The Web3 industry is still relatively young, and the market has only a limited number of seasoned professionals with long-term, hands-on experience. As a result, companies tend to look for motivated, curious candidates who are eager to learn and are investing in building well-structured onboarding processes on their own.
We spoke with Irina Gardashova, Head of HR Department at CoinsPaid, to understand which specialists are currently in the highest demand and how onboarding is organized inside crypto companies. We also addressed some of the common misconceptions about working in the Web3 space and discussed the advantages of receiving your salary in cryptocurrency, among other topics.
Who Is in Demand in the Web3 Industry, and Why?
Which specialists from traditional industries are particularly sought after in Web3 today, and what helps them transition into this new field?
Professionals from a wide range of industries are finding their place in Web3. The clearest example is developers and QA engineers. Their skill sets transfer seamlessly into new projects. For sales managers, the situation is a bit more nuanced. Here, success relies not only on strong professional expertise but also on understanding the industry’s specifics and having established connections, since effective sales in this space are closely tied to market knowledge and business networks.
Overall, the main prerequisite for entering the crypto industry is a genuine interest. Web3 still operates as a fairly niche community, and enthusiasm often matters more than prior experience. Many candidates step into the field without a Web3 background, but thanks to their engagement and their habit of staying on top of industry news, they adapt quickly and become part of the ecosystem.
Who finds it easiest to enter Web3 without prior experience? Are there specific professional profiles?
I wouldn’t say there’s a strict rule here. Practically any specialist can break into the industry if they have the interest and the willingness to dig in. Experienced professionals who feel confident in their craft usually adapt well; understanding the specifics of the field certainly helps, but it’s not a decisive factor.
Overall, there are no hard limitations. The key factor is genuine engagement. If someone is truly interested, follows the news, keeps an eye on the market, and stays active in industry channels and chats, they’ll adapt more quickly and find their footing in the ecosystem. Without that spark, it’s difficult to work in this space. Without real interest, it’s hard to keep up with the pace and handle the inevitable challenges.
The First Steps and Adaptation of New Talent
How much time does it take to onboard a developer from Web2 to Web3? Are there any bridging courses, or is the training fully hands-on?
This is exactly what we’re actively working on right now. Our goal is to shorten the adaptation period so that it doesn’t take three to four months, but rather one and a half to two. To achieve this, we’re restructuring our knowledge base, creating onboarding plans with practical resources, making them as applied as possible, and introducing AI-driven initiatives to ensure the process is as productive and straightforward as it can be for new employees.
There are very few fully trained specialists on the market today, which means companies have to develop that expertise internally. As a result, onboarding becomes a crucial tool: the effectiveness of the entire team depends on how quickly a new hire can get up to speed.
Do you collaborate with hackathons as a source of young talent?
We rely on a variety of channels for sourcing and selecting candidates, including strictly technical platforms such as GitHub. In addition, we’re developing internal training tools as part of our onboarding process, which help us diversify our talent pipeline. Thanks to our Academy and Knowledge Hub, we’ll eventually be able to attract specialists with a lower initial skill level and grow them within the company.
The Realities of Working in the Industry: Myths and Misconceptions
Is it true that because of cryptocurrency volatility, working at crypto companies is unstable and involves significant risk?
Market volatility doesn’t directly affect our business. CoinsPaid operates under a different model. We don’t earn from price movements but from our services and products. That’s why fluctuations in crypto prices, on their own, aren’t critical for us.
Of course, market dynamics influence client activity. During growth periods, it rises; during downturns, it slows. This is a natural part of any business cycle and doesn’t determine the company’s overall stability.
It’s also important to remember that companies can shut down in any industry. For example, in 2021, amid major market shifts, not only crypto projects but also traditional IT companies were leaving the market. So I wouldn’t say that working in the crypto industry is fundamentally riskier than working in other sectors.
How “young” is the workforce in Web3? Is it mostly Gen Z, or do more experienced professionals join as well?
The common belief that only young specialists work in Web3 doesn’t reflect reality. The average age of employees at our company is around 33, which means we don’t focus on which generation a candidate belongs to. Whether they are Gen Z, millennial, or Gen X.
