BBC: Gaming can help you land a job

[StaceyPowers]

Just spotted an article from the BBC titled “How playing video games could get you a better job.”

From the article, there’s a quote from a spokesperson from the Royal Air Force saying, "The ability to assimilate information, react swiftly and co-ordinate actions whilst remaining calm under pressure are often attributes of people that are good at gaming,"

A Hays recruitment regional director is also quoted saying, "There are plenty of soft skills that gamers can utilise in a professional setting, such as teamwork, problem solving and strategic planning.”

This resonates with my own life experiences. I remember a high school friend pointing out, “You know the experiences with organizing and leadership that people are supposed to get from club and sport participation? We get that from playing MMOs.”

A lot of the professional skills I use every day came not from classes or standard extracurricular activities, but from gaming. The people skills I learned in my positions in an MMO organization in high school have been nothing short of vital in business, and I most definitely did not learn those skills in school.

What do you think about the idea that gaming can help you with work? Do you think gaming can teach valuable job skills? Do you think employers are aware of how important gaming can be?  

@killamch89 @The Blackangel @Alyxx @kingpotato @skyfire @DylanC @Aerielle del Rosario @Executor Akamia

[The Blackangel]

Employers are aware of gaming. But around here, no matter what you pick up from it, gaming is considered a hinderance. It supposedly distracts you from what you're supposed to be concerned with. I know they have no say what you do on your own time, but if you're a gamer, they look down on that hard.

[Executor Akamia]

It’s probably true in the US that employers strongly frown on gamers regardless of the skills one can pick up from video games, but in other countries, gaming’s benefits have been recognized for years. In South Korea, their air force actually had their own StarCraft esports team at one point. For all I know, they still do.

[skyfire]

I know few influencers who got into gaming and then they started promoting other brands and other niche. They still do the gaming but they are more active other stuff. I think it's matter of personality being shown that can get you lot of jobs and gigs.

[killamch89]

16 hours ago, Executor Akamia said:

It’s probably true in the US that employers strongly frown on gamers regardless of the skills one can pick up from video games, but in other countries, gaming’s benefits have been recognized for years. In South Korea, their air force actually had their own StarCraft esports team at one point. For all I know, they still do.

I read about that and to be honest, South Korea has always been one of the more innovative countries in the world in terms of approach to technology. They are also one of the only known countries to full integrate cryptocurrencies to be accepted everywhere.

21 hours ago, The Blackangel said:

Employers are aware of gaming. But around here, no matter what you pick up from it, gaming is considered a hinderance. It supposedly distracts you from what you're supposed to be concerned with. I know they have no say what you do on your own time, but if you're a gamer, they look down on that hard.

In my country, they look at gamers as clowns and unproductive individuals contributing very little to the society but then again, the whole society on a hold is very backwards in terms of their approach to change.

[Alyxx]

Having been a lifelong gamer, it's without a shadow of a doubt that games have formed who I am as a person and invariably influenced my choices in life.

I'm not sure if it has helped me directly in any work situations but it certainly is something fun to look forward to when I'm off work.

[kingpotato]

I dont think gaming will help you land a better job unless the job itself is about gaming. 

[killamch89]

14 hours ago, kingpotato said:

I dont think gaming will help you land a better job unless the job itself is about gaming. 

That is a very valid point and I don't know of many companies hiring gamers unless it is a gamer-related job either.

[StaceyPowers]

I agree with everyone here. I think gaming related skills should be able to help one land a relevant job, but I also think that employers are not going to want to hear about what we learned gaming. Society has a ways to go to catch up with us, and the BBC article is overly optimistic.

[killamch89]

22 minutes ago, StaceyPowers said:

I agree with everyone here. I think gaming related skills should be able to help one land a relevant job, but I also think that employers are not going to want to hear about what we learned gaming. Society has a ways to go to catch up with us, and the BBC article is overly optimistic.

The BBC is just one view point that doesn't represent the society at large and the media usually just offers their opinion with little to no evidence backing up their claims so it should be met with a healthy dose of skepticism. The attitude towards gamers might change as time progresses but it'll take a couple decades for us to reach at least an acceptable stage.

[StaceyPowers]

On 9/5/2019 at 2:39 PM, killamch89 said:

The attitude towards gamers might change as time progresses but it'll take a couple decades for us to reach at least an acceptable stage.

I almost wouldn't blame them if I thought they were trying to change the culture in a favourable way by presenting gaming attributes as if they are already accepted by employers as positives. But I get annoyed when media represents a problem as "solved" when it isn't, because it tells people the world is better than it is. I mean, some kid in college reading that could make the mistake of putting his gaming experience on the wrong job application. That sure won't help him get hired. So I guess maybe I think it could have been a well-intentioned piece, but not necessarily the way to achieve cultural change?

[killamch89]

19 hours ago, StaceyPowers said:

I almost wouldn't blame them if I thought they were trying to change the culture in a favourable way by presenting gaming attributes as if they are already accepted by employers as positives. But I get annoyed when media represents a problem as "solved" when it isn't, because it tells people the world is better than it is. I mean, some kid in college reading that could make the mistake of putting his gaming experience on the wrong job application. That sure won't help him get hired. So I guess maybe I think it could have been a well-intentioned piece, but not necessarily the way to achieve cultural change?

It needs progressive-thinking individuals in influential positions to also help achieve the cultural change as well but a good amount of those people may not have the same appreication for it as us gamers so they wouldn't necessarily push this agenda. On top of that, most of these major shifts must have some kind of financial/social benefit to these individuals for them to get behind it.

[skyfire]

I know there are some folks who do allow the gaming days in office but I don't know I don't find that relevant in many jobs. 

[killamch89]

10 hours ago, skyfire said:

I know there are some folks who do allow the gaming days in office but I don't know I don't find that relevant in many jobs. 

Gaming can help in certain industries such as piloting unmanned vehicles/objects, piloting machinery and it also helps with problem-solving skills.

[skyfire]

Yes definitely simulation industry is gaining more traction. And future is going to stay here with the way gaming these days can make the changes with the testing scenario.