The Gold Rush in Web3 Talent Markets: Strategic Value of Six Hot Positions Seen Through Historical Cycles

Let Me Recall the 2008 Wall Street...

Essentially, the current frenzy in the Web3 talent market reminds me of Wall Street before the 2008 financial crisis.Digital Marketing Manager demand has surged just like derivatives traders back then, while the Frontend Developer demand rivals the peak era of quantitative analysts. As a veteran transitioning from traditional finance to Web3, I've witnessed three complete tech bubble cycles over these 12 years.

When I first joined Goldman Sachs in 2009, a senior partner told me: "The hottest time in the market is often when career risks are highest." This proved perfect during the 2017 ICO craze. Looking at the salary quotes for MyJob.one's React Native Web Developer positions, that familiar bubble feeling resurfaces.

Cycle Positioning of the Six Golden Roles

1. Digital Marketing Manager: Builder of New Narratives

Looking back at the 2017 cycle, the most profitable weren't developers but storytelling marketing experts. Currently, the average salary for Digital Marketing Manager positions has reached $150k-$200k, but strategically, this role is still in its early growth phase. True value lies in:

• Hybrid talents who master both traditional growth hacking and Web3 community operations
• Specialized professionals in NFT project lifecycle management
• Global talents with cross-cultural communication skills

2. Frontend Developer: The Foundation of the DApp Era

During the DeFi summer of 2020, a skilled Frontend Developer could easily command a $300k annual salary. Now that the market has returned to rationality, strategic value has actually increased:

1. The Web3 needs higher-level UX design capabilities than traditional web
2. Unique skill barriers like wallet integration and on-chain transaction state management
3. The trend toward React+Web3.js full-stack development

This reminds me of 2015, when those developers who deeply specialized in the React ecosystem later became CTOs of major unicorns.

Undervalued Strategic Roles

While everyone chases hot positions, true value investors should focus on these two undervalued directions:

Senior System Engineer: Web3's Defense Line

Currently, Senior System Engineer salaries only have a 15% premium, but based on my historical observations:

• After every security incident, this talent's value jumps by over 50%
• True architects need 5-7 years of attack defense实战 experience
• Over the next 3 years, $30 billion worth of infrastructure needs rebuilding

Lead Quality Control QA: The Last Gatekeeper

Hardly noticed, the requirements for Lead Quality Control QA are undergoing a qualitative shift:

From basic functional testing to:

1. Smart contract security audit capabilities
2. Economic model stress testing experience
3. Vulnerability detection in governance mechanisms

This reminds me of JPMorgan's "Financial Weapons Testing" team in 2012, which later became their strongest defense against DeFi shocks.

The Renaissance of Product Managers

Fascinatingly, Product Manager roles are experiencing a paradigm revolution. In 2020, PMs only needed to understand tokenomics; now they need:

• Crypto-native product intuition (like the "market feel" of 1980s Wall Street)
• On-chain data analysis capabilities (replacing traditional user research)
• Governance mechanism design experience (similar to securities product structuring)

Strategically, this combines traditional finance's product manager, quantitative analyst, and corporate banker roles into one. On MyJob.one, I saw a top protocol offering a PM+economist hybrid position—this marks industry maturity.

The Unique Position of React Native Web Developers

The React Native Web Developer role may be the most misunderstood in this cycle. On the surface, it's about tech stack iteration, but substantively, it's the vanguard of mobile DeFi explosions:

1. 90% of crypto transactions in developing countries happen on mobile
2. The "wallet as OS" paradigm requires a complete development philosophy overhaul
3. React Native is becoming Web3's "cross-chain bridge" (connecting CeFi and DeFi)

Cycle Strategy Advice for Job Seekers

Based on observations from three complete cycles, I recommend these strategies for job seekers:

• Digital Marketing Manager: Choose protocols with real revenue models (watch out for pure token projects)
• Frontend Developer: Deepen specialization in wallet integration and transaction state management
• React Native Web Developer: Bet on mobile DeFi infrastructure projects
• Senior System Engineer: Wait for the next major security incident's value reevaluation
• Products Manager: Transform into "crypto-economist" hybrid roles
• Lead Quality Control QA: Build a professional brand in smart contract audits