Landing a job at BlockFi is an exciting opportunity for those interested in working at one of the leading cryptocurrency financial services companies. However the interview process can seem daunting. In this article we’ll take a look at some of the most frequently asked BlockFi interview questions and provide tips on how to prepare for your interview.
Overview of BlockFi
For those unfamiliar, BlockFi is a financial services company focusing on cryptocurrency. It offers services like interest-earning accounts, trading, and loans backed by crypto collateral. The company was founded in 2017 and is based in New Jersey, though they have offices around the world. BlockFi has raised over $450 million in funding
BlockFi aims to bring crypto financial services to the mainstream. They want to provide clients new ways to use their crypto assets. For example, with BlockFi’s crypto-backed loans, clients can access liquidity without having to sell their crypto holdings.
The company’s services are designed both for individual crypto investors as well as institutional clients like hedge funds and family offices who want exposure to this emerging asset class. As cryptocurrencies continue to grow in popularity, BlockFi is positioning itself as a leader in this space.
What Positions is BlockFi Hiring For?
BlockFi is currently hiring for roles across the company, including:
- Engineering (Frontend, Backend, Full Stack)
- Product Management
- Data Science/Machine Learning
- Marketing
- Operations
- Customer Support
- Compliance/Legal
- Sales
They hire both more junior roles like associates as well as more senior positions like engineering managers and product leads. Some roles are remote, while others are located in offices in New Jersey, New York, London, and more.
BlockFi Interview Questions and How to Prepare
Here are some of the most commonly asked BlockFi interview questions, along with tips on how to prepare:
General Interview Questions
Why do you want to work at BlockFi?
For this question, research BlockFi and the crypto financial services space so you can speak intelligently about what excites you. Emphasize your passion for crypto and BlockFi’s mission of making crypto more accessible as a financial tool.
What can you bring to the team?
Highlight your relevant skills, experience, and work ethic. Focus on what makes you a strong candidate for this specific role at BlockFi. Provide specific examples of your achievements.
What are your salary expectations?
Do your research on BlockFi’s salary ranges for similar roles via sites like Glassdoor. Take into account the full compensation package, including stock options and bonuses. Give a reasonable range based on your experience level.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Align your long-term goals with BlockFi’s growth trajectory. Share your passion for the crypto space and interest in innovations in decentralized finance. Avoid sounding unrealistic.
Behavioral Interview Questions
Tell me about a time you had a conflict at work. How did you handle it?
Share a specific example focused on listening, empathy, and working collaboratively to find a constructive resolution. Emphasize teamwork.
Give an example of when you had to solve a difficult problem. What was the outcome?
Pick an example relevant to this role. Highlight your problem-solving process: researching, seeking input, considering options, and choosing a solution. Share the results you achieved.
Describe a time you made a mistake at work. How did you handle it?
Choose an example that showcases humility, accountability, and learning from failures. Explain the mistake, actions you took post-mistake, and lessons learned. Keep it positive.
Tell me about a time you gave a presentation. What did you do to prepare?
Share a time you had to present to leadership, a client, etc. Highlight how you planned the content, practiced public speaking, handled questions and feedback positively, and learned from the experience.
Technical Interview Questions
Technical interview questions will vary significantly depending on the role. Here are some examples:
For engineering roles:
- Explain how you would design a simple cryptocurrency transaction system.
- How would you ensure security for crypto private keys in a web application? Discuss encryption schemes.
- Explain Bitcoins consensus mechanism and mining process.
Review blockchain, cryptography, data structures and algorithms, frameworks like React and Node.js, and SQL/NoSQL databases. Understand security best practices. Practice coding challenges on platforms like LeetCode.
For data analytics roles:
- How would you detect fraud in real-time cryptocurrency transactions?
- What machine learning algorithms would you use to predict crypto price fluctuations?
- How would you build a model to assess risk levels for crypto-backed loans?
Brush up on statistics, Python, SQL, data visualization, and machine learning algorithms. Review predictive modeling case studies. Know how to clean, preprocess, and analyze large, real-world data sets.
For product management roles:
- How would you design a new feature to improve the client onboarding experience?
- Describe how you would manage crypto wallet product development from ideation to launch.
- Explain how you would analyze customer feedback to guide product roadmap priorities.
Understand product management frameworks like agile/scrum. Review BlockFi’s current products. Practice discussing how you would improve upon or complement existing product offerings.
Tips for Acing Your BlockFi Interview
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Research BlockFi’s products and mission so you can knowledgeably discuss your passion for the company. Review BlockFi’s website, news articles, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and recent blogs/thought leadership.
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Practice answering common interview questions out loud. Consider having a friend conduct a mock interview. Prepare illustrative stories from your work experience.
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Brush up on technical skills required for the specific role through online courses, books, practice problems, and personal projects.
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Review the latest developments in crypto/blockchain, such as new regulations, major projects, adoption by financial institutions, and trends in DeFi.
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Dress professionally and arrive early. Make eye contact and exhibit confidence. Ask smart questions that demonstrate your interest and knowledge.
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Send thank you notes to interviewers highlighting your continued enthusiasm.
Preparing thoroughly for a BlockFi interview increases your chances of standing out as an exceptional candidate. Do your research, polish your interviewing skills, and let your passion for crypto shine through. With some dedication and practice, you can ace your BlockFi interview.
PJC Interview with Flori Marquez, Co-Founder & SVP of Operations of BlockFi
About BlockFi: BlockFi provides the wealth management products that crypto investors need, all powered by blockchain technology. Currently, they service clients worldwide and in all U.S. states, with USD loans backed by crypto, interest earning accounts, and trading capabilities. Its four offices and now 250 employees (over the past year, BlockFi added over 180(!) new employees) serve more than 100,000 accounts globally with 1.5B in assets under management. Flori describes BlockFi at a high level as a wealth management platform that bridges the two worlds of traditional finance and crypto. As she says, “I think we take the best out of finance and the best out of crypto, and we put those two things together to make amazing consumer products.”
About Flori: Flori has spent her career managing alternative lending products. In the marketplace lending business, she helped Bond Street (which was bought by Goldman Sachs) build, scale, and optimize a $125MM portfolio. As Head of Portfolio Management, Flori managed all operations from point of origination through default and litigation. Flori helped build and keep up institutional partnerships at Oak Hill Advisors, a $30B fixed income asset manager, before joining Bond Street. Flori graduated from Cornell University, majoring in pre-law with a minor in economics.
What drove Flori to start BlockFi? Flori has always been eager to learn and create new things. When she met Zac and heard his plan to combine finance and cryptocurrency, she knew they had to work together. The job was a perfect fit for her skills (making lending products), and it also gave her a chance to solve a problem she often saw when she went to Argentina to see her family. In the US, she says, “I have seen firsthand how easy it is to have access to savings accounts, credit cards, and debit cards.” People in some countries can’t even be sure that they can keep the cash they have on hand at a bank. We think credit card rewards are great. So, the idea behind BlockFi—that someone could get a loan in US dollars using their crypto assets without going through a third party or being limited by where they live—was very exciting to her. As she states, “the idea of financial inclusivity was huge…. it was just a dream, but now we have 250 employees and 1. 5 billion in assets under management and 30% of our clients are overseas without us even actively marketing. it’s crazy to think this dream very quickly became a reality. ”.
“As a board observer, Matt has been one of the most helpful investors we’ve had in terms of giving us strategic advice around fundraising,” she said about her time with PJC. I also appreciate the trust from PJC. Hearing from your investors that “yeah, this sounds good, but you guys are the experts” truly means a lot. ”.
