Traditional Hiring Won't Work for Blockchain Talent. Here's What Will.

As blockchain permeates industries, companies urgently need skilled developers and engineers. But finding and retaining top blockchain talent has proven difficult. Traditional recruiting based only on degrees and years of experience often misses those with the most relevant skills.   

Small staffing firms are tapping into the limited blockchain talent pool in creative ways that help companies find and keep the right hires:

Rethink Your Hiring Process

• Look beyond resumes. Focus on candidates’ side projects and passion work to best gauge their blockchain abilities. Reviewing code samples can provide essential insights.
• Consider certifications in related fields like cybersecurity. While not a substitute for experience, they indicate candidates’ commitment to continuously learning new skills.
• Loosen degree requirements. Some of the most skilled blockchain developers are self-taught and don’t have traditional qualifications. Focus on what candidates have built.   

Build Long-term Candidate Relationships

• Go beyond compensation to identify candidates’ unique non-financial needs and motivations.  
• Offer perks like remote work and more autonomy to help retain talent, even when larger companies offer higher pay. 
• Develop personalized relationships that build trust and allow candidates to openly share career goals and priorities.

Small staffing firms take a more hands-on role:    

Large firms’ higher overheads and markups make it challenging to source and pay for top talent. 

But small firms:

• Understand clients’ projects in detail rather than relying solely on written descriptions.
• Explore how to optimize projects before hiring expensive blockchain talent.   
• Offer a nimble, flexible approach   
• With deep understanding of both clients’ and candidates’ needs     
• Building Long-term candidate relationships   

...are best poised to find blockchain talent and ensure it stays. Devise a creative hiring strategy beyond the traditional, then develop genuine connections that keep your best people - and their expertise - where they belong.

In Summary – 

To attract and retain top blockchain talent beyond compensation, focus on understanding candidates' personalized needs through long-term relationships built on creative screening and a hands-on project approach.   

• Review candidates' side projects and portfolios to gauge blockchain abilities truly      
• Consider relevant certifications in addition to degrees and work experience   
• Dig into clients' project details and structure to increase efficiency before hiring       
• Identify candidates' non-financial needs and unique career motivations    
• Offer perks like remote work and autonomy that matter most to candidates   
• Establish genuine, personalized relationships built on trust with top candidates       
• Take a flexible, nimble approach that adapts to candidates' and clients' real needs