HIVE BLOCKCHAIN: THE FUTURE OF MINING

mintdice.com

As the world of blockchain continues to undergo rapid development, several companies have come into the limelight. While it may be difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff where investment is concerned, some companies clearly stand out. One of such companies is HIVE Blockchain, a mining firm that seeks to bridge the current gap between capital markets and blockchain innovation.

Through the creation of multiple cryptocurrency mining farms, they hope to conquer the mining space. Each farm has been strategically placed and filled with equipment as well as miners who continually work to validate and secure transactions on various blockchain networks.

Apart from being one of the top blockchain stocks, HIVE is currently the largest and farthest-reaching blockchain infrastructure company. Despite its age, the firm has made our list of blockchain stocks to invest in for several reasons and has positioned itself in the industry as one to look out for.

A BRIEF HISTORY

Genesis Mining, one of HIVE’s parent companies, was founded by Marco Streng and a team of early Bitcoinadopters and is currently one of the world’s largest mining corporations. It is considered a global leader in the field and has created several products to advance mining.

Only two years after the first large-scale Genesis mining farm was developed in 2014, the company went ahead to establish the world’s largest Ethereum mining operation.

Genesis Mining also launched the Logos Fund which serves top venture capitalists and has raised more than $100 million in assets since its creation. The firm currently caters to more than 1 million customers and employs hundreds of staff all over the world.

Since the creation of HIVE by Genesis and Foire, the company has successfully raised up to $115 million in funding. According to recent announcements, it is also set to expand its mining operations and capabilities. These expansion efforts include a new large-scale mining facility and up to $100 million in extra funding.

HIVE Blockchain also became the first publicly traded stock on the Canadian TSX venture exchange (a major stock exchange, that solely deals in cryptocurrency mining), which it was added to in September 2017.

THE INTENDED PURPOSE OF HIVE BLOCKCHAIN

Founded in 2017 through a partnership between Genesis Mining and Foire Group, HIVE Blockchain was created for the sole purpose of accelerating and amplifying the development of the industry. It currently carries out mining operations for up to eight different cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin.

Although there are a lot of blockchain firms to invest in, only a few focus on infrastructure. This limits investment options in that particular area, leaving investors on the sidelines, where they miss out on a technology with so much potential.

Genesis and Foire recognized this problem and created HIVE as a solution, which would give investors the opportunity to stand firmly behind blockchain infrastructure. Not only is this profitable for investors, but it’s also beneficial to the industry as a whole. Without proper infrastructure, there is only so much blockchain technology can do to influence other industries.

The applications of blockchain technology are made possible by mining. In essence, this is a term used to describe the process of securing a network through consensus and validation of all transactions on it. It is carried out by a distributed network of computers and is typically done for any of the following reasons:

• To ensure that only valid transactions are recorded on the blockchain (an immutable digital ledger which powers the network in question).
• To ensure that a log of all transactions is continuously updated.
• To earn block rewards (payouts), which in turn ensure distribution of tokens on that network.
• To maintain trust and integrity among all nodes within the system.
• To decentralize the process of making financial transactions. Where normally, user transactions would have to be facilitated, validated and recorded by a central authority with rights to user data (such as a bank), miners would play this role instead.

For infrastructure to undergo the necessary development, investors must be involved as drivers of the ecosystem.

WHAT HIVE BLOCKCHAIN ACTUALLY DOES

HIVE Blockchain is leveraging the wealth of experience that Genesis Mining Group commands, to create and maintain the infrastructure that blockchain network users can benefit from.

It operates as a cryptocurrency mining firm and validates transactions on blockchain networks. It also provides cryptocurrency mining services and bridges any gaps between digital currency markets and their traditional counterparts.

WHY IS HIVE BLOCKCHAIN IMPORTANT?

The importance of HIVE blockchain as a core driver of infrastructure lies in its promotion of blockchain development and sustenance. Since this technology is central to the concept of most cryptocurrencies, they will cease to exist without the necessary infrastructure.

Since the Bitcoin hype began to die down, people started realizing that its underpinning technology can be used for much more than just storing monetary value. This is just one fish in a sea of blockchain use cases. If developed and used correctly, this technology can disrupt almost every global industry in the world, from real estate to health, agriculture, shipping, and even art, making life easier for people and businesses. For this to happen, infrastructure must be solid and this is why companies like HIVE are important parts of the ecosystem.

