Navigating the Blockchain and AI Job Market: Insights from a Tech Recruiter
In our latest Wellfound Community Outreach live Q&A for the 'Ask a Recruiter Series', we hosted Hilary Wagner, Head of Talent at Flexa and Operations Advisor for Rare Compute. With her extensive experience in global talent acquisition, Hilary offered candid advice about breaking into the blockchain and AI space, navigating the current hiring landscape, and standing out as a candidate.
Here's the full video of the live Q&A:
Key Takeaways from the Q&A Session
Entering the Blockchain and AI Market Without Direct Experience
Finding your entry point into blockchain and AI doesn't necessarily require technical expertise. Hilary emphasized that there are multiple pathways available:
"Approximately 40% of Web3 jobs are non-technical positions. And the number of Web3 jobs has increased by over 100% in the past year," Hilary noted, highlighting the explosion of opportunities in the space.
For those looking to transition into these fields, she suggested several entry points:
- Community management
- Marketing and content creation
- Business development and sales
- AI ethics
For those without direct experience, Hilary recommended a proactive approach to learning:
"If you really want to get into one of these non-technical types of roles, you got to get going and get started and just learn those blockchain fundamentals and how they enable decentralization, the different platforms, whether it's Ethereum, Solana, et cetera, and the key concepts."
She also emphasized the welcoming nature of the Web3 community: "Everyone I've dealt with in this space has been amazing... they want to support newcomers. And a lot of them will help you and guide you."
Understanding Why You Don't Pass Recruiter Screens
When candidates face rejection after recruiter screens, it can be disheartening. Hilary offered a reassuring perspective:
"You could be doing nothing wrong. There are so many factors that go into a company and what they're looking for when they are hiring any type of role, let alone blockchain or AI."
She explained that rejections often come down to specific technical requirements, cultural fit assessments, or simply the volume of qualified candidates:
"Sometimes it is 1000% nothing to do with you. And I just want you to know that there could be absolutely nothing you're doing wrong and you're a wonderful candidate and a great person. And it's just there's 300 other wonderful candidates and great people that applied and maybe one just inched you out in certain ways."
The Impact of AI on Today's Hiring Landscape
The hiring process has transformed significantly due to AI tools. Hilary discussed both positive and negative impacts:
"There's going to be really good algorithms that when you apply for a specific role, they'll tell you, 'oh, hey, this is a great candidate for this. Look at him. All of this lines up really well.'"
While AI can help identify qualified candidates more efficiently, it has also created challenges:
"There have been mass applications and increased competition because of those tools that allow job seekers to apply to jobs in bulk. The AI tools for bulk apply make it so hard for recruiters to get through that candidate pool."
This has dramatically changed the volume of applications recruiters must sort through:
"Back in 2020, the candidate pool, you got, let's say, 300 to 400 applicants, you would be like, holy Moses, this is astronomical. I've never had this many applicants in my life... Now, for my open roles at Flexa, I have over 1,000."
Cutting Through the Application Noise
With increased competition, Hilary shared strategies for standing out:
"If you're going to send an email to a recruiter, try and get their work email, not like send them a thing on LinkedIn. I get literally like 70 of those a day."
She emphasized the importance of tailoring applications:
"If you are not tailoring your resume for each and every job you submit to, chances are you're going to get rejected. Unless your resume fits that job so closely, you don't need to."
Hilary advised against mass outreach tactics:
"Please do not reach out to everyone on LinkedIn that works at the company. Please, please, please... If you send two emails to a recruiter and they don't respond, chances are they're not going to. So just move on."
On resume design, she suggested:
"When you're looking at resumes all day long and you see these resumes, it is white noise at a certain point... So I would say really concentrate on your technical skills, but maybe try something new with your resume format. Make it a little bit different."
Preparing for Research Scientist Roles Without Traditional Credentials
For aspiring research scientists without a PhD in AI or published papers, Hilary shared insights from a professional research scientist she works with:
"Coding is very essential. It has to become an essential tool for your data analysis, for your simulations, and for managing large data sets... It's way more important than writing papers."
She emphasized that practical skills often outweigh formal credentials:
"To be honest, I wouldn't worry so much about not having a PhD in AI or any other area because these are very learnable skills. It's all learnable if you apply yourself and you take the time to learn it."
Hilary strongly advocated for involvement with research foundations:
"Go find a research foundation... Do free work. That is like a big thing. Just do free work. It makes a big difference... We're improving our community and we're doing some really cool stuff and that kind of stuff changes the world."
What Makes a Standout AI Candidate
Drawing from her conversation with a head scientist of machine learning, Hilary shared some surprising insights about what top AI companies look for:
"The biggest and most boring piece of this is that he is looking for people who are really good at math. Someone with a high pure math proficiency is one of his biggest factors."
She explained that mathematical expertise can sometimes outweigh direct AI experience:
"I will hire a mathematician with limited coding experience because it's easier to teach them how to use AI for the coding than to teach the math."
Beyond technical skills, understanding human behavior is crucial:
"You have to have a good understanding of the human system you're interacting with to know how to approach building and deploying it... Not only is math great, but also you have to really know how to be a human."
Hilary also noted the explosive growth in demand:
"Hiring for technical AI roles has increased by over 325% in the last year. That's huge. That's enormous, right? And it's only going to keep going."
Finding Your Own Path Forward
Throughout the session, Hilary emphasized the importance of personal passion and creating your own unique story:
"Ask yourself why it's so important to you... Is it important because you're really intrigued by it? Or do you think it's so cool and want to learn more? Or is it because of the clout?"
She shared her own unexpected journey into the field:
"I fell into blockchain because of Rare Compute. I found Rare Compute because I have a rare disease, and I got connected to someone on LinkedIn with the same rare disease I do."
Her parting advice acknowledged the struggle while maintaining optimism:
"I have been in all of your shoes. I have been in that position where I wanted to get into a field, and I couldn't get hired to save my life. So I feel it. I know what it's like... You can build your own story. And sometimes it happens in the weirdest way."
Candidates can position themselves for success in these rapidly evolving fields by approaching blockchain and AI opportunities with genuine curiosity, continuous learning, and strategic networking.
This article summarizes key points from Wellfound's 'Ask a Recruiter' live Q&A featuring Hilary Wagner, Head of Talent at Flexa. For more resources and to find your next tech opportunity, visit wellfound.com.