To work in esports, you don't have to be a professional player, but what other alternatives are there? How can someone break into the business and make a living? We go through the many possibilities.
Esports is a rapidly expanding industry that provides individuals with a variety of potential employment choices, but it is not yet well known.
Some people still believe that playing video games is a waste of time and that it is not beneficial to a person's growth or profession. However, esports offers real employment possibilities to job seekers.
Esports is expected to produce over $500 million in worldwide revenue in 2016, and more businesses are getting engaged than ever before. This implies that more employment opportunities are opening up, both for newcomers and people with prior experience in the sector.
What kind of employment are available?
There are a variety of jobs in esports, some of which are more hands-on than others, and more non-endemic businesses are establishing esports departments or adding roles to work in the area.
Here's a look at some of the most well-known esports professions. To learn more about each position, go to our careers page by clicking here.
- Professional player
- Shoutcast/host
- Coach/analyst
- Journalist/content creator
- PR/Marketing executive
- Product manager
- Sales/partnerships manager
- Admin/referee
- Organization owner/manager
- Community/social media manager
- Broadcast/production crew
- Event manager
- Agent
- Other roles (statistician, lawyer, finance, support etc)
- Other gaming careers (developers, publishers, distribution etc)
How can I or my children begin an esports career?
There are a number of approaches you may use to get your foot in the door. To begin with, the good news is that there are more esports jobs than ever before, making it simpler than ever to become engaged — and get paid for it.
The bad news is that it generally requires a lot of hard work and commitment, and it can get very competitive, so be sure it's something you're interested in.
read also: How to Start Competing in Esports
Here are six methods to get your esports career started.
Jump to:
1. Work experience is a great place to start.
Contact teams, organizations, tournament providers, broadcasters, and other businesses that sponsor or participate in esports. Make an effort to contact a senior person or someone with whom you wish to collaborate. The larger the business, the more likely you will be able to get some work experience, but working for a smaller company has its advantages, particularly if you want a more hands-on position.
Getting a good work experience placement requires a certain amount of luck, so make an effort to contact reputable businesses and nice people who will take the time to offer you an insight into the world of esports and assist you in developing your talents. Try to obtain a placement in a subject that interests you, but if you're not sure, we recommend doing two or three internships in various areas to help you decide.
If you're on work experience and aren't being given many responsibilities, why not ask questions, express your excitement, and make ideas for what you might do? Making a strong first impression is important because you never know what connections an employer has or what opportunities may open in the future as a result of a successful work experience placement.
2. Identify a market niche.
Being an all-rounder has many advantages, but concentrating on one subject and being an expert in it may pay off big time.
Read up on the different career positions listed above and attempt to figure out which one you want to pursue.
You might specialize in journalism, public relations, or marketing if you have strong communication, writing, and social media abilities, for example. Look into each field and get some job experience to assist you to determine what field you want to pursue.
You might be an expert in Counter-Strike and be confident in your casting or analysis abilities, or you could be a Call of Duty fan who wants to work for a company dedicated to the game. Determine your interests and go from there.
3. Offer your services as a volunteer
Several businesses are always on the lookout for paid and unpaid volunteer opportunities.
Multiplay, a tournament provider headquartered in the United Kingdom, conducts its Insomnia gaming festivals throughout the year.
You may volunteer as event personnel, serve guests, assist with tournaments, sit on reception, provide tech assistance, and make the show operate successfully. Check with companies like ESL and Gfinity to see if they have any openings.
Gaining useful experience, participating in an event for free, and having something to add to your CV are all advantages of volunteering. If you have volunteered or completed work experience assignments and received a positive evaluation from whomever you volunteered with, prospective employers will be pleased.
4. Just go for it.
Starting doing anything you want to be paid to do is a fantastic way to learn, polish your abilities, and grow.
A wise man once remarked, "Don't let your dreams be dreams; simply do it" (or it may have been Shia LaBeouf).
If you want to be a professional player, put in the work and start with a local club. Start a blog, write frequently, and market your material on social media if you want to be a journalist. Get casting if you want to be a caster. Several notable UK casters got their start in the National University Esports League and have progressed from there.
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Consider pursuing a degree, becoming an apprentice, or enrolling in another kind of postsecondary education program to specialise in a certain field, such as marketing or business studies.
Taking charge can help you make new connections, open doors, develop your abilities, and impress potential employers.
5. Keep your eyes peeled.
Sign up for job notifications online, follow the kind of businesses you want to work for, and look for job vacancies after you know what you want to do and have some experience.
The following are some esports employment sites:
- Hitmarker
- Jobs in Esports
- Glassdoor
- Indeed
It's a good idea to be on the lookout for work in general. Attempt to establish a habit of checking once a day or once a week. It may be difficult to remain motivated during this time, but if you keep working hard and talking to people, opportunities will present themselves.
Internships are also a fantastic alternative, but before applying, be clear about the amount of time you are willing to work and your pay expectations.
Salaries vary dramatically depending on the job. Take a look at the individual job positions listed above for further information, including possible pay information.
read also: World's Greatest Esports Teams
6. Pursue a career in education.
Educational institutions are catching on to the growing popularity of esports employment across the globe.
Many schools and universities in North America currently provide esports scholarships, and more UK colleges and universities are incorporating esports into their curricula or providing separate esports courses.
It's worth mentioning that this is still a developing and mostly untested field; many of these courses are brand new, and you'll need to factor in the expense of attendance.