The writing on the wall is clear — the rapid rise of remote work has outgrown its pandemic roots. It is now fast evolving into a defining feature of the modern workplace in the web3 era. As companies race to maintain a competitive edge in this gold rush of blockchain and crypto, the challenge isn’t just about adapting to a decentralized workforce. Finding ways to recruit top talent time-efficiently and without breaking the bank is equally important. Hiring in web3 is key to success.
While old-school HR tactics set you up for a dusty tumbleweed response, the crypto community generally runs on a different frequency. As such, businesses must explore strategies that not only attract the right candidates but also optimize their hiring process. And that’s precisely what this guide is about — to help you explore practical strategies to find and engage the specialized talent your web3 startup could use.
In this guide:
Pain points of hiring in web3
Hiring in web3 comes with several unique challenges involving assembling teams with diverse skills in a rapidly evolving field.
“In web3 today, there are more job offers than good candidates, but talent remains the most scarce resource.”
– Anthony Avedissian (@antavedissia): X
- Shortage of qualified candidates: The web3 industry is still in its early stages. There is a lack of professionals with specialized skills in blockchain development and cryptography. This talent gap makes hiring difficult.
- Lack of standardization of qualifications: With no unified web3 frameworks for credentials, judging ability levels through traditional qualifications alone may sometimes prove insufficient.
- Intense competition for talent: With web3 gaining traction, demand for skilled developers, designers, and more outstrips supply. Smaller companies struggle to attract top talent when competing with well-resourced startups and corporations.
- Assessing complex skills: Web3 technologies are highly complex. Determining whether candidates truly possess expertise across these specialized domains creates hiring risks.
- Building a cohesive yet diverse team: The interdisciplinary requirements of web3 projects make assembling a team with the right blend of skills and expertise relatively more challenging. This complexity can lead to project delays and disrupt team dynamics.
- Retaining talent in a rapidly changing industry: The volatile web3 space sees talented individuals frequently poached by rivals dangling higher pay and incentives. High turnover destabilizes teams.
- Keeping pace with evolving technology: The rapidly evolving nature of the web3 industry can be overwhelming for employers, making it difficult to stay informed about the latest technological advancements. This gap hampers their ability to evaluate candidates’ skills and make sound hiring decisions effectively.
So, now that you’re familiar with the common challenges web3 recruiters typically face, let’s walk you through some helpful strategies to find and hire top web3 talent.
5 strategies for hiring in web3
1. Use a dedicated crypto job board
Consider leveraging a niche cryptocurrency job board such as the BeInCrypto jobs, our own specialized web3 jobs platform.
These dedicated hiring hubs can help you assemble an engaged talent pool across crypto-related specialties. Choose one or more boards that cater to a diverse range of professionals — from core developers and designers to analysts and PMs, amongst others.
Posting roles on subject-specific boards enables targeted screening impossible on mass generalist sites. Specialized knowledge is the baseline. By converging already crypto-fluent applicants, you qualify candidates efficiently to discover ideal talent fits.
The global reach of crypto job boards is another advantage that grants you access to seasoned applicants worldwide. Since blockchain is inherently decentralized, borderless teams often thrive best in such environments. You can try out most of these platforms for free or for a nominal fee before committing full-time.
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Want to list a job with BeInCrypto? Check our step-by-step guide to using the BIC jobs board here.
Be open to non-crypto job boards as well
Focusing on web3 job boards does not necessarily mean that you should completely avoid traditional job boards. Some of the largest job portals and platforms are non-web3 specific. Ignoring these might not be the best of choices you will make. You can continue using these platforms to hire non-web3-specific roles such as accounting, administration, etc. This also makes financial sense, considering that some of the biggest job and career-related websites, such as LinkedIn, are free.
For more insights, refer to our detailed guide on the best non-traditional channels your ideal web3 candidates may use.
Find your perfect match
![Get the Web3 pro tips for HR team of BE[IN]CRYPTO](https://beincrypto.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-07-13-15.46.13.jpg.optimal.jpg){kind=small}
Get the Web3 pro tips for HR team of BE[IN]CRYPTO
Consider using referral programs
Employee referrals can be a strategic recruiting channel for web3 companies, potentially accounting for a quarter or more of their hires. By incentivizing current staff to recommend qualified candidates from their professional networks, employers gain several advantages.
Firstly, employee-referred candidates are more likely to have relevant skills and experience as they are vetted by existing team members. This filters for role fit. Additionally, referral bonuses motivate employees to proactively contribute to recruiting top talent. Popular incentives include cash payouts, extra vacation days, and other similar perks.
Moreover, referral schemes boost talent retention by making employees feel invested in shaping productive teams. Although bonuses carry costs, the expense pales compared to overall hiring expenditures per new recruit.
Use educational content and webinars
Creating educational content like tutorials, webinars, and whitepapers is not only effective for showcasing your team’s expertise and attracting like-minded talent but also a cost-friendly option.
Tutorials and internal process documentation demand minimal additional resources. At the same time, they can effectively demonstrate practical team skills. Similarly, webinars hosted on affordable online platforms tap existing talent to share knowledge instead of spending funds on paid external speakers. Even intensive mediums like whitepapers rely primarily on internal research, writing, and review.
The beauty of educational materials lies in maximizing impact through easy amplification. Once you create them, they can be instantly shared across various online platforms. They can reach a broad audience worldwide without requiring substantial advertising budgets. This approach not only maximizes your visibility among potential candidates but also positions your organization as a knowledge leader in the industry,
Form partnerships with educational institutions
Strategic partnerships with academia create a talent pipeline while positioning your organization as an industry leader. And the best part is that you aren’t required to spend the big bucks. By collaborating with universities and colleges to conduct workshops, lectures, and mentorships, your web3 startup can gain firsthand access to skilled graduates passionate about entering the field.
Workshops and lectures can come in handy for your team to share industry knowledge and showcase real-world applications of their work. This also lets you demonstrate your company’s culture and values. Not only does it help build your brand among a new generation of professionals, but it also allows you to spot standout individuals who show promise and interest in your field.
Mentorship initiatives, in particular, can establish deeper connections with potential candidates. Such initiatives allow your team members to impart valuable industry insights and guidance while also evaluating the potential and fit of these mentees for future web3 roles in your organization.
Cultivating your own talent pipeline using this strategy is a win-win. Hands-on initiatives not only engage employees but also attract invested candidates familiar with your objectives and methods. These cost-effective programs leverage existing resources and team expertise. They are also beneficial for the participating universities, as these institutions are usually eager for industry partnerships to enhance their curriculum and provide students valuable exposure.
Good luck with your recruitment drive
Hiring web3 top talents for your organization doesn’t have to be a wallet-draining headache. Forget expensive headhunters and tap into a talent pool of qualified candidates using the five strategies we have highlighted in this guide — all of them cost minimal resources and funds. Remember that the web3 space is still nascent and constantly evolving. As a recruiter, you need to pay close attention to the changing trends and technologies in the industry to stay on top of the recruitment game.
Frequently asked questions
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