The HIVE team’s understanding of capital markets combined with the technical knowledge of Genesis Mining gives investors a chance to view the industry in a different light and approach it more strategically. More importantly, they can be a part of the creation of something new and phenomenal. Many investors missed the chance to be a part of Bitcoin in its early days but now, they are presented with a new opportunity to be part of something even bigger.

HIVE AND THE FUTURE OF WEB 3.0

Currently, HIVE mining computers work to generate and hold cryptocurrency as part of the company’s long-term investment strategy. This exposes investors to its portfolio of digital currencies as well as the operating margins of mining.

Blockchain technology is still growing at a rapid pace and is set to evolve outside of financial solutions in the near future. There is a possibility that this evolution will give way to a new decentralized future that HIVE refers to as ‘web 3.0’. According to the firm “Our vision is to truly be the backbone of this new web 3.0 decentralized world by building, operating, and acquiring the critical infrastructure that will be required to power it.”

FINAL THOUGHTS

Blockchain investment is a topic that comes up more often than it seems and there are so many options to choose from. However, investors should have a strategy for profitable and long-term stock benefits. For an industry that still exists in its early stages, merely choosing any random project to invest in, just won’t cut it and may end up leading to a loss of funds.

When investing, the projects with the most viable use cases should typically get top priority and what better use case is there for blockchain than its own sustenance through the development of infrastructure? Probably none. Apart from the fact that HIVE blockchain makes infrastructural investment more accessible to investors, it is backed by two credible companies.  

Most blockchain systems cannot function without the mining process so it makes a lot of sense to invest in that area and be part of something that may change the world, possibly in more ways than the internet ever did.

Original Post: https://www.mintdice.com/blog/hive-blockchain-the-future-of-mining

Cryptocurrency Trading Hacks: For Newbies & Pros Alike

youtubetomp3shark.com
by Sarah Pritzker

Cryptocurrency is the bipolar of the trading world. The volatility is insane; you’ll see major swings from 12% to 300% in a single day! With movement like this, it can be hard for anyone, let alone a newcomer to the cryptocurrency exchange, to make heads or tails of the market. Good news is there are a lot of people doing research on this exact topic (like us!) who can help you figure out the best way to turn a profit when cryptocurrency trading.

So, if you’re in the mood to make some money but can’t make sense of all the cryptomarket lingo, check out some of these cryptocurrency trading hacks (spoiler, there are hacks for novices and experienced traders, so skip the first few if this isn’t your first rodeo).

Cryptocurrency Trading Hack #1: Start at the beginning

If you’re a newbie to the world of cryptocurrency trading, then the first and most important hack you can hear about is to learn! Jumping in without knowing what you’re talking about is a guaranteed recipe for disaster. So, before you put your money where your mouth is, get educated. Understand the market, terms, and trends. Know what terms like falls, rises, volatility, and swing trading mean. Understand what blockchain is and how it helps. Learn the different trading strategies and when to use which.

Dylan from Six-Figure Marketers Club put out one of the best beginner’s cryptocurrency trading strategy videos. It starts at the beginning and proceeds to walk you through all the basics you’ll need to start trading bitcoin. The best part of this video (and all his videos, really) is that he speaks English clearly! You’d be surprised how difficult it is to find a good cryptocurrency video tutorial by a native English-speaker, so Dylan’s stuff is really golden.

What’s more, Dylan explains everything clearly, so you will really walk away from this video understanding the ABC’s of cryptocurrency trading. As they say, knowledge is power!

Cryptocurrency Trading Hack #2: Only invest what you can afford to lose

Ok, this one doesn’t seem like a pro tip, but if you’ve ever lost money in any investment platform, you know that sticking to this rule is key. Picture this: You invest a large sum of money, probably more than you can really afford, but it’s ok because your broker ensures you that this is a solid bet. Lo and behold, the market swings the other way, and you lose everything you’ve invested.

You’re devastated, heartbroken, and what’s more, you’re broke. Now, what do you do? The smart investor walks away, but that’s not everyone. Too many people get the itch. I’ve come this far, I’ve invested so much. I can’t turn back now. So, they invest more and more and keep sinking in deeper and deeper.

This is a dangerous game you don’t ever want to play, so make sure you don’t even start your game strategy this way. Set a certain amount of money you’re willing to invest, and make sure that is only money you can responsibly afford to lose. This way, if you lose it all, you’ll still be able to pay your bills, make rent, and take care of your regular obligations without feeling any pressure. If you make a profit, that’s great! Go ahead and invest some of that too.

