.
What skills are needed for cryptocurrency jobs?
As you might imagine, tech skills are crucial to landing a job in the cyptocurrency universe, as many job listings call for hard skills, including Java, machine learning, Python, artificial intelligence (AI), C/C++, Node.js, and Amazon web services.
However, there are opportunities for non-techies too. Employers also value candidates with soft skills, such as communication, creativity, and problem-solving, and who are entrepreneurial, self-motivated, and team players.
Jobs in cryptocurrency
According to a recent Monster analysis, the cryptocurrency job market is on the rise. Using data provided by the TalentNeuron tool from insights and technology company CEB, we found that listings for jobs mentioning either “cryptocurrency,” “bitcoin,” or “blockchain” have risen 194% year-over-year, from 2018 to 2017.
Curious if there’s a job in cryptocurrency for you? We rounded up 10 jobs that will have you working with bitcoin and blockchain now.
Business development representative
What you’d do: As with any other burgeoning field, cryptocurrency is creating new business opportunities across multiple industries (health care, finance, and real estate to name a few), so there’s a need for people to seek those out, push product partnerships and close deals.
What you’d need: Beyond a thorough understanding of the goal of your company’s cryptocurrency application, business development representatives should have some sales experience and stellar communication skills. Many have degrees in business, finance, or communications.
What you’d make: $45,619 per year
Find business development jobs on Monster.
Data scientist
What you’d do: “Blockchain technology is relatively new and often misunderstood, which means that there is extremely high demand for experts in data science,” says Harrison Brady, communications specialist at Frontier Communications, a telecommunications company headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. Your job would be to analyze transaction data to help engineers streamline experiences..
What you’d need: Many data scientists hold a master’s degree in data or computer science. Strong analytical skills are important, as are communication skills, which are needed to convey trends to your company’s leaders.
What you’d make: $111,840 per year
Find data scientist jobs on Monster.
Financial analyst
What you’d do: nies such as hedge funds and insurance agencies, as well as with private investors looking to invest in cryptocurrency. A typical day involves recommending investments, developing investment strategies (like the best time to purchase and sell), evaluating risks, and maintaining investment portfolios.
What you’d need: Generally, financial analysts hold a bachelor’s degree as well as a license, usually from the Financial Industry Regulation Authority. After four years experience, many go on to become Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) certified. Additionally, having top-notch analytical, computer, and math skills will make you a competitive candidate when applying to cryptocurrency-oriented jobs. You need to be able to understand how new regulations, policies, political situations, and economic trends may affect investments.
What you’d make: $81,760 per year
Find financial anlayst jobs on Monster.
Journalist
What you’d do: Who do you hear all this crypto news from? Journalists. As a journalist, you’d cover the latest news on cryptocurrency and blockchain tech. You might be reporting for a newspaper, magazine, blog, or even a brand.
What you’d need: Most journalists start out by interning at a newspaper or magazine, and have a bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, or a related field. Writing samples (or broadcast, if that’s the type of journalism you’re interested in) are key to landing a position.
What you’d make: $38,870 per year
Find journalist jobs on Monster.
Machine learning engineer
What you’d do: Do you want to help take cryptocurrency from water cooler conversations to a real-life, easy to use currency that’s resistant to hackers and other online thieves? Cryptocurrency exists in a digital world, so naturally, there’s a need for experts who can create secure, user-friendly experiences for customers through digital applications. For example, the largest crypto exchange in the world, Coinbase, uses machine learning to stay ahead of hackers.
What you’d need: At a high level, machine learning engineers should be experienced in natural language processing (NLP) algorithms and data analysis. Most have at least a master’s in computer science, sometimes a Ph.D., and are familiar with statistical analysis languages such as Python and SQL.
What you’d make: $112,421 per year
Find machine learning engineer jobs on Monster.
Marketing manager
What you’d do: For cryptocurrency to continue to succeed, would-be users and investors need to know it exists—and how it works. Marketing managers estimate the demand for cryptocurrencies and blockchain and compare values. They identify potential users, monitor trends, and develop strategies to help people maximize their profits and market share.
What you’d need: Marketing managers should be self-starters who enjoy introducing and promoting products from the ground up. They need to be both right-brained and left-brained— creative and analytical. Education-wise, most hold a bachelor’s degree, but experience is the name of the game here. Before being promoted to manager, most have several years of experience working in advertising, marketing, promotions, or sales.
What you’d make: $127,560 per year
Find marketing manager jobs on Monster.
Research analyst
What you’d do: Sure, most industries need research analysts, but in new fields such as crypto, the opportunities for employment are plentiful. “This role has been created to help educate Americans about developments in the cryptocurrency industry and make better decisions,” says Jon Brodsky, who leads finder.com’s US operations, a New York City–based company that helps people make better personal and professional decisions.
What you’d need: Research analysts should have solid data analysis, strategic thinking, and written communication skills. They should also have a thorough understanding of the cryptocurrency industry—availability and differences between currencies, technologies, trading platforms, applications, and more. Analysts typically have at least a bachelor’s degree in market research or a related field.
What you’d make: $62,560 per year
Find research analyst jobs on Monster.
Security architect
What you’d do: Although one of the benefits of cryptocurrency is that it is much harder to hack than traditional payment systems, security architects are still very much needed to ensure that safety remains rock solid. Your job would be to create systems to protect the company’s technology from outside threats and fraudulent transactions.
What you’d need: Security architects should hold at least a bachelor’s degree in a computer-related field such as information technology or web development. Attention to detail and analytical skills are paramount.
What you’d make: $92,600 per year
Find security architect jobs on Monster.
Technical writer
What you’d do: Companies that create new types of cryptocurrency often write a technical white paper to attract investors, often 20–50 pages long, describing the company’s development and marketing plan for their technology. “Our content writers spend a good deal of time writing industry-specific content, informational content, and searching for unique ways to distribute the content,” says Dan Salganik, managing partner of VisualFizz, a digital marketing firm who has recently taken on clients who work in the cryptocurrency field.
What you’d need: Content writers who work in the crypto field should have at least an understanding of how blockchain technology works, persuasive writing skills, and a firm grasp of spelling and grammar. Social media and digital marketing experience are big pluses.
What you’d make: $69,850 per year
Find technical writer jobs on Monster.
Web developer
What you’d do: Blockchain web developers are tasked with writing and maintaining code, often in the form of smart contracts: computer protocols that allow people to make transactions without needing a third party (like a financial institution).
What you’d need: A few common language for web developers in the blockchain industry are JavaSript, React (a javascript library that’s used to build user interfaces), Python, and Solidity. Since the industry is changing and developing so quickly, you’ll need the ability to work in a fast-paced environment and adapt to and learn new coding languages as they’re adopted.
What you’d make: $66,130 per year