No doubt, the crypto industry is the future of currency. As such, many people are interested in building a career in it. But because making a career in cryptocurrency is not all that straightforward. One question that puzzles many people is where to begin. If that is your case, this article will guide you on the steps to starting a career in cryptocurrency and some career options you have.

Steps to starting a career in cryptocurrency

The truth about starting a career in this industry is that there's no one route. But whichever path you decide to take to start a career in cryptocurrency, it always entails the following five aspects.

A good foundation in the following steps will set you apart when you want to start a career in cryptocurrency. So, here are the steps to starting a career in cryptocurrency.

• Step 1: Learn about cryptography

The first thing we'd advise you to do is to learn about cryptography. Cryptography is the whole essence of cryptocurrency. Think of it this way; there is no cryptocurrency without cryptography.

Cryptography is the technique of sending encoded messages. Cryptocurrency is rooted in sending and receiving encrypted codes. So, understanding cryptography means understanding the fibre of cryptocurrency. The good thing about learning cryptography is that you can use it in other industries apart from cryptocurrency. So, even if you decide to change your career later on in the future, your skill in cryptography will not be a waste but an added advantage.

• Step 2: Familiarize yourself with cryptocurrencies

Next, take your time to learn about the different types of cryptocurrencies. In every industry, the more vast you are in the industry, the more likely you are to stand out the most. Cryptocurrency is no exception; you must familiarize yourself with cryptocurrencies as there are so many shitcoins and scammers in the industry. For example, Internet fraudsters see the potential in the industry because they know many people in it are still trying to wrap their heads around it. So, fraudsters capitalize on this and try to sell shitcoins to them.

So, familiarize yourself with different cryptocurrencies to mitigate being a victim.

• Step 3: Evaluate your skills

Understanding cryptography is the fundamental skill everyone who wants to start a career in cryptocurrency needs to have. Apart from that, you can possess several other skills depending on the area you're trying to specialize in.

For example, if you have advanced-level programming skills, you might want to consider pursuing a career as a software engineer or machine learning engineer in the crypto industry. Identify these skills and evaluate your strength in them.

• Step 4: Network with industries experts

No man is an island of knowledge. It is always a good idea to learn from people who have been and gone through a process you're about to go through. In other words, after choosing a career path you want to pursue, do well to connect with experts in that field. These experts will help you avoid unnecessary mistakes they made, thus helping you have a much smoother transmission from beginner to expert in any cryptocurrency field. Look out for forums, blogs, zoom meetings, conferences, etc., to meet mentors.

• Step 5: Update your resume

Lastly, you can go ahead to review your resume. Update your resume with the skills and experience needed to apply for a job in cryptocurrency. When updating your resume, focus on tailoring it to fit a specific field you have a flair for and your skill sets and experience match. By reviewing your CV, you increase your chances of landing an interview.

What do you need to know to start a career in cryptocurrency?

If you want to start a career in cryptocurrency, you need to have a couple of skills. Below are some commonly requested skills when looking to start a career in cryptocurrency.

• Cryptography

As we said earlier, cryptography is the skill of sending and receiving encoded messages. To acquire this skill now, you can go on YouTube and find several tutorials about it for free. Similarly, if you want to be a certified cryptographer, you can take the cryptography course on popular learning platforms like Coursera and edX. Irrespective of the field you want to go into, understanding cryptography will help you function better.

• Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity, its name, says it all. Cryptocurrency is hosted on the internet; ensuring its network is as secure as possible is a skill that will never go unwanted. Unfortunately, as technology advances, hackers develop new and innovative ways to infect the network with viruses and malicious malware. Fortunately, there are several resources you can use to improve your cybersecurity skills, such as Cisco Networking Academy, edX, etc.

• Blockchain expertise

If you don't know the Blockchain, it is essentially a ledger where all transactions are stored. Think of it as a public record of crypto transactions. Blockchain is vital to the basic functionalities of cryptocurrencies. However, the Blockchain will not automatically maintain itself. Hence, developing Blockchain expertise is a valuable skill to learn. Similarly, there are several resources you can find online if you want to be a Blockchain expert, such as Udemy, edX, and so on.

• Programming knowledge

Programming knowledge is one of the top in-demand skills in the cryptocurrency industry. Programming knowledge is applicable and necessary in almost every cryptocurrency industry career option. Every programming knowledge you have is to your advantage, as most cryptocurrency jobs require you to be proficient in more than one programming language. Websites like Codecademy, Coursera Plus, etc., have numerous programming courses if you want to hone your programming skills.

• Economics of cryptocurrency

Finally, it would help if you also had a broad understanding of the economics of cryptocurrency. Economics moves the world! Your ability to capitalize on opportunities in any career depends on your strong command of economics. Understanding cryptocurrency's economics does not mean you have to be an expert financial analyst. Although being a specialist financial analyst gives you an added advantage. Nevertheless, you need in-depth knowledge of accounting, finance, and market theory to know how your efforts will fit in the industry.

Career options in cryptocurrency

There are several career options you can go for if you decide to develop a career in cryptocurrency. However, here are the top five most common career options:

• Technical writer

One of the top career choices most people go for is being a crypto technical writer. As a technical writer, you essentially write about complex topics. Writers use articles, brochures, journals, etc., to translate complicated issues. A crypto technical writer's responsibility is to present information that is easy to comprehend. Most crypto technical writers make around $58,000 yearly.

• Web developer

The job of a crypto web developer is simple, design and build websites for the crypto industry. The primary assignment of a crypto web developer is to write codes that make a crypto website more user intuition. It is also the responsibility of the web developer to maintain, update, and ensure the web security of a crypto website. Yearly, a crypto web developer makes an average income of $67,000.

• Cryptocurrency trader

Crypto traders are individuals that speculate on the price movements of crypto assets. Crypto trading aims to buy a crypto asset when the price is low and sell when the price is high. Crypto traders make a yearly income of around $80,000. As a crypto trader, you can work with a trading firm or be a trader from the comfort of your home.

• Software engineer

If you have a flair for software, you can become a crypto software engineer. As a crypto software engineer, you will work with programming languages such as Python and C++ on the Blockchain. The responsibilities of a software engineer are to test and design systems on the Blockchain and maintain and update the network. Annually, a crypto software engineer earns around $115,000

• Machine learning engineer

Cryptocurrencies are mined using sophisticated machines. These machines know what to do with the help of a machine learning engineer. These engineers are responsible for designing machine learning systems, algorithms, and tools that help the crypto industry. The average salary of a crypto machine learning engineer is about $140,000 yearly.

Conclusion

To sum things up, the promising future of the crypto industry is what fuels many to want to start a career in it. But if you're struggling to choose a career path, it is understandable. Most big names in the crypto industry you hear today went through this dilemma early in their career. But what matters most at the end of the day is that you take your time to follow a career path that you're most proficient in to stand out.