Cryptocurrency Trading Hack #3: Use the right software/tool/trading platform

Up there with knowing what you’re doing is knowing which platform to do it on. The right platform will give you the best advantages when trading cryptocurrencies. You’d be amazed at what a difference a convenient and smooth mobile app makes. Other features to look out for when scouting platforms include what type of security the exchange offers, the exchange, trade, and deposit-withdrawal fees charged.

Cryptocurrency Trading Hack #4: Using the MACD Indicator for buy and sell signs

I think this is one of the best beginner’s strategies. MACD aka moving average convergence divergence scale is an indicator that follows the momentum of an asset based on the movement of two averages of the security’s price. It sounds much more complicated than it really is (and if you’ve never used it before, let B from Your Altcoins show you exactly how it’s done), but once you play around with it, you’ll see just how simple it is.

Basically, following the MACD indicator will show you when is the best time to sell your investments (it can also show you when is a good time to enter or not enter into an investment). There are different settings like you can micromanage down to every five minutes or let it go for days, so play around with it to see which ones you like best and which are most successful for you. Toggle the different timeframes, how often it displays, etc. until you find the groove that works for you.

Regardless of which settings you use, the MACD indicator will show you two lines, one showing rise and one showing fall. If you follow these two trends, you’ll be able to see clearly when to sell to make the most profit. Try it out, you’ll be amazed at how easy this one is.

Cryptocurrency Trading Hack #5: Use Momentum

Momentum is a pretty simple concept: if things start going up, they keep going up. And when things start going down, they continue in that direction too. In general, the strategy works using this logic. Momentum says to buy a week after a currency experiences an upward trend (20% or more), and then sell a week or so later.

Of course, this isn’t always the case (see the next few hacks for a solution to this strategy loophole), there are plenty of times that assets will keep climbing and you’ll kick yourself for having sold, but at least you’ll make some profit off of the currency using this strategy. Plus, you’ll be really happy if the asset drops suddenly since you won’t have lost everything in one fell swoop.

I thought this was a great video for clarifying momentum. It’s only 15 minutes, but it explains the strategy pretty clearly. What’s more, this video is solidly backed by real research done by Yale University studies and findings. So, the information is really something you can take to the bank.

Cryptocurrency Trading Hack #6: Take profits…

One of the biggest mistakes that investors can make is not taking profits when they see a rise. It’s natural for you to want to hold out for a bigger gain, and that’s fine. But with such a volatile market and such rapidly moving changes, it’s just a bad idea to keep everything in for the big payout. If you want to see just how far you can ride the gravy train, by all means, go for it. Just do yourself a favor and take your profits out first.

If you’ve invested $1,000 and you see a rise, and your investment is now worth $1,200, take that $200 gain as your profit. Then if you want to leave the initial $1,000, you haven’t lost anything more than what you originally knew you could lose anyway. Either way, you’re still up $200!

Cryptocurrency Trading Hack #7: …But don’t take out everything

Ok, so you want to make sure you take out your profit before the asset loses its value, BUT you don’t want to take out everything, and that’s the next cryptocurrency trading hack. Basically, you want to take out your profit and leave the rest. Why? Because when an asset goes up in value, it’s the time to make your profit. Yay!

But there are so many times when a currency rises…and then continues to rise for quite some time. If you sold early on, you’ll be kicking yourself for months or even years that you didn’t hold out for a bigger slice of the pie. This CryptoLand video explains this concept really well, so if you want to learn more about it, check it out.

Cryptocurrency Trading Hack #8: Use MTP Properly

Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT) basically posits that you set aside a certain amount of money that you are willing to invest (i.e., lose) and buy an assortment of assets consistently regardless of the price. The reason this works is because the assets aren’t directly correlated, so you aren’t going to feel the pressure of all your assets moving in the same direction at one time. A good spread of assets could yield an excellent return over time.

The real hack here is to use MPT properly. That means diversifying your assets across markets, not just sticking to cryptomarkets. Why? Because all cryptocurrencies are too highly correlated right now to be considered varied enough to protect you against the risks.

Cryptocurrency Trading Hack #9: Breakouts

Breakouts are one of the most popular investment strategies (whether you’re buying low or selling high), and here’s a quick video that’ll tell you everything you need to know about it. Chris just has a personable air to him, but more importantly, he tells you all the right information in simple terms that anyone can understand. Plus, Chris actually makes trading sound like fun, so check it out!

