I still remember the first time a Layer 1 founder told me, “We just raised $20 million and have no idea how to hire a Solidity dev.” That was back in 2018. Things have changed a lot since then. But here’s the thing: most of the advice flying around about hiring in Web3 still feels stuck in Web2. That’s why I wanted to write this—The Web3 Talent Playbook Nobody’s Sharing. Because after years of matching builders with visionaries, I’ve seen what actually works, what doesn’t, and where the puck is heading next.
So, if you’re building in this space, or trying to land a gig, grab a coffee. Let’s talk real.
Resumes Are Dying (And That’s a Good Thing)
In the Web3 world, no one cares if you went to Stanford if you can’t push code, ship fast, and navigate chaotic ecosystems.
One of the biggest shifts I’ve seen is how traditional resumes are being replaced by GitHub commits, hackathon wins, and DAO contributions. The best candidates don’t polish a CV—they show up in forums, push smart contracts to testnet, or quietly optimise gas fees on open-source repos.
If you’re a hiring manager reading this, stop filtering candidates by corporate pedigree. Start asking: where did they last contribute? Who in the ecosystem knows them? What tokens have they shipped?
That’s the kind of intelligence that doesn’t show up in LinkedIn filters.
Community First, Contracts Second
The Web3 Talent Playbook isn’t about throwing job posts on Twitter and hoping for the best. It’s about embedding yourself in the communities where talent lives.
I’ve helped teams hire senior engineers simply by being active in Discords and attending the right Telegram AMAs. One client found their eventual CMO from a DeFi meme group. Seriously.
Community-native hiring isn’t optional anymore. Whether it’s EthGlobal, Farcaster, or obscure Solana builders’ chats, that’s where the talent is. And if you show up consistently, the right people will start showing up for you.
The Best Talent Is Already Working (But Poachable)
Here’s the secret sauce no one talks about in The Web3 Talent Playbook: the best devs, designers, and growth hackers? They’re already employed.
But they’re also chronically underpaid, overpromised, and quietly checking Warpcast to see who’s building something cool. I’ve placed top-tier candidates at pre-launch startups just by having honest chats about vision, equity, and freedom to build.
Forget flashy perks. What pulls people in is mission, autonomy, and a clear path to own something meaningful. That’s what makes someone leave a comfy DAO treasury role to go all-in on a ZK startup.
Hiring in Stealth? Be Loud in DMs
Stealth-mode startups make recruitment tricky. No public repo, no team page, and sometimes not even a name. So how do you find believers before the pitch deck is even ready?
This is where your network—or a recruiter who lives in this world—becomes gold.
I’ve helped stealth teams build founding squads by reaching out directly to candidates who vibe with the mission. Not with job descriptions, but with a story: what problem are you solving? Why now? Why you?
If the narrative’s compelling enough, you don’t need a careers page.
Talent in Web3 Is a Two-Way Street
The Web3 Talent Playbook Nobody’s Sharing isn’t just for founders. It’s for the job-seekers, too. Show up. Share your learnings. Drop your experiments. Engage without expectation.
This space rewards those who build in public, who learn out loud, who aren’t afraid to DM someone they admire. And for the builders hiring? Stay human. That’s your edge.
Web3 moves fast, but relationships still move it forward.