Yes, we do see young professionals entering the field, but we also welcome people who are older. We have a solid number of employees in their forties, and they adapt perfectly well to the dynamic nature of the industry.
So there’s no direct correlation between the youth of the industry and the age of the people working in it. The Web3 space is open to professionals of different generations, and success here depends far more on engagement and readiness to learn than on the year someone was born.
What Newcomers Should Know and How the Company Supports Them
What is the minimum level of knowledge required to work in Web3 in non-technical roles?
We don’t expect newcomers to have any deep understanding of Web3 or crypto. For example, our HR team recently welcomed several strong professionals who knew absolutely nothing about the crypto industry before joining CoinsPaid. What truly matters is the willingness to learn.
To help new hires adapt, we use several tools. We have a digital library in Confluence that includes managers’ recommendations: channels, media sources, and chats. The first resource I always suggest newcomers subscribe to is CoinsPaid Media — a place to follow key market developments, industry leaders’ insights, and accessible in-depth materials on cryptocurrencies and the Web3 ecosystem.
A new employee also gets access to a broader library of resources to build the right informational foundation. At some point, people start to “catch” the context, come back with questions, and that’s when we bring in colleagues from different teams. This step-by-step process helps them develop an understanding of the landscape and the terminology.
At the early stage, this foundation is more than enough, and deeper knowledge comes naturally through day-to-day work.
Which resources and internal tools help employees get up to speed quickly?
The company has built a full support system for newcomers. As I mentioned earlier, we have a library with recommendations from managers and employees, as well as CoinsPaid Media, which helps everyone stay informed about key trends and updates in the crypto industry.
In addition, we’re expanding our internal knowledge base, where employees can ask a question and get an immediate, ready-made answer, whether it’s about technical specifics or day-to-day processes. This format significantly speeds up adaptation and reduces the load on colleagues who previously had to explain the same things repeatedly.
We’re also considering creating a glossary of crypto slang, since the terminology can be confusing at first. Over time, employees learn to navigate abbreviations, labels, and industry jargon, and that’s when confidence in their work really starts to build.
The Financial Side of Working in the Web3 Industry
What payment models exist in crypto companies?
At CoinsPaid, employees can receive their salary either in stablecoins or in fiat. Everything is processed officially and with full legal support. For those who are just joining the company and are not yet familiar with cryptocurrencies, fiat payments are usually the more convenient option at first. It simply feels safer. But over time, many switch to crypto payments, and this share grows every year.
Receiving salary in stablecoins is almost no different from receiving it in traditional fiat. The only distinction is that the funds first arrive in a crypto wallet and can then be withdrawn to a bank account if needed. Moreover, many employees eventually see this format as an advantage. I believe holding funds in stablecoins is convenient. They help mitigate inflation and currency fluctuations, which ultimately means preserving value, and sometimes even increasing it through various holding or investment opportunities.
Crypto payments can also pave the way to passive income, since with a thoughtful approach, digital assets can yield higher returns than traditional bank deposits. So the idea that getting paid in crypto is inherently risky doesn’t align with our experience. On the contrary, for many employees, it becomes a more flexible and rewarding tool.
How are taxes and legal arrangements handled?
In practice, there’s no fundamental difference compared to traditional fiat payments. We pay salaries in stablecoins, and from there the employee can choose whether to keep the funds in crypto or withdraw them to a bank account. In both cases, taxation and legal processing follow standard procedures.
Yes, the path is technically one step longer — the funds first arrive in a wallet and are then converted if needed. But this doesn’t change the essence. Taxes are paid in the same way as they would be for a salary issued in traditional currency.
Web3 today is open to specialists from a wide range of sectors. What matters most is not prior experience but genuine interest and a willingness to learn. Companies take responsibility for onboarding, building knowledge bases, and adaptation programs to compensate for the shortage of ready-made talent. The myth that crypto companies are inherently unstable doesn’t hold up in practice. Stability comes from the business model, and salaries paid in stablecoins are both convenient and secure.
Our conversation with Irina turned out to be exceptionally insightful that it naturally grew into two separate pieces. The second part focuses on internal culture, work–life balance, and the career opportunities available in the Web3 industry.
