Jobs in UAE: How the game can help you find your first job – News

Research Commissioned by YouTube Offers Some Interesting Insights About Hiring Young Job Seekers

Gaming is helping young UAE workers find their first job, as 80% of employers say they are more likely to hire candidates who are gamers and have a good set of problem-solving skills.

A study commissioned by YouTube and conducted by Censuswide found that recruiters rated communication, problem-solving and staying calm under pressure as the most useful skills when recruiting Gen Z or entry-level workers.

Generation Z refers to those born between 1996 and 2012—the generation that started entering the workforce.

Rima Al Osta, a gamer living in the United Arab Emirates, says YouTube has made her more confident, authentic and less shy. She added that the game has developed her quick reflexes — which helps her on her content creation journey and engagement with her audience.

The survey found that a majority (63%) of Gen Z gamers in the UAE say gaming gives them the confidence to solve problems in the world of work. And 40% would emphasize it in an interview or resume.

Interestingly, a recent survey by ResumeBuilder in the US revealed other aspects of Gen Z employees. According to the survey, 49% of managers find it difficult to work with Gen Z, while 79% claim they are the most difficult generation in the workplace. Some 59 percent of employers said they had to lay off Gen Z employees, and 20 percent did so within their first week on the job.

Hays Middle East Business Director Jeron van den Elshout says skills learned from games can be applied in many professional settings.

“With limited hands-on experience, highlighting transferable skills acquired through gaming can differentiate Gen Z applicants from other candidates. For example, Gen Z gamers can demonstrate relevant accomplishments such as high rankings or wins in competitive gaming tournaments. Awards. They can relate their gaming experience to specific skills needed for the job by describing how the game taught them to think creatively, handle stress and work collaboratively,” he said.

Matt Barr, a senior lecturer and associate professor at the University of Glasgow, said games can help players learn how to cope with stress and change strategies on the fly.

“We’ll see how new strategies might be implemented, and we’ll learn something that we can bring back to our own gameplay,” said Barr, author of “Graduate Skills and Game-Based Learning.”

“Smart gamers can see the parallels between what they’re doing in the game and what they might have to do at work or at university or college, and believe they have the tools to succeed because they’ve already done it. Some things are similar to their favorite games,” said Dr Matt Barr, Senior Lecturer in Computational Science at the University of Glasgow in Scotland.