Level Up Real Life Job Skills While Playing Video Games

Playing MMORPGs or Massively Multi-player Role-Playing Games such as World of Warcraft is not a waste of time because you can develop valuable skills that will translate directly into a real life job while having fun.

Level Up Your Typing Speed

When I first started playing Ultima Online, I was a bad typist. I made frequent errors and I could only type 25 words per minute after taking my high school typing class. I tried to talk to other players in-game but was so slow, they walked away before I could even finish a sentence.

As a matter of necessity, I was able to bring my typing speed up to 83 minutes in a few months. After you bring your skill up, you can test for a typing certificate. My resume has always stood out from the competition because I have fast typing speed and it helps keep me employed because I am more productive. For best results, do not abbreviate anything, use good keyboarding techniques and don't take your eyes off the game.

Street Value of Typing Skills: $14.61 hourly, $30,380 annual

Max Out Management and Communication Skills

If you raid and run a guild in World of Warcraft you will need management and speaking skills. You must be able to put together a team of 10-25 players, motivate and lead them through encounters and retain players by producing success after success against demanding end-game bosses and progress to even more difficult encounters. Most WOW raiders use voice programs like Ventrilo or Teamspeak to communicate, so you will have the opportunity to practice making a good impression by speaking to small groups of people.

You need to have the presence and speaking skill to get others to place their confidence in you, cooperate with and respect you to achieve anything as a raid leader. If you don't have good leadership skills you will be stuck screaming "that's a 50 DKP minus!" to get people's attention. Management and communication skills, are the most powerful contributors to real success that you can get from an MMORPG with wages to match.

Street Value of Management Skills: $42.64 hourly, $88,700 annual

Epic Website and Graphic Design Skills

When my friend quit working on my guild's website, I panicked because I didn't know anything about websites. I bought a simple HTML editor and learned on my own how to run my own website by comparing what-you-see-is-what-you-get mode to the HTML code. Based on my success in running a guild webpage, I was able to get a head start in my programming classes in college. Developing your own game web site will save you money and enhance your earning power.

Don't take short cuts like no-programming needed guild website hosts, learn to do it yourself. While your at it, learn the elements of graphic design so your guild website will look good. To get started, learn a good graphics program and practice how to make your screenshots of your latest boss kill dazzle. Have fun adding elements like text and fancy effects, then keep challenging yourself by learning how to do new things like creating banner advertisements and forum signatures to promote your guild. If your really ambitious, you can also practice your marketing skills by promoting your guild on the internet.

Street Value of Web Design Skills: $34.38 hourly, $71,510 annual

Adding all these skills to your resume, helps open doors and woo employers and best of all, you can perfect most of them without having to pay for school. Once you level up your skills make sure to get certified so you can earn real life gold pieces and happy gaming.

Resources: http://online.onetcenter.org/