NY Post: Video games boost career growth

Love for video games can help a person develop character qualities necessary for career growth, according to the findings of researchers from the University of Houston, which are published in The New York Post, Report informs.

“Online gaming often gets a bad reputation, but our study reveals a different story. We found that gaming can actually help people develop valuable workplace skills,” said University of Houston researcher Melika Shirmohammadi.

“These skills include problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, and even self-confidence. Our research shows that gaming, when done in moderation, can be a way for people to grow both personally and professionally,” Shirmohammadi explained.

The fun findings were published in the journal Human Resource Development International.

The study spent 20 years tracking the habits of 23 gainfully employed gamers dedicated to their consoles.

It aimed to see if there are traits gamers use in the virtual world that inadvertently carry over to their work.

Respondents said that they approached their jobs in the same way they dealt with challenges found in their favorite games.

They lauded their chosen hobby for giving themselves more patience, perseverance, and encouragement.

Others said achievements in video games helped them develop self-confidence that transpired professionally; more said gaming helped their self-awareness regarding their skills in an environment with teammates.

Others have learned leadership, such as one IT specialist in the study.

“I deal with a lot of new people [at work],” the unnamed individual said.

“Since I kind of go out of my way in game to do all the coaching, I’ve become ahead of some of colleagues in explaining how to do certain things [to new employees].”

Shirmohammadi added that her research “reveals how a hobby, as an understudied subdomain of life, could benefit work.”