Multiplayer Gaming Experience Beefs Up Job Credentials

world of warcraft box art from wikipedia.org

“Multiplayer games may be the best kind of training.”

This is the gist of a Wired Magazine article written by John Seely Brown and Douglas Thomas, interestingly titled You Play World of Warcraft? You’re Hired!.

So who says gaming’s only for dorks and awkward bums? Vast experience in the world’s biggest MMORPG (see related article at WoW Gold Source) helped this guy land a lucrative job at Yahoo!:

In late 2004, Stephen Gillett was in the running for a choice job at Yahoo! — a senior management position in engineering. He was a strong contender…But he had an additional qualification his prospective employer wasn’t aware of, one that gave him a decisive edge: He was one of the top guild masters in the online role-playing game World of Warcraft.

Yours truly is envious. The article’s writers point out a couple of advantages to playing multiplayer games:

  • The virtual environments of MMORPGs are safe platforms for trial and error, and thus an excellent venue for learning by experience.
  • An effective guild master in games such as World of Warcraft undergoes quite a crash course in leadership, earning skills that can be used in real-life managerial positions.

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5 Responses to “Multiplayer Gaming Experience Beefs Up Job Credentials”

  1. WoW Guild Master Lands Lucrative Job at Yahoo! » WoW Gold Source Says:

    [...] April 2006 Recent Comments Multiplayer Gaming Experience Beefs Up Job Credentials » Crimson Crux on WoW is the biggest MMOG, so farWoW Gold Price Graph » WoW Gold Source on WoW Gold’s Equivalent in US Dollars!China’s online gamers to surpass Korea » WoW Gold Source on China’s millions flock to World of WarcraftAnonymous on China’s millions flock to World of Warcraft [...]

  2. jangelo Says:

    The traditional parent would scold his/her kids for playing games. However, a more forward-looking and progressive parent would view games as learning opportunities and perhaps even prospective income-generating activities in the future.

    These days, games are big business.

  3. Fleeb Says:

    “These days, games are big business.”

    That makes piracy one too :))

  4. Isulong SEOPH (with SEO Comics) » Blog Archive » SEOPH weekend, Free links Says:

    [...] Jim mentioned that “people sending link exchange e-mails tend to use female names.” I actually noticed a similar phenomenon among Ragnarok players here in the Philippines. Ragnarok is an online Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game (MMORPG). There you can select male or female characters. I’ve seen some men actually take on female online personalities and “seduce” other players to give them cool powerful items. So far, it is quite effective. So, it doesn’t surprise that it is also done in the SEO link-exchange world. There are, however, some positive things gained from playing MMORPGs. [...]

  5. Corsarius Says:

    J Angelo, true. But ‘big’ is an understatement! ;)

    Fleeb, unfortunately, that’s right. Where the treasure is, there the pirates go.

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