A decade ago, a blockchain developer might have seemed like a novelty, a rare species in the vast world of large-scale web and SaaS programming. In 2025, however, the rapid rise of use cases and blockchain companies has made these professionals a commodity for competitive projects across multiple industries.

But even the most experienced developers can’t just flip a switch and turn their existing skills into a corporate blockchain career. There are nuances of skills, knowledge, and mentality that go into a successful career in blockchain. What’s more, you need to communicate those skills effectively during the hiring process.

Here’s what it really takes to build a career developing on the blockchain.

What Does the Blockchain Job Market Look Like?

The market for blockchain professionals is robust and diverse, with some reports suggesting that job growth could reach 1 million new jobs by 2030. Hosts of coders, designers, security specialists, and product managers are building innovative tools in a wide array of sectors.

With those facts in mind, there are several in-demand jobs in the blockchain space, which include:

• Blockchain Developer, an engineering role typically focused on building or optimizing core infrastructure in blockchain systems. These pros will generally focus on the core code and structure of blockchains as a technology, especially as they relate to apps or integrations with other systems.

• App Developers, on the other hand, are programmers and creators who use the blockchain as the backbone for all kinds of applications. These professionals understand how to interface with distributed data storage systems and computing resources supported by blockchains and have a good understanding of both the underlying technology, and supported business logic.

• Smart Contract Developers specializing in the writing and deployment of “smart contracts,” or small bits of code that automate actions and behaviors on the blockchain. This is distinct from a “traditional” blockchain developer in that they more often focus on the operational and business logic of system tasks, where theory and behavior characteristics come into play.

• Marketing, business and growth specialists, especially those who understand the needs of specific markets (like DeFi, stablecoins, or banking). These roles will typically have experience in both traditional B2B tech marketing and key Web3 approaches such as community-building, adaptive social media management, and investor-targeting campaigns.

• UX/UI Designers that can fill the gap between technical blockchain builders and the increasing audience of end-users adopting their software.

What Would a Hiring Manager Look for in a Blockchain Expert?

How you fit the needs of a hiring manager will depend on the job, the company, and the project. There are some general skills that will carry across multiple contexts and help you better understand what the demands of a blockchain project might be.

Technical Knowledge and Skills

Those angling for a technical role will, unsurprisingly, need a host of technical skills. While skills from traditional development will serve you well, you’ll also need to shore up specific skills related to blockchain and smart contracts:

• Programming Languages: Common languages used in blockchain development include Solidity, Rust, and Go. Additionally, Python and JavaScript/TypeScript play a huge role in building front-end systems or integrating back-end technologies.

• Smart Contracts: With these languages, you’ll also need to understand how to implement smart contracts, which means a deeper knowledge of patterns, gas fees, and unique security concerns. Depending on what chain you use, you’ll also want to understand the contract environments for those chains (Geth for Ethereum, AvalancheGo for Avalanche, etc.).

• Security and Privacy Best Practices: Developers will need a good working knowledge of cryptography, data privacy standards, and bespoke security requirements. This category can include broader data privacy regulations (like GDPR) or finance-specific laws (like Know Your Customer and Anti-Money Laundering requirements).

• Technical Understanding of Blockchain: It’s unlikely that you’re going to shift into the blockchain industry without some knowledge of decentralization as it’s framed by blockchain technology. This includes a deeper understanding of how consensus mechanisms work and how fees and gas can impact performance. Likewise, you’ll want to have an understanding of the different approaches to performance optimization (such as Layer-2 protocols or sovereign Layer 1 systems).

“Soft” Skills

Soft skills often get a handwave and dismissal in technical fields, but don’t make the same mistake. Web3 is built on communication and teamwork, and the stereotype of a lone programmer hacking away at an app or algorithm isn’t an accurate reflection of the collaboration required for success.

If you want to work well in blockchain projects, you’ll want to work on important soft skills like:

• Communication and Collaboration: Blockchain communities look to developers and other professionals who can mesh well with a team, who are outgoing, who firmly believe in the project or technology, and who bring a certain level of excitement to that project. Managers want to know that you are more than the code in your smart contract.

• Cultural Fit: Yes, cultural fit is important everywhere, but blockchain employers will most likely expect to work with professionals who are steeped in the culture of decentralization. This is especially true for blockchain startups or companies that operate under a DAO. Sign up for popular newsletters in the space, especially those published by projects you want to work with.

• Support and Advocacy: A major part of the blockchain/Web3 culture is advocacy—or, at the very least, an outward embrace of blockchain and a willingness to contribute to public discourse. This could mean writing about Web3 on your social media or maintaining a newsletter on the subject.

• Operational Understanding of the Blockchain: It’s not enough to know how the technology works. Even dedicated developers will need to have a practical understanding of blockchain’s use cases for business. Be prepared to show how your potential employer can use blockchain to drive meaningful business outcomes.

Digging a Little Deeper

Technical skills and a good presence will get your foot in the door and possibly land you a job with a Web3 company. What will really help you stand out is how well you understand some of the deeper, more nuanced ideas in the industry.

• Smart Contract Patterns: Smart contracts solve problems, and useful contracts that address common tasks are typically referred to as “smart contract patterns.” Like traditional programming, they help programmers work more efficiently without having to reinvent the wheel.

• Blockchain Architecture: This is an entire masterclass in itself, but a deep understanding will pay off. This includes an understanding of consensus mechanisms, virtual machines like the EVM, differences between account-based and Unspent Transaction Output (UTXO), and Layer 1 vs. Layer 2 architectures.

• Cross-Chain Interoperability: With an understanding of cross-chain communication through tools like bridges, Cosmos and IBC, or Avalanche Interchain Messaging (ICM), you can help build and design apps that can facilitate work between different systems.

How Can You Stand Out as a Potential Hire?

A big part of standing out in this competitive field is being invested in and committed to the cause of decentralized software. Fortunately, being a part of the larger community can be an incredibly rewarding and fun experience:

• Maintain public GitHub repositories of your work, even if it’s just for educational purposes, to demonstrate your familiarity with the technology.

• Contribute to open-source projects in any capacity you can, whether through code commits, audits, or documentation.

• Publish blogs and articles on your journey. How-to and learning resources are always valuable, demonstrating your knowledge of the topic.

• Participate in hackathons for different projects or as part of blockchain conferences.

• Business accelerator programs like Codebase.

Hiring Managers Want Examples, not Credentials

The most important lesson is that hiring managers want to see your passion expressed through real-world examples. They will appreciate code contributions or community engagement much more than a degree or a certificate (although the latter two don’t hurt).

This reality reflects the evolution of blockchain development; that it is community-driven and constantly innovating, and those hiring new blood for their projects want experience with both the technical end of things and the ideas and goals of the community at large.

The Avalanche community is full of dedicated developers supporting each other. Check out the Community Hub to join them.