We live in a highly competitive, professional world. The democratization of information has allowed many people to access information and land highly sought-after jobs that might have been inaccessible otherwise. This goes double for web3 jobs. Acquiring soft skills will set you apart from those who focus on hard skills alone.
- What are web3 jobs?
- Find your dream job
- Connect with your true soulmates
- Web3 jobs and soft skills: Communication
- Web3 jobs and soft skills: Adaptability
- Web3 jobs and soft skills: Collaboration
- Web3 jobs and soft skills: Problem-solving
- Web3 jobs and soft skills: Creativity
- Web3 jobs and soft skills: Emotional intelligence
- Web3 jobs and soft skills: Critical thinking
- Web3 jobs and soft skills: Leadership
- Soft skills are non-negotiable in web3
- Frequently asked questions
What are web3 jobs?
Web3 jobs are any jobs that deal with blockchain, cryptocurrency, metaverse, decentralized finance, or any other related fields. It may come as a shock to some, but many web3 jobs exist in the web2 or traditional jobs world.
In this way, with the proper qualifications, a lot of experience is convertible into web3. As a result, many of the traditional jobs that exist in web2 can be found in web3, for example:
- C-suite executives (e.g., CEO, CFO, CTO)
- Marketers
- Frontend developers
- Blockchain developers
- Legal counsel
- Certified public accountants (CPA)
- Account managers
- Writers
Many of the aforementioned jobs are what you need to run a successful company, regardless of the field. Because many of the skills needed for these jobs are so convertible, there are a lot of high-salary roles on offer. As a result, employers will need a way to separate the wheat from the chafe. This is where soft skills come in.
The Australian Chief Scientist’s Office commissioned Deloitte Access Economics to conduct a survey of employer attitudes toward STEM skills and STEM-skilled employees. In total, 1,065 employers representing 450,000 employees from various industry sectors responded.
Employers were asked to rate the importance of various employee skills and attributes and list any additional skills they thought were important for their job. The above figure shows the result of the study. Communication was mentioned the most.
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Web3 jobs and soft skills: Communication
Effective communication in decentralized teams and communities
Communication skills are the ability to convey information, thoughts, ideas, and feelings effectively to other people. Make no mistake, everyone uses communication skills on some level.
However, it is especially important when working with decentralized teams, communities, and remote crypto jobs. In this new-age work environment, you may not work in the same room, building, or even country with your coworkers.
Therefore, you probably don’t have the same social mores as your coworkers. Effective communication is the bridge to any social barriers that you may endure from working in remote environments.
Clear and concise written and verbal communication
Often, teams are working with time constraints, especially when they are distributed across different time zones. To avoid wasting time, make your speech succinct. Use clear, concise, and direct language.
This applies to both written (e.g., emails) and verbal communication (e.g., meetings). Niceties have their place, but when you are working with deadlines, sometimes it’s best to get right to the point. Lastly, don’t inundate your team with messages.
Active listening and empathy in understanding diverse perspectives
Active listening is a vital communication skill. It expands beyond hearing what someone is saying. Active listening involves observing verbal and non-verbal cues to understand the complete message.
It includes paying attention to the speaker’s body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions. By doing so, active listeners can provide appropriate feedback and demonstrate attentiveness to the speaker’s message.
Furthermore, active listening allows you to have empathy and understand diverse perspectives. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings, emotions, and perspectives of others. It plays an important role in promoting positive communications and interactions.
Web3 jobs and soft skills: Adaptability
Being open to change and learning new technologies
The world is constantly changing, and as a result, many professional fields will also change at the drop of a dime. Therefore, adaptability is a soft skill that is necessary for any web3 job.
If you’ve ever tried to build a web3 application, then you’ve probably had to deal with compiler updates, deprecated testnets, and many other changes that can stunt production. Furthermore, because tech is constantly changing, you must be open to changing with it. New technologies will arise that improve your experiences or users’ experiences.
You have to adapt to new technologies for your own benefit; however, learning new technologies will also help you stand out in the marketplace.
Flexibility to work in a dynamic and evolving web3 ecosystem
Web3 moves fast. If you blink, you will miss two or three technologies in an instant. By the same token, you have to move fast with it. This means that flexibility must be second nature to you.
In certain instances, the term flexibility means a scenario in which employees are expected to be available around the clock. However, the type of flexibility being referred to in this context is distinct from that particular situation.
The type of flexibility discussed here pertains to employees utilizing their common sense to recognize when something may not function effectively. It is the ability to adapt and embrace unexpected changes as valuable opportunities for growth and learning.
Embracing emerging trends and shifting market conditions
Although, note that flexibility may look different for certain people. For a developer, flexibility may mean using one framework over another. For a marketer, it is utilizing new content creation trends to rank on social media platforms.