Cryptocurrency Trading Hack #10: Make sure you’re secure

This last one also seems like a no-brainer, but you’d be amazed at how many people operate in this mode (scared face emoji!) Cryptocurrency trading is somewhat of a wild wild west of exchanges, and that means there are a lot of people looking to take advantage of you. There are plenty of built-in security features, but you’ve got to do your part to keep yourself and your investments safe too. When trading, make sure:

• You have two-step authentication enabled
• You’ve read up and are aware of phishing and email scams
• You keep your cryptocurrency keys available (you forget your passwords, you’re screwed!)

Original Post: https://www.youtubetomp3shark.com/cryptocurrency-trading-hacks-for-newbies-pros-alike

Hard skills vs. soft skills: are EQ and Emotional Intelligence the best predictors of success?

vervoe.com
by Emily Heaslip

In the world of hiring, soft skills have recently become the holy grail of recruiting. Soft skills – emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills like communication and empathy – are among the most in-demand qualifications a candidate can bring to the table.  

According to one LinkedIn survey, more than half of nearly 300 hiring managers reported that the lack of soft skills among job candidates is limiting their company’s productivity. Recruiters are getting creative in trying to find new hires with talent in communication, time management, negotiating, writing, listening, problem solving, and decision making. Soft skills – the more intuitive EQ – are seen as a better predictor of success than hard skills, which can be taught or trained.

Why are soft skills the best predictor of success? How can hiring managers design a recruitment process that takes these skills into account?

The Case for Soft Skills

Soft skills are in-demand in nearly every company and every industry. A Wall Street Journalsurvey of 900 executives found that 92% said soft skills were equally important or more important than technical skills. But 89% of those surveyed said they have a “very or somewhat difficult time finding people with the requisite attributes.” Likewise, LinkedIn’s 2018 Workforce Report discovered that the four most in-demand soft skills are leadership, communication, collaboration, and time management.

Are soft skills a better predictor of success? According to one author, yes. Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence at Work, found in his research of 500 executives that emotional intelligence – soft skills – was a better predictor of top performance than previous experience or IQ. CEOs at some of the world’s top companies (Amazon, Xerox, and Tesla, to name a few) lead with emotional intelligence have designed their entire corporate structure around soft skills.

And soft skills aren’t just great for creating a fulfilling and pleasant work environment. The link between profit and leaders with high emotional intelligence is clear. In one study, CEOs whose employees rated them high in character had an average return of 9.35% over a two-yearperiod, nearly five times as much as companies with CEOs who had low character ratings. The case for recruiting for soft skills is strong: but, there’s something to be said for balancing good leadership and communication with individuals who have honed their talent.

Don’t Ignore Hard Skills

Have some recruiters overcorrected in their search for candidates with high EQ? Maybe, says one expert.

Cal Newport, author of So Good They Can’tIgnore You, believes that to have a successful career, you must develop skills that make you an expert in something. There will always be a market for those with a depth of knowledge in one thing; certain fields will always demand new hires with niche skills and technical training. Newport argues that he more mastery you have in a skill or field, the more control and satisfaction it’ll give you in your career.

While it’s true that technical masters do become top CEOs – Steve Jobs and Bill Gates come to mind – other experts note that eventually, soft skills and emotional intelligence must be learned. Many programmers, for example, have some of the basic hard skills that it takes to run a company. However, they fall short on key EQ traits like listening. The best leaders can learn soft skills over time, but start as an expert in something.

How to Hire for Hard Skills and Emotional Intelligence

Unfortunately, soft skills can’t be found on a resume, which is what makes hiring for them so difficult.

Companies who hire successfully with low turnover have learned how to construct their interview process to cover hard and soft skills. These recruiters ask candidates to perform tests mimicking real-world scenarios to get the best prediction of their success in the company. These skills tests then get triangulated with psychometrics and attitude testing.

Plus, the advent of AI has made it possible to weigh soft skills vs. hard skills equally. Where in the past a candidate might wow a recruiter in the interview, but have no mastery over their field, an algorithm can’t be easily biased by a resume or stellar presentation. Smart companies have even begun to customize their interview process for certain soft skills that are applicable to each open position: so your extroverts become your top sales people, while your listeners join your HR team. There’s a place for both hard skills and soft skills in the workplace: it’s up to your hiring team to find the right combination for success.

Originall Post: https://vervoe.com/blog/hard-skills-vs-soft-skills-are-eq-and-emotional-intelligence-the-best-predictors-of-success/

Stop screening candidates: what recruiters can learn from designers

vervoe.com

Screening candidates isn’t helping you.

