Although we are not in the future yet, but it looks like we are not that far from it. It is likely that the transition to Metaverse will be a gradual shift that will occur as technology and culture evolve.
Working digitally sounds crazy, we know, but working in the Metaverse is now a reality. Let’s go down this rabbit hole!
There was a time when “Internet” was an alien concept, when it was a big word that people thought would disappear and life would go on as usual. But that didn’t happen. On the contrary, the Internet has grown. But of course we know about it. After all, you are reading this article on the internet. Now the Internet has not only become a part of everyday life, but is also expanding in new and exciting ways.
One of these paths, the last exciting “loud” word, is the Metaverse. The ecosystem of “augmented reality and reality”. At the moment it seems a little far away, but at the same time it is not so far away that we cannot imagine it and what might be available there. So, in this article we will look at what the Metaverse is, what are the career opportunities and how we can see some pretty interesting job opportunities in the Metaverse.
READY PLAYER ONE: Entering the Metaverse
Brief historical background: The term “metaverse” was introduced in 1992 in Neil Stevenson’s novel “Snow Crash”, which introduced the idea of a virtual world in which people can live using augmented reality technology. In fact, it is a digital world that expands our analog world and offers completely new possibilities for experience. This is the intersection of URL and IRL. And we’re starting to see it in action.
Virtual reality, for example, is increasingly being established as an entertainment device. A technologically conditioned environment that immerses a person in the created environment is a confident step towards integrating the digital into life.
But it’s not just VR that destroys the discrepancy between digital and real. We face these blurring of boundaries on a daily basis.
Take, for example, social media filters. We create them, use them, manipulate them, customize them, and broadcast our digital version to the world. And this creates amazing opportunities. Think about it, if an influential Instagram user can make a career out of creating content, then the potential of skills and talents can be used to dive deeper into the digital sphere.
Reaching a New level: Adding a Blockchain Layer
If you look even further through the looking glass, then according to Coinmarketrate.com the world of blockchain has already begun to explore Metaverse, and there are ample opportunities for work.
Just as in the real world there is a need for those who are behind fashion trends, we are moving towards a future where there will be a paid position as a designer of purely digital things. Internet architects designing digital spaces, community managers taking care of network ecosystems. The possibilities are endless. All these roles can exist in the Metaverse, and this has its incredible advantages.
Let’s take a look at such interesting projects as Decentraland, which allows users to design, develop and explore the VR world together. Here is an amazing opportunity for experienced talents to use them in a new way.
Then we have Cryptovoxels, where users can do all sorts of things, like buy land, build shops and create art galleries.
Sandbox is another blockchain-based, community-oriented space where artists can create and monetize art and experiences. Sandbox is an amazing ecosystem where users have the opportunity to create new experiences using the potential of the platform.
These projects have a common theme: an online world created and managed by the community, with earning opportunities from different creative sides. And these creative aspects open up opportunities for professional positions. Yes, you got it right: we are talking about working in Metaverse, the virtual labor market.
Digging deeper – working in the Metaverse
With the development of the virtual world combined with the digital economy created by non-interchangeable tokens (NFT), the possibilities of working in the metaverse are opening up in an incredible way. As the world begins to introduce these new technologies into everyday life, there will be a need for skills in this space, which opens up career opportunities in the virtual world. You may be wondering what kind of career it is and how it can work:
The main thing: there is a digital economy
The project, built on the Ethereum blockchain, is based on a currency. Thanks to the cryptocurrency and NFT integrated into the game, there is an economy with the movement of money. Users of the platform can earn money by buying and selling, create art objects and items that can be used on the platform, as well as use their skills and talents to increase the value of the ecosystem.
Content creation
Since the platform is managed by the community, there is a need for content creation. Players create assets to use in the game, and these assets can be bought and exchanged. For example, creative roles on the platform are fashion designers who create digital outfits for avatars, and house designers who create individual dwellings for digital avatars. There are plenty of creative opportunities when the world is online.
Exploring the platform
In addition, there is a kind of “digital discovery” component. Imagine that you are new to a curated, full-fledged online ecosystem. You may not know where to start searching. Fortunately, you can hire a guide who will show you around, weaving into the story the history of the space, interesting ideas and key information about the platform while you are in it. Think of it as online tourism. This is the type of position where those who are eloquent and have an excellent command of anecdotes will succeed.
Transactional Agents
A few years have passed, and you have built your third house on the Internet, but you don’t really want to rent it out to another user. No, it’s time to sell. But you don’t know how to bargain and don’t want to be robbed. That’s where the opportunity comes in. A virtual real estate agent will act as a broker who will connect you with the buyer and make sure that all parties are satisfied. You will sell your online home, and the buyer will get a brand new virtual house to move into.
And this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Work in the “office” and at home
Another interesting point in working in the purely digital industry is the remote approach that most technology organizations adhere to. Over the past eighteen months, we have seen how virtual work and remote offices have not only increased the time spent at work (and not in traffic jams), but also increased the efficiency and effectiveness of work.
And in Metaverse we see the best of both worlds: a combination of remote work with a collaborative “office” environment. You can log in, chat in a virtual cafe with friends, and then return to your desktop without leaving home.
Working at Metaverse: When do we dive in?
Although there are still many hurdles to overcome before we get to the place where the virtual work market is bubbling with opportunities, it is likely that we will see Metaverse form slowly and quite smoothly.
The more Internet users get used to the deeper integration of technology into everyday life, the more our capabilities will expand. Just as the Internet has evolved gradually, the development of the Metaverse is likely to be transitional: access to creativity and jobs will expand as technology and culture evolve.
Who knows, maybe in a few years our digital selves will be reading this article from a digital newspaper, looking through the “historical” archives of the old Internet before going to the virtual career page.
