When we think of esports, most of us jump straight to thinking about the professionals that compete in tournaments for the huge prize pools, but there are actually so many more possible careers in the industry. Thousands of staff members are employed each year to help run various esports organisations and run the big tournaments, so don’t think that you have to be super good at video games to get into the esports industry. There are plenty of roles around, and we’re going to talk about some of the main ones in this article here.
Without further ado, let’s jump into the first one – social media management.
Social Media Manager
Social media is huge nowadays and is the main way that big esports organisations like 100 Thieves, FaZe, and Cloud9 stay in touch with their fanbases and keep them informed on what’s going on. The social media posts don’t make themselves though, which is where the social media manager comes in. In this role, you’re responsible for running all of the organisation’s social media accounts, which seems easy, right?
Well, it’s actually a lot more work than you might think. You need to create regular content for all of the social channels you’re in charge of, you need to come up with campaign strategies, and most of all you need to respond to fans, critics, and just generally be the face of the organisation you’re representing. It can be a tough job, but also extremely rewarding, so if it sounds like something you’d enjoy then consider applying for a role. Just know that social media management roles are very competitive, so good luck!
Event manager
Event managers are crucial for the smooth running of both big and small tournaments, and it’s their job to make sure everything goes as expected. The role is hugely varied and will require you to do all kinds of things from venue management and liaising with production teams to coming up with ideas and solutions on the spot to fix any potential technical issues that arise during tournaments. It’s a high-pressure job that can be stressful at times, but it’s hugely rewarding when things go as planned, so if that sounds like something you could do, then definitely look into it.
Community Manager
This role is very similar to the social media manager role, but with some notable differences. Community managers are responsible for interacting with the community, which involves using social media, but also includes collecting feedback and responding to community questions wherever possible. They also work a lot with PR and marketing teams within organisations to come up with successful marketing campaigns.
The key thing about being a community manager is having a passion for it because if you don’t love what you do, it can get exhausting very quickly because of how much you have to interact with people. If you think you can handle it though, then definitely apply for some community manager roles if you see any, because it can be one of the most enjoyable esports jobs around.
Caster & Host
Caster is another name for a commentator, and if you’re good at public speaking, you’ll likely be really good in this role as it requires a lot of talking. As a caster for a tournament, you’ll be explaining everything that’s going on and keeping viewers engaged throughout the whole experience by bringing the match to life. Your commentary will be the first thing people hear when they join a tournament live stream so it’s important to be confident, positive, and fun.
Hosts on the other hand are responsible for running the main stage, interviewing teams and experts, and keeping energy levels high. The role is much the same as a TV presenter, with some slight differences. As a host, you’ll be on your feet and talking for a significant amount of time at each event, so if you have the energy for that, this could definitely be the role for you.
Journalism
If you’re a big fan of both writing and gaming, then esports journalism could be for you. In this role, you’ll often need to come up with new and engaging topics to write about in the esports space, so having a creative mind is a big bonus. From news stories and opinion pieces to match recaps and interviews, you’ll be doing all kinds of things so be prepared for a lot of variety.
Journalism is also all about forming relationships within the industry to help you stay informed and keep on top of the latest developments. If you’re good at working with people, definitely consider journalism as a potential career.
Coach
Lastly, let’s talk about coaching. If you have knowledge and expertise of a game but don’t think you have what it takes to make it as a player, then coaching could be for you. This role is all about identifying the weaknesses and strengths of players within a team, strategizing, and making sure everyone is playing at their best. The better a team plays, the higher the chance of them winning, so coaching is arguably one of the most important roles in the esports scene.
Different roles exist, such as head coach, strategic coach, and performance coach, and though they have slightly different responsibilities, they’re all there to help the team excel. Coaches are also responsible for organising scrims (i.e. practice matches) against other teams, which is really crucial for success.
Conclusion
There you have it, the end of our guide on getting started with a career in esports. There are so many different paths you can take other than being a professional player, so be sure to have a look around at what’s available. Hitmarker is one of the best websites for esports careers, so we’d highly recommend you check it out for any of the roles we mentioned above if you’re interested.
Thanks for reading, and best of luck in your career.