As stated previously, flexibility looks different for certain people, fields, and markets. For example, the above figure shows developing marketing trends. However, SEO, legal, and developer trends can also change at a breakneck pace.
That is why embracing trends and shifting market conditions is an important soft skill that translates into value for crypto jobs. Companies always want to be at the forefront of cutting-edge technology to beat their competitors. Likewise, you must also stay at the forefront to keep up with their demands.
Web3 jobs and soft skills: Collaboration
Working collaboratively in decentralized teams and cross-functional environments
The average mid to large-scale company will need multiple teams to run a successful organization. Because of this, you will have to learn effective collaboration skills. You should use clear communication standards to ensure clarity in your collaboration practices.
Some companies have implemented acronyms such as four-hour response (4HR) and no need to reply (NNTR) for digital communications, which bring predictability and certainty to virtual conversations.
Additionally, always remember to communicate clearly and notify relevant parties when working on a cross-team project. Providing this type of clarity will save time and effort in the long run.
Building relationships and fostering trust with colleagues and partners
Cultivating relationships with others is a powerful soft skill that can assist you in your web3 job. In order to build relationships with your colleagues, you must first build trust.
Thankfully, there are multiple ways to build trust. For example, one of the oldest methods for building trust with someone is first to trust them with something. This could take the form of sharing personal information, such as your favorite food or places to visit.
Leveraging collective intelligence and diversity of ideas
There is a saying, “teamwork makes the dream work.” That is because innovation always moves faster in groups. Collective intelligence and diverse ideas create an environment where teams can compensate for each other’s weaknesses.
That is why it is important to see multiple sides of an issue. Diversity of ideas helps to fill in the gaps in your knowledge, while collective intelligence is the reason large-scale companies can operate successfully.
Web3 jobs and soft skills: Problem-solving
Analytical thinking and problem-solving skills in complex web3 scenarios
If you want to excel in web3, you have to figure out what problems need to be solved, then figure out how to solve them. Analytical thinking and problem-solving are soft skills that will take you far in this arena.
This means analyzing quantitative and qualitative data whenever applicable. The more you learn, the more you will understand that there are fewer problems you can figure out with a simple Google search.
Developing innovative solutions and adapting to technological challenges
When you encounter any problem, you have to approach it from multiple angles. And because the answer isn’t always so simple, you must develop innovative solutions.
For example, when it comes to technological challenges, you may have to break something before figuring out how to improve it. In other situations, you might have to find a similar problem in other areas. There are many ways to come up with innovative solutions. It’s all about discovering what works for you or the problem.
Identifying and addressing pain points in decentralized systems
As stated previously, if you want to excel in your web3 job, figure out the problems to solve. This method is tried and proven. For blockchain technology, this means addressing the problems with decentralized systems.
For instance, many of the solutions to decentralized systems, such as blockchains, started out by identifying what core tasks a blockchain actually does. As a result, many of the innovative solutions boiled down to delegating tasks or abstracting core functions.
Web3 jobs and soft skills: Creativity
Thinking outside the box and generating novel ideas in web3 projects
Speaking of problem-solving, this leads us to the next point — creativity. While you can solve most problems with it, there are very few new problems that you can solve without it.
Thinking outside of the box is a soft skill that many web3 employers will appreciate. However, this does not include solving problems with already well-established solutions.
Applying creative approaches to drive innovation and user-centric experiences
One of the largest hurdles to mainstream web3 adoption is the user’s experience (UX). UX, in its current iteration, is less than desirable and often overly complicated.
Applying creative approaches to improve the user experience can benefit you in your web3 job tremendously. A good example of how UX can impact a business is the music production app FL Studio (ex. Fruity Loops).
FL Studio provided an innovative UX, better than its competitors. Even though it was not considered an industry-grade product, it took over the music production industry as a result.
Leveraging artistic and design elements in blockchain-based applications
Web2 users have become accustomed to minimalist, animated, and gaudy illustrations and design elements. Therefore, blockchain applications will have to keep up if they want to entice web2 users.
Creative artists receive a lot of leeway in how they implement designs. Essentially, when you have exceptional creative talent, you give that person room to create. Web3 businesses looking to offer a strong user experience will have a high demand for creatives.
Web3 jobs and soft skills: Emotional intelligence
Understanding and managing emotions in web3 interactions
Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one’s own emotions, as well as to recognize and empathize with the emotions of others.
Let’s be honest; no one wants to be around a grouch. By the same token, someone who is overly paranoid, hyperactive, or even perpetually gloomy is just as bad. Managing emotions is necessary in any setting, but especially for unpredictable and fast-paced web3 jobs.
Furthermore, understanding and recognizing those emotions in yourself and others are equally important. Some people may have a short vocabulary for emotions. So here is a brief list:
- Joy
- Sadness
- Anger
- Fear
- Anxiety
- Contentment
- Enthusiasm
- Frustration
Nurturing positive relationships and resolving conflicts effectively
As the saying goes, you can only make a first impression once. Therefore, use it to establish positive relationships in your work environment.
