Today’s challenge

Currently, the path to success in forging a career in eSports is challenging, to say the least. Despite rapid growth, overall industry maturity is still embryonic. And a vibrant, enthusiastic community of volunteers remains the lifeblood of eSport enterprise; a fact that is both strength and weakness. However, the demand for paid, full-time positions drastically exceeds the supply. As a result, passion alone isn’t enough to secure a career in eSports; even when coupled with commitment to the endeavor. In order to navigate the eSports industry, aspiring professionals must ensure they develop the appropriate soft skills.

Defining “soft skills”

Traits like knowledge, talent, and desire are typically tagged as characteristics of success. Yet, it is the traits and behaviors that shape relationships with other people, which are also crucial. These fall under the umbrella of emotional intelligence. The eSports industry is a fast-moving, global ecosystem that puts a premium on these soft skills. To be hired, candidates must portray not only their individual talents, but their ability to fit into a larger team. Meaning, when faced with a glut of talented prospective hires, employing organizations will prioritize the following:

• Ability to collaborate with a team – Effective teamwork is the common characteristic of every successful venture. As is the case in team sports, enterprises thrive on their ability to collaborate. Understanding team dynamics towards merging individual talent into the whole is what makes a good team performer.
• Openness to change – Today’s world is built around a rapid pace of change. Shifts, trends and development that previously took years are now occurring in a fraction of that time. Therefore, eSports professionals must be able to respond to the uncertainty, conflict, and inevitable distraction that are byproducts of a 21^st century world.
• Effective communication – An old adage goes, “Let your work speak for itself.” While true, this doesn’t paint the whole picture. It is critical to develop good communication habits with other people to supplement doing a job well. Responsiveness, emotional maturity and clarity underlie success with colleagues, customers and/or business associates.
• Stress management skills – Difficult circumstances are a part of life. The ability to cope with setbacks, obstacles and remain productive is a prized trait. In sports it’s referred to as being a “clutch” or “cool under pressure.”
• Accepting of differences – Typically mentioned when referring to diversity, this has less to do with surface differences (appearance, racial/ethnic backgrounds, etc.) and more with differences of thought and perspectives.

Skill development

In order to meet the demand for these skills, would-be eSports professionals need honest self-evaluation. Soft skills aren’t documented on a resume or in a portfolio but come across in every interaction with another person. As the eSports industry continues to grow, success will follow the enterprises who hire people who deal with other people well. Intelligence, knowledge and experience all matter, but strong interpersonal skills often make the difference. Here’s how candidates can equip themselves with these skills:

1. Practice emotional balance – Otherwise known as “not taking things personal.” The world is bigger and flatter than ever. This is especially true across the global eSports landscape. Strong emotions are a part of life, but cannot entirely characterize interpersonal interactions. Events, both positive and negative, cannot be a trigger for wild emotional fluctuations. Practicing remaining in a state of relaxed alertness helps maintain good emotional balance.
2. Employ effective focus – Today’s world is a cornucopia of distraction. Information overload is a very real phenomenon and requires skills to counteract it. As a result, it’s important to practice an acute awareness of distraction. Upon being interrupted, practice prioritizing the current task for a defined period of time, e.g. 15 more minutes, before moving on.
3. Seek feedback – In order to gain an accurate picture of personal strengths and weaknesses, seek the perspective of current/former co-workers and colleagues. Interviews are invaluable for collecting feedback. Always, prompt the interviewer for their thoughts. They can also help craft an understanding of what hiring companies are looking for. Close platonic friends are an option, but can be prone to hold back constructive criticism if they feel it might offend.

Pursuing a career in eSports is not easy, but can be extremely rewarding. Remember that emotional intelligence is a key determinant in success. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not always the hardest, most cutthroat, most ambitious individuals who rise. Instead, empathy, collaboration and communication can make all the difference in highly competitive environments.

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Alex Fletcher is founder & president at eSports Group, where he helps customers meet their eSports advisory & consulting needs. When Alex isn’t glued to a screen, he spends time with his wife, their two dogs, and pretends to learn Polish. Feel free to stalk him on Twitter – @FletchUnleashed