People are still arguing about cryptocurrency and its future viability. Nobody seems to be having this same fight about blockchain. Instead, companies of all sizes involved in a variety of industries are vying to make a splash with this technology. Even major players in the normally conservative, risk-averse banking industry like Citigroup and JP Morgan Chase are taking a serious look at blockchain technology.
As with any other rapidly emerging technology, the next question is inevitably, ‘who will build it?’ Whether they hire in house teams or outsource these efforts, companies who want to harness blockchain technology must assemble teams that have the skills required.
Understanding Blockchain Developers
The average business that’s interested in hiring a team of blockchain developers is going to want to bring on people who have proven experience. That isn’t going to come cheap. Experienced blockchain developers know they are in high demand. Many are also deeply immersed in ICO projects.
In addition to this, any blockchain developer with more than three years of experience has likely been accumulating cryptocurrency through their involvement with crypto projects, crypto mining, and other endeavors.
Bottom line; they aren’t hungry or desperate. Be prepared to offer good pay and interesting projects. If you’re interested in saving money, you might consider options like outsourcing, or saving on hiring costs by providing your existing team members with the training they need. Of course, the latter option will create obvious delays.
Defining The Scope of Your Project
Before you start recruiting talents, it’s important to define your project. What are you trying to accomplish? How long will it take? Perhaps, most important of all, what would you like to have when the project is completed? Would you like support and ongoing maintenance to be in house, or outsourced?
The next thing to consider is the exact nature of your project. For example, if you are planning to develop your own blockchain, you will need a full stack developer. You’ll also need to know the type of blockchain on which your project is based. If you don’t want to build a blockchain, then you are looking at developing something on top of an existing blockchain. Either way, your hiring choices are going to vary significantly based on your decisions here.
Finding Blockchain Developers
One thing to keep in mind is that skilled blockchain developers aren’t perusing Indeed looking for jobs. They also aren’t out on Fiverr or other freelance boards. They don’t need to be. You may have a bit more luck on LinkedIn, but even that’s going to be limited.
Instead, you will have to expand your search for these developers by reaching out to the places where they do spend time, and where they are looking for jobs. You can start by heading to places where Blockchain developers are reading and spending time. Many blockchain developers frequent crypto and blockchain related sites on Reddit or other social media platforms. You can also attend local blockchain meetups.
Another thing to remember is that many blockchain developers are strong proponents of open source. Because of this, they are often involved in open source communities such as slack.
A final option is one that may be the best possible one for a business that is entirely new to blockchain. This is allowing a reputable company to develop the team you need based on your requirements. A company that has a proven track record of providing development teams for blockchain projects can likely find the perfect people for your project while you focus on more mission-critical tasks.
More importantly, a decent software development and outsourcing firm will help you to hone your project requirements so that you know exactly what you need. This will, in turn, streamline the hiring process, and ensure that you get the team you need.
Red Flags
As you might expect, the minute technology is in high demand, there’s an influx of less than qualified people, and firms that will attempt to capitalize on the trend. Bring the wrong people on board, or fail to vet out your candidates, and you could easily sink a promising project, and waste a lot of money.
Finally: Attracting Blockchain Talent
Pay is important of course, but there are other things that the average blockchain developer values. Remember that most of these developers are independent types who took a risk in entering a field when it was quite unproven. Many aren’t going to be attracted to a very structured, 9-5 job where they work from a cubicle. The more flexibility and independence you can offer the better.
In addition to this, keeping a blockchain developer usually involves some effort as well. Offer them decent pay, raises that keep up with the best market rates, and interesting projects. These things, along with an opportunity to advance will go a long way towards retaining talent.