Marek Szabelski – How to Find a Job in the Bitcoin Space

Breaking into the Bitcoin industry feels overwhelming — but it doesn’t have to be. At BTC Prague, I shared the three core building blocks that can take you from Bitcoin curious to Bitcoin employed, whether you’re a developer or not. Here’s what I’ve learned after three and a half years in the space.

Your Time and Energy Is Money

I came to Bitcoin directly — no detour through altcoins, no “get rich quick” phase. I was lucky. But what really changed everything for me wasn’t just learning about Bitcoin. It was understanding that my time and energy is money — and that fiat currency has been silently eroding the value of that time since 1913. Once that clicked, I knew I wanted to contribute to the space professionally, not just as a hobby.

Block One: Proof of Work

Wanting a job in Bitcoin isn’t enough. You need to show your proof of work — real, visible experience. That means volunteering at events, beta testing products, building community, writing, creating. If you have zero experience, start there. One of the people in our Proof of Work Lab, John, got a one-day conference gig in Dublin representing a Bitcoin company. He got paid in Bitcoin, had great conversations, and made a strong impression on the team lead. That’s how it starts. Small steps, real results.

Block Two: Be Foundable

I know a lot of Bitcoiners resist LinkedIn — they call it a “fiat platform.” I get it. But the truth is, recruiters and headhunters in the Bitcoin space use LinkedIn. I went from 500 to 1,500 followers in a year by showing up consistently, posting about Bitcoin, and sharing my experience. We’ve even built a short guide on Geyser for optimizing your LinkedIn profile as a Bitcoiner — it costs 21,000 sats and it’s worth every one of them. Also get on Nostr. It matters more and more.

Block Three: Network Like Crazy

This is the most important block of the three. Physical presence in the community — at local meetups, side events, and conferences like BTC Prague — is irreplaceable. Once your network grows, job offers start coming to you. You don’t have to cold-apply. In Germany, where I’m based, there are Bitcoin meetups in almost every major city every month. Show up. Volunteer for companies you admire. Do beta testing for free. When they eventually have an open position, you won’t be a stranger.

The Job Market Is Bigger Than You Think

One of the biggest myths I keep hearing is that you need to be a developer to work in Bitcoin. Our data says otherwise — 69% of Bitcoin job postings are non-dev roles: product managers, marketers, social media, community builders, operations. In 2024, we tracked over 1,700 job postings on our Telegram feed. Half were from Bitcoin-only companies. Every second job was remote. The opportunities are real.

That said, competition is fierce. One open position at Fedi received over a thousand applications. That’s why networking isn’t optional — it’s survival. If you’re just another CV in a pile of a thousand, your chances are slim. If you’re already known, already trusted, already present — that changes everything.

How Bitvocation Can Help

For the past two years, I’ve been working at Bitvocation, helping Bitcoiners find jobs in the space and helping Bitcoin companies find the right people. Our Telegram job feed posts two to three new listings every day. We publish monthly and annual job market reports. We share real transition stories from people who made the leap from fiat to Bitcoin careers. And we have our Proof of Work Lab — an inner circle community where we actively help members develop, connect, and get noticed by companies we already know. Our goal is to become the largest Bitcoin talent pool in the space.

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