Acceptance of gaming in CVs

Max, Åshild and Masoom all think there should be more openness about gaming.

- If it's natural to write in an application about what qualities you acquired through a professional sport like handball, it will also be relevant to include gaming, if it's done at professional level, says Åshild Marie Tveit Walseth, who heads our internship programme and has read over 800 CVs.

Like the Minister of Digitalisation, Åshild thinks it very positive to add gaming to your CV as long as you have it as a genuine interest.

Gamers should stand up and be counted

Job applicants themselves think there should be more openness about gaming so that they can add it to their CVs without the risk of being seen as lonely geeks.

- Especially in the type of work interns do for us, I attach weight to candidates' ability to see the transfer value of their own skills, because I call in candidates from many different backgrounds, including less conventional ones. For me it's important that they're aware of this but also that they have the courage to stand up and be counted.

Only a few years back gaming was more negatively looked upon than it is now.

- I'm happy to see that there's more openness and acceptance for gaming as a learning arena. Many used to regard it as something negative and didn't dare admit that they actually did it professionally.

In an article on Digi.no, Åshild and Minister of Digitalisation Nikolai Astrup describe personal qualities people have use for in gaming that can be transferred to working life.

- I think video games can have huge learning value and lots of good qualities to teach, such as problem-solving, the ability to multitask, the ability to see the overall picture, leadership and project management, the ability to acquire new knowledge and English-language skills, says Åshild.

Max, Åshild and Masoom show how much fun gaming can be.

Even more openness needed

Since the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation published Mats Steen's story, many seem to have gained a new and more positive view of gaming. Masoom and Max work in TietoEvry as a developer and junior consultant. Both of them game at relatively high levels.

Max van Dun had named gaming as one of his hobbies on his CV, but was unsure of whether or not he ought to mention it at all.

- I wasn't sure whether I should mention it at all, since gaming is not always looked on positively.

Max says he wished there could be more openness around gaming so that in future he could feel proud of writing it on his CV.

- If you ask me personally, gaming is exclusively positive. I've brought many experiences from gaming into my work life. The gaming industry has grown dramatically in recent years, and playing computer games has become more usual. That's why I think we should no longer be afraid to write it on our CVs.

Masoom Mahan had also named gaming as one of his hobbies in his CV. Although he didn't focus on it more than that, he believes it was relevant for the job.

- The reason it's on my CV is that I spend a good deal of time on gaming outside work. And it was one of the reasons I became interested in programming and decided to become a developer.'
Both Masoom and Max know what Åshild means when she talks about transfer value from gaming to work. They have acquired many qualities which they have use for every day at work, such as motivation, creativity, planning and cooperation.

- All these qualities are ones most people use positively every day at work, regardless of what their job is. So I think there are many more employers out there who need to look up and see the value of gaming rather than take the negative view that used to be emphasized, says Åshild.