How To Start Your Career As A Software Developer In A Blockchain Startup
Blockchain started with Bitcoin in 2009, and now it has grown a body of its own. It has many more applications than just cryptocurrencies, and it is transforming almost every industry. That’s why many Blockchain startups have been founded since then, and they are looking to snatch the best Blockchain talent. These are some things you can do to start your career as a software developer in a Blockchain startup.
Get The Training
Blockchain is a relatively new technology, and because of it, it will be hard to find a university that teaches this as a career. Instead, you can find courses that show you the basics of Blockchain but require previous software development knowledge. So first, you have to learn how to be a software developer or engineer.
People can choose between different training paths to become a software developer. For example, you can enroll in a bachelor’s degree in software engineering or computer science. This option is the more expensive and the one that requires more time. You can also enroll in an online degree that can take as much time as university or less, but it will probably cost less.
The last option is to enroll in a coding bootcamp. These intensive courses teach everything you need to know to become a software developer in a few months. Plus, some courses even include some Blockchain skills like how to develop decentralized apps. These courses still cost money but are cheaper than university. Plus, coding bootcamps offer different financial options to help you afford their courses.
Know Blockchain
After you become a software engineer, you can now start learning everything you can about Blockchain. Learning the basics is vital to understand how the technology works and to start dabbling in the Blockchain industry. So these are some basic terms for you:
Blockchain
Blockchain is a decentralized, transparent, and immutable record of transactions. Its name accurately describes how it works; each block is a piece of data, and they are put one on top of the other. It is like a chain because each block is made with a record of exactly which block is before it and on top of it.
It is decentralized because the information is stored in a network of computers instead of just one place. It is transparent because all the computers in the network can see the records and access the information. And it is immutable because everyone in the network must agree before making a change, and once a block its added, you cannot modify the ones below.
cryptocurrency">Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrencies are digital coins based on Blockchain technology and secured with cryptography. There are thousands in the industry right now, the most famous being Bitcoin and Ethereum. But each cryptocurrency has its own set of rules and how they were created.
Because they are based on Blockchain, they are also decentralized, transparent, and immutable. These characteristic has made them popular and very accessible for anyone in the world.
Node
As mentioned above, Blockchain is a decentralized ledger because it is stored in a network of computers. Therefore, a node is each computer in the network. Each node has access to all the records in the Blockchain and has to approve any change that any other node wants to make.
Dapps
Dapps or decentralized apps are applications based on Blockchain. They are entirely open-source, where all the users have a say in any change, all the data must be stored on Blockchain and public, and it must use cryptographic tokens to access it or any reward system. In other words, they run off the power of a network and don’t have one source with authority over the users.
Smart contracts
Smart contracts are based on Blockchain, and they are contracts that execute themselves when specific rules are met. A software developer designs the contract as a set of rules that must happen before the transaction is considered complete. It has many applications in areas like real estate and banking.
Create Projects or Collaborate on Open-Source
Another thing you can do to start your career in the Blockchain industry is working on independent projects. It can be anything like looking for open-source projects that pique your interests, where you can add your grain of salt, or even trying to build your Blockchain platform. This is the best way to start gaining the experience you need to work as a Blockchain developer.
Convince The Startup
After you have enough experience and knowledge to enter the Blockchain industry, you can start looking for a startup. Generally, startups can begin as a small project, and they may even not pay much. With the booming Blockchain has had in the last few years, the chances are that you can find an excellent job.
Prepare your curriculum to highlight your Blockchain skills and a cover letter where you explain how you will help the company if they hire you. Because Blockchain is a new industry, these skills are in high demand and there are not enough professionals. By proving you have Blockchain skills, or at least knowledge and learning disposition, you can find the right job.