Furthermore, you must adopt conflict resolution soft skills. Understand that sometimes things just happen. Whether they are misunderstandings or more serious situations, there is a proper way to handle them. Implementing the aforementioned soft skills will actually aid in conflict resolution tangentially.
However, here are a few direct ways to solve problems in your web3 job:
- Active listening: Before you attempt to solve a problem, you must first get to the root of the cause. You can’t do this without active listening and then responding in an appropriate way.
- Mediation: Sometimes, you may need a third party (in a senior role) to mediate a situation. Or on the other hand, you may need to intervene in a situation as a last resort. In order for cool heads to prevail, remain impartial.
- Negotiation: When you come into conflict, negotiating can help calm a situation. In this situation, reaching an agreement where all parties benefit is best.
- Compromise: Sometimes, you have to give up something in order to gain something. In this case, you should ask yourself how important being right is, what the costs are, and whether you can live with the current state of affairs.
It should be noted that not all conflicts in the workplace involve aggression. It could be as simple as resource allocation, task management, or what type of food to bring to a potluck.
Developing self-awareness and empathy toward stakeholders
In many situations, you will have stakeholders that you may or may not encounter on a regular basis. Because of this, you should always keep in mind to have empathy towards them.
Sometimes customers complain, are critical of a product or service, or may even exhibit unbecoming behavior. Always remember not to take it personally because some may genuinely want to see a better product.
This will also aid in improving your web3 job. As you develop a sense of the customer’s perspective, you can create better products and services to further adoption.
Web3 jobs and soft skills: Critical thinking
Evaluating information and making informed decisions in web3 contexts
When it comes to soft skills, critical thinking is something you can not afford to be without. In this case, one of the best things you can do to stimulate critical thinking is to apply the Socratic method.
The Socratic method is a technique of questioning and dialogue used for critical thinking, learning, and exploring complex ideas. It is named after the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, who employed this method to stimulate intellectual inquiry and challenge assumptions.
In the Socratic method, a series of questions are posed to encourage individuals to examine their beliefs, think deeply about a subject, and arrive at logical conclusions through reasoned arguments. It can be summarized in a single statement — “why?”
Identifying biases and assessing the credibility of sources
We live in a fast-paced world. Information spreads like an epidemic — in the blink of an eye. Therefore, remaining vigilant, questioning the authenticity of sources, and recognizing bias is an important soft skill to have in a web3 job.
For example, in journalism, first-hand sources are more valuable than second and third hand. Even so, first-hand sources of information may also have bias.
To understand this point, you must also consider the source. For instance, someone who is pro-crypto is likely to share information in support of crypto without checking the source or without providing context and communicating nuance. However, the alternative is also true.
Applying logic and reasoning to navigate decentralized systems
Therefore, all critical thinking boils down to applying logic and reasoning. This will serve you well when you are navigating decentralized systems.
As more solutions are created for current problems, the technology will become increasingly complex. The best way to keep up with such a changing environment is to always use logic and reasoning in tandem with your hard skills.
Web3 jobs and soft skills: Leadership
Taking initiative and inspiring others in the web3 industry
Leadership is the art of inspiring others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more. Part of leadership is staying proactive. A proactive leader will inspire others. There is nothing that an employer loves more than someone who is proactive.
This particular soft skill translates to many industries. Taking initiative is a great way to gain favor. But this is not its only use. It is also useful for staying prepared against unforeseen circumstances.
When taking on a leadership role, staying proactive will keep you and those that follow your example on your toes.
Guiding decentralized teams toward shared goals
As you embark on your web3 job journey, you may find yourself in a leadership role outside of being a project manager, lead developer, or chief officer of some kind.
This may at first seem difficult when working with remote or decentralized teams. That is why it is important to establish goals. Encourage your cohorts to keep you accountable and vice versa. That way, there is mutual respect and a shared interest in the proliferation of the goals.
Leading by example and demonstrating integrity
Lastly, a great leader always leads by example. When you are willing to do the things that you ask of your team, it sets a precedence that it is, in fact, doable.
This also helps to engender a sense of respect. In this way, your coworkers do not feel as if you are trying to lord over them or push grunt work off to them. A great leader will naturally garner respect simply by the examples that they set.
Soft skills are non-negotiable in web3
In today’s fiercely competitive world, where information is readily available and coveted job opportunities have become more accessible, the field of web3 presents a multitude of avenues for professional advancement.
While technical proficiency in areas like blockchain development and programming remains essential, the value of soft skills should not be underestimated. Developing a strong set of soft skills sets you apart from those who solely emphasize technical prowess. By honing these skills in conjunction with your technical expertise, you position yourself for success and distinguish yourself within the highly competitive web3 job market.
Frequently asked questions
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