In technology, user experience design is very close to our hearts. We are constantly trying to make it easier for our prospective customers to gain value from our products and services. We try to make the experience as welcoming as possible and take them on a journey.

When it comes to our prospective team members, perversely, we seem to take the opposite approach. When people express an interest in joining our teams, we seem to go to great lengths to push them away. We actively discourage them. We screen them.

To screen:

“To test or examine someone or something to discover if there is anything wrong with the person or thing.”

– Cambridge Dictionary

What? Really?  

That’s how traditional recruitment works. When people want to join our ranks, we try to find out what is wrong with them so we can rule them out. There is something inherently wrong with that approach.

What does that say about us? What message are we sending to people? When I try to put myself in the shoes of a candidate, this quote comes to mind:

“Sometimes it’s the journey that teaches you a lot about your destination.”

– Drake

If the journey is obstructionist and unpleasant, if I’m being screened as if there is something wrong with me, that must say something about the destination.

So let’s change that.

Why we should change how we think about screening candidates?

Recruitment is based on a mentality of keeping people out. Too many applications, too little time. So naturally, we put barriers up. But in doing so we are in danger of sending the wrong message to the people we want to bring in, which is counterintuitive.

Is that our intent or is it by necessity?

I don’t believe that all companies want to be portrayed as unwelcoming, impenetrable fortresses. Especially when there is so much talk about the importance of the candidate experience.

I don’t believe that startups, who are obsessed with attracting the best talent, want to signal to the very people they want to attract that the door is closed.

Screening may have been a necessary evil once upon a time, but that is no longer the case. With the help of technology, we can align the way we approach prospective team members to feel more like the way we approach prospective customers. We can take them on a journey and give them a great experience — and the good news is that it’s not difficult to do.

Thinking Like Designers

If you asked a designer to design a candidate journey it would probably look something like this:

CEO: We want to hire great people to help us grow. Can you help us out?

Designer: Sounds interesting. Who is our ideal candidate?

CEO: I knew you’d ask that. We want people who will be great at their jobs, share our values and be super motivated about working with us every day. If we tell a compelling story about our company’s purpose and the way people can be part of our journey, that will convince them to join our team.

Designer: So you want to convince everyone to join us, but then reserve the right to knock some people back. Typical CEO attitude.

CEO: Well… ideally we’d take people on a journey that reflects what it’s like to actually work with us. Not everyone can get the job, but at least everyone will get an opportunity.

Designer: Ok, leave it with me.

… four design hackathons later …

Designer: I think we should accept every application.

CEO: What? How? Who has time for that?

Designer: We do. We accept every application and interview everyone. We let everyone through to the first interview stage. Then we can decide based on merit who to invest more time in.

CEO: I know where you’re going with this. You dropped out of college and you’re a self-taught designer. So, you want people like you to be able to get through.

Designer: I’m a great designer, aren’t I? Who cares what college degree I have or don’t have?

CEO: Fair enough. So you want to interview everyone and give everyone a chance. I can see the benefits. But isn’t that a waste of time? I’m pretty busy.

Designer: Give me some credit. I’m not suggesting you physically interview candidates. We’ll ask them to do automated interviews …

… We give our customers free trials, don’t we? So why not do the same with candidates? We’ll give them a taste of what it’s like to work here with some scenarios that simulate the role they’ve applied for.

CEO: Nice. And in the process we’ll learn a bit about how they approach relevant tasks.

Designer: Now you’re catching on.

CEO: And it all happens online right? I don’t have to actually be there.

Designer: Of course. We’re in the 21st century, aren’t we?

Let’s Open the Doors, There is Nothing to Fear

If we change the way we approach talent acquisition the prize is huge.

By replacing screening with an open journey, we can interact with candidates in a more productive way. Instead of worrying about where they went to school, we’ll focus on what they love doing and how well they can do it.

In turn, each candidate will get a glimpse of our company or team and be left with a positive impression.

An open process is a more optimistic way to approach recruitment. It’s a more respectful way to interact. And it’s far more efficient.

The trick is not to get better at screening by using artificial intelligence or other fancy tools to draw conclusions about about candidates based on their profiles. The trick isn’t even about technology.

It helps, but first we need to change our mindset. We must think about people as more than a static collection of data. We are living and breathing beings. We are dynamic. We therefore need to see candidates in action, not frozen. Looking from a distance isn’t enough.

This approach is based on performance, not background. On giving people a chance in relevant situations, not trying to rule them out.

Original Post: https://vervoe.com/blog/stop-screening-candidates-what-recruiters-can-learn-from-designers/