Tania Butenko has hired across three very different worlds: healthcare, travel tech, and now blockchain security. Each has its own rhythm, but Web3, she says, is a whole new game. As Head of Talent at Hacken, Blockchain Security & Compliance, she looks beyond hype to find builders who understand why blockchain matters, not just how it works. Her perspective is refreshingly candid about what it takes to recruit in a fast-evolving industry where credibility, adaptability, and community proof outweigh fancy titles.
In this edition of People Protocol, Tania shares how she spots true passion, verifies talent in a decentralized world, and builds teams who thrive through constant change.\
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When hiring for global Web3 teams, how do you spot someone who’s truly passionate about the space during interviews?
Passion in Web3 isn’t about collecting NFTs or memorizing buzzwords; it’s about wanting to build something with real impact. When I talk to candidates, I listen for that depth of understanding. The ones who truly get it can explain the “why” behind blockchain, not just the “how.” They understand what problems the technology really solves and where it still needs to grow. People who thrive in this space are naturally adaptable, but more than that, they’re people of progress. Web3 changes fast; what’s relevant today might be outdated next quarter. The best ones don’t panic when things shift. They adapt, learn, and keep building. They don’t need constant stability to feel confident; they find motivation in motion. This industry simply isn’t for everyone, and that’s fine. But the ones who belong here treat every market dip or product pivot like a new lab experiment. They stay focused when things get unpredictable — and usually, they’re the ones who grow the fastest.
How does blockchain security hiring differ from your previous work in healthcare and travel tech companies?
It’s a completely different world. In healthcare, I worked in a stable, structured environment where strategies were planned years ahead. People were highly educated and thoughtful, and you had to keep the same tone: organized, careful, no surprises. Travel tech was fast and people-driven. I was hiring those who could stay upbeat, think fast, find quick fixes, and care about giving clients the best experience, even when nothing went according to plan. But in those industries, candidate profiles were fairly predictable compared to Web3. Here, people switch companies and specializations much more often. I learned very quickly that being a recruiter in Web3 also means being a bit of a detective. Let’s be honest, some resumes and LinkedIn profiles in this space are more fiction than fact. You learn to read between the lines, check posts, comments, even likes. I verify every company myself, just to make sure it’s not a scam. It’s all part of the game. In blockchain security, credibility is everything. We often hire based on proof of work, open-source contributions, or community reputation rather than traditional CVs. Of course, that makes hiring much more complex. A successful recruiter in any industry needs to think beyond the obvious, but in Web3, every vacancy comes with an asterisk.
If you could design a dream onboarding experience for a new Hacken hire, what elements would you add?
First, no 300-slide PowerPoint, please. Our onboarding at Hacken is already very clear and structured. New hires have defined goals, a progress bar, and full transparency about what’s expected from them. It helps new hires feel grounded and reduces anxiety from day one. My dream version would be a fully gamified onboarding: a “Welcome to Hacken” quest where each new hire solves small challenges, meets their team through missions, and unlocks pieces of company lore along the way. Maybe they’d even discover a hidden blockchain riddle from our CEO - a tiny test for true Hacken spirit. Onboarding should inspire people from the very beginning to make them feel they’ve joined a mission, not just a company.
How are you leveraging AI to make recruiting for blockchain security roles more effective and exciting?
AI is my tireless assistant. It never sleeps, never forgets, and doesn’t complain about sourcing at 2 a.m. It scans profiles, analyzes portfolios, and surfaces the most relevant candidates around the clock. It helps match skills and patterns, and even predict who might thrive in a fast-moving, decentralized environment. But the key is to keep AI as a co-pilot, not a driver. The best use of AI in recruiting is freeing humans to do what machines can’t: connect, persuade, and sense potential beyond keywords. I use it to do the heavy lifting: scanning profiles, summarizing portfolios, suggesting outreach messages, so I can focus on what matters: building real human connections. Ironically, AI helps make hiring more human. AI can find patterns, but it can’t read people. It makes us faster, not colder. It handles the data; we handle the people.
Thanks again to Tania Butenko for taking the time to speak with me. For any projects currently hiring, check out what we do at Calyptus: https://www.calyptus.co
