How do you plan your esports career development?

1 Assess your skills and goals

The first step in planning your esports career development is to assess your current skills and goals. What games are you good at and enjoy playing? What level of competition do you aspire to reach? What are your strengths and weaknesses as a player? How much time and resources can you dedicate to practice and training? These questions will help you identify your starting point and your desired destination.

2 Choose your path and niche

The next step in planning your esports career development is to choose your path and niche. There are different paths and niches in esports, such as joining a team, becoming a solo player, streaming, coaching, or creating content. Each path and niche has its own advantages and disadvantages, as well as different requirements and opportunities. You need to research the market, the trends, the demand, and the competition for each path and niche, and decide which one suits your skills, goals, and personality.

3 Build your brand and network

The third step in planning your esports career development is to build your brand and network. Your brand is how you present yourself to the esports community and the potential employers, sponsors, and fans. Your network is the people you connect with and collaborate with in the esports industry. You need to create a professional and consistent online presence, showcase your skills and achievements, engage with your audience, and reach out to other players, teams, organizations, and influencers.

4 Improve your performance and portfolio

The fourth step in planning your esports career development is to improve your performance and portfolio. Your performance is how well you play and compete in your chosen game and path. Your portfolio is the evidence of your performance, such as your rankings, stats, videos, awards, and testimonials. You need to practice regularly, learn from feedback, study the meta, and participate in tournaments and events. You also need to document and highlight your performance and portfolio, and update them frequently.

5 Negotiate your contracts and rights

The fifth step in planning your esports career development is to negotiate your contracts and rights. Contracts and rights are the legal agreements that define your relationship with your team, organization, sponsor, or platform. They cover aspects such as salary, benefits, obligations, duration, termination, and ownership. You need to understand the terms and conditions of your contracts and rights, and negotiate them to your advantage. You also need to protect yourself from exploitation, abuse, or fraud.

6 Adapt and evolve

The sixth step in planning your esports career development is to adapt and evolve. Esports is a fast-changing and unpredictable industry that can offer new challenges and opportunities at any time. You need to be flexible and resilient, and ready to adjust your plan and strategy according to the market, the game, the competition, and your personal situation. You also need to keep learning, growing, and innovating, and never stop pursuing your passion and potential.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?