Video Games for Your First Job: “Help Better Communication, Teamwork, and Strategic Thinking” | technology

On the mobile phone, on the computer Or on consoles, playing some video games helps acquire important skills like communication or teamwork, which can even help when finding your first job. This is what a survey conducted by YouTube and Censuswide with players (players) and recruits. A result confirmed by other investigations, the positive effects of video games on cognitive functions. According to HR professionals, when a person has no previous experience, mention of playing a certain video game in the app is a no-brainer. Of course, as long as the acquired competence has some relation to what is required in the vacancy.

The study included 1,500 people players Between 18 and 26 years old in Spain, half of those surveyed confirm that interacting with other players provides them with greater security when communicating. In addition, about 30% said that video games help them think strategically and stay calm during times of stress. Miguel Bernal adds to this: “It strengthens mental agility, reflexes and attention span.” Mike, as he is known, is player Professional and creator of Mikecrack, one of the largest Spanish-language channels on YouTube, with more than 37 million subscribers.

He was a player all his life, and he also entered this world out of necessity. As a child, he had trouble finishing long, monotonous tasks and was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). He asserts that he has successfully progressed “the mechanics of video games to complete the milestones”. I was given educational help on how to deal with these kinds of problems. I remember they almost always recommended me to do challenges and challenges on paper, but they were still games. He told EL PAÍS via video call from his office, where he records videos for his channel.

Mike explains how the dynamics of video games have changed the way he goes about the activities of daily life, from his childhood with ADHD to becoming one of YouTube’s biggest successes. When he started his channel to share content about him the games Seven years ago, it was very clear to me: I wanted to turn my hobby into a profession. To achieve this, he takes it as if it were an on-screen assignment. “Put it up with small challenges to do things little by little, incrementally, to get results. It’s the same goal as in a video game, to get scores and pass the level,” he explains.

A game for every skill

At 30, he qualifies that he’s never pursued another profession and realizes that although some video games help improve these soft skills, one has to be selective when choosing what to play and how much time to devote to it. As he suggests, a game that “promotes socialization” is Between usThere is a traitor in a group and everyone must follow the clues to identify him. “It has a lot of psychology, because if you’re the bad guy you have to cheat, and if you’re the good guy you have to avoid being trapped. It’s very complicated.”

Maine Craft He is the king of video games. “For children, I think it is very convenient because it brings mathematics to reality. They learn multiplication, division, subtraction and addition. For example, they have to create objects and this requires certain materials. To make a sword, you need 1 wood and 2 iron. “How much material do I need,” he wonders. To make 3 swords?” Because I have 3 friends. So they go there to learn math,” he adds.

To practice teamwork and coordination, state league of legends and the counter strikewhich are more “competitive” games and if one person doesn’t do their job right, an entire team fails.

Tina Sanchez, creator of the YouTube channel Tinenqa, which has nearly 3 million followers, believes that multiplayer platforms are the most contributors to Develop communication and socialization, because you can interact with people from different places. “Eventually, you remove the internet barriers and they go meet. It’s so cool.” player 29, and he credits the video game as a positive improvement in his way of communicating. “I can play and talk to the English, with people from Portugal (…). I was a very introverted person and with time, I opened up more. If you told me a few years ago that I would give an interview, I would say don’t do it, I would shiver, “he expressed by video. Talking about the nature of someone who records videos in their daily life for an audience of thousands of people.

From console to desk

YouTube research also shows that just over half of HR managers are likely to hire candidates with whom they speak directly about these skills. Monica Perez, Director of Communications and Studies at Infojobs, explains that companies often mention the importance of soft skills in the application. “The first is to work as a team. Also initiative, knowing how to resolve conflicts, being results-oriented, decision-making, tolerant of pressure. If we talk about all this in a video game environment, then many precisely put these skills into practice, ”he explains over the phone.

Perez considers that expressing it in the application submission, especially if it is for a first job, generates value. “When you knock on the door to get that first professional experience, revealing that you have those skills can be something new. People say ‘I’m interested in music or art or I go to the movies or I’m interested in this kind of literature’ so why not also say I don’t I practice this practice?” However, it is not enough to mention it. It is necessary to clarify the value that contributed to the candidacy. “I am interested in a particular game, because I am developing these skills and it is relevant to this job offer for these reasons,” he explains.

Roque Adrada, coordinator of degree programs at Esade Careers, explains that one of the big mistakes when creating a resume or cover letter is to do it in a general way, without making a connection between the skills a person has and the knowledge required in the vacancy. Therefore, it is recommended to read the job offer in detail and investigate the organization and project in depth.

On how to highlight skills, Adrada reiterates that if a candidate wins a video game tournament, for example, he should mention it because it reflects “the ability to work in a team, the ability to communicate or think strategically,” he continues. . And if it’s in an international setting, even better. “It can refer to language skills, with English being common as the lingua franca. The key, he concludes, is the ability to transfer the skills and abilities developed through video games to what the organization requires in the specific job.”

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