How To Get An NFT Job – Building Your Career In Web3

If you’re bullish on crypto, NFTs and web3, you may want to start building your career in this direction. This is your chance to actually do something you’re passionate about, with the ability to work remotely most of the time. Here’s all you need to know about building your career in web3.

nft jobs

Table of Contents

What Is An NFT Job?

So what does a job in the NFT industry look like? An NFT job is basically any paid employment contract with a company that is active in the NFT space. This used to only involve technical personnel, but has expanded to include many non-technical positions over the past year. Growing NFT companies now have a need for software development, graphic design, finance, sales and marketing, human resources, etc.

The NFT space in 2022 is vastly different from a couple of years ago where it was filled with ‘NFT degens’ and ‘crypto bros’ for the most part. It has since evolved and is turning into a viable career option for many, becoming more inclusive and diverse as well.

Types Of NFT Jobs

If you browse NFT job portals today, the majority of job openings still revolve around technical positions such as developers and engineers. However, there are also a number of openings for business analysts, community managers, product managers, content managers, business development roles, and designers.

Even if you have no prior NFT job experience, there are always career opportunities in the NFT space if you have skills in arenas such as design, programming, sales, business development and marketing.

nft job roles
Fancy working for one of the top NFT projects? Credit: LinkedIn

Where To Apply For An NFT Job?

Many web3 companies do post their vacancies on their own websites. So if there’s a particular NFT project/company you are interested in, be sure to check out their respective websites. Otherwise, here are some of the more popular job portals for a career in the NFT industry:

Tips For Getting Started In A Career In NFTs

Here are some helpful tips to kickstart your career in the NFT industry: 

1) Immerse yourself in the NFT space

Firstly, you should strive to know as much as you can about NFTs, web3, and blockchain in general. This will set you apart from other applicants transitioning from web2. To do so, you can follow influential voices in the space, keep up to the latest developments in the space, and participate in the many Ask Me Anything sessions (AMAs) on Twitter everyday. A good place to start is by reading all our NFT guides on Wagmi.tips.

2) Develop your skills

Similar to every other job in the market, you need to be able to contribute to the company. This means actually having a set of skills that can create value in the NFT industry. Today, there are many professional online courses at your disposal. In addition, you can also practise these skills by doing non-paid jobs such as creating your own dApps and volunteering in new NFT projects. 

3) Networking

Due to the size and nature of many NFT startups, there is a high tendency to hire within their circle, at least in the beginning. This makes it all the more important to network in the NFT space and make meaningful connections. You can reach out to like-minded individuals, engage in discussions in the community, and build a personal brand for yourself across different social media platforms. 

4) Contribute to the NFT space

If you are a developer, you can increase your chances by contributing to open source projects from time to time. This can showcase your experience and passion towards the NFT space, proving that you have a workable knowledge of the technology. The same goes for non-tech positions. You will have to find ways to showcase your knowledge and skills before expecting a stranger to consider you for a paid role. For instance, content creators can actively share their content on Twitter and Discord to gain some traction. 

5) Starting your own business

There is always the option of creating your own NFT enterprise. For instance, you can create NFT content such as educational/entertainment-based social media content, publishing books, starting an NFT blog, and developing an online NFT course. With the availability of various online tools, you can also create and sell your own NFT collection.

What Is The NFT Job Salary Range?

Some NFT companies have insanely high valuations and are very well funded, whereas the majority of them are smaller startups that bootstrap their way until they finally get external funding. Hence, the salary range may vary from company to company. A typical strategy for smaller startups is to pay in their native token in hopes that it will become more valuable in the future.

According to Crypto Jobs List, the industry average for NFT jobs in 2022 is $97k, with the top 10% getting paid a whopping average of $360k per year. Here are the average salaries by job title in the US: (Source: cryptocurrencyJobs.co)

  • Backend Developer: $80k – $140k
  • Frontend Developer: $65k – $145k
  • Blockchain Developer: $70 – $200k
  • Community Manager: $80k – $120k
  • Customer Support: $55k – $100k
  • Graphic Designer: $55k – $85k
  • Community Manager: $55k – $120k
  • UI/UX Designer: $80k – $140k
nft job salary range
Web3 Salaries. Credit: Web3 Jobs

Notable People That Have Made The Switch

Although many Web 2.0 companies are beginning to develop their own Web3 divisions, the NFT space continues to lure top talents. We can see this happening from freelancers all the way to leaders in Fortune 500 companies. For instance, Ryan Wyatt, YouTube Head of Gaming is now the CEO of Polygon Studios, while Lyft’s former CFO Brian Roberts became the CFO and then advisor at OpenSea. In addition, many of the talents in blockchain gaming have a wealth of experience in the video game industry before entering web3.

Summary

As lucrative as it may seem, this is an extremely volatile space and job security can be a legitimate concern for many. If you have higher financial commitments, a good place to start out with your Web3 career could be by taking on contract positions and project-based opportunities.

Nevertheless, there are plenty of opportunities within well-funded NFT projects that are shaping up to become solid organisations. So don’t give up hope just yet, we’re all gonna make it!