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Can SL skills be used in a RL career?


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I worked as a systems administrator at an ISP for a few years and then slowly moved into building websites.  Since opening a store in SL, I find that more than anything else, I love the aspect of creating textures, building and working with 3d programs. I'm still not very far into 3d programs yet, but I am hoping to advance. Basically, I have invested a lot of time improving my photoshop skills, learning sculpting, etc.  

My question is, in what kind of RL job can I apply these skills? I would love to live just on what I earn from my store, but I don't see that happening anytime soon and I am losing interest in my current job (which doesn't pay very well either).  I have a bachelors degree, but no specialized classes in this field.  Does anybody know in what kind of field I might want to look?  Thanks for any suggestions!  :)

 

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adriannesuz McMinnar wrote:

My question is, in what kind of RL job can I apply these skills?

I suppose the skills you learn can be helpful in a number of fields, but you can't really put that on a resume.  You'd do better spending the time you put into SL going to school for something you'd really be interested in doing.

...Dres

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While I doubt any non-specialist job will specify experience in SL as a requirement/benefit there are several skills that are used here that are just as useful in RL.  They're pretty obvious:

  • Texture/clothing/etc. -> graphic design
  • Photography/machinima -> screenplays, shorts, animations
  • Scripting -> programming
  • Hosting -> customer service
  • DJ -> DJ

It's probably not something to shout about for most of us but if someone has been running a complex of sims, organising land-agents, club-hosts, entertainers, event-schedules, etc. etc. then there are likely to be an awful lot of soft-skills there that are applicable to almost any RL job.

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Well, I tried a spot of pole-dancing in real-life, to earn a bob or two extra, but the punters were not impressed by me standing there shaking my bum a bit, whilst announcing, "Me is hanging head-down, whilst I wrap my sensuous legs around the pole, only to slide to the ground, do a cartwheel, and land at your feet, thighs wide apart, gaze with my heavy-lidded eyes into yours, and move finally into the splits".

 

PS CAD, maybe? For engineering, architecture and the like? I'd have thought that the skills were similar.

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I joined SL when I was in college studying what was essentially a Comp Sci qualification. After a while in SL the scripting bug bit me and I got into working with clients to produce custom scripts. Most of the time I explained my RL studies and they were happy to help by treating me like a professional, and basically with their help I got pretty good at customer-relations, time management and a bunch of secondary (professional) skills that would be useful to me once I was finished with my studies.

Fast-forward a few years and I attended a job interview at a small company who were looking for an IT Pro in multiple areas. They asked me pretty quickly if I had experience of what's known as a '3-level' commerce website or had any experience in sales. I was quickly able to show them a website I'd built for use within SL that shows category and product information about virtual products, and demonstrate how I'd used time management and other skills to build a reasonable 'trading reputation' during an extended period of unemployment. They were beyond impressed.

Without SL I wouldn't have been able to keep my skills 'sharp' (while unemployed) and have actual, practical experience at business/professional relationships. It was totally and utterly invaluable in getting me what has been my 'dream job' thus far. :D

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Thanks!! :D

I do feel like I've accomplished a lot, I've been working now for 18 months and it's going really well. But I absolutely couldn't have done it without those clients and friends who were willing to entertain me while I chatted to them endlessly about design documentation and scribbled out user manuals at 4am before heading to class. I wouldn't want to name them here (unless people want to know?) but they do know who they are.

I mostly just want to show that professional skills are a lot more than printed qualifications, and there's tonnes and tonnes of  'soft skills' (people-moving, management, finances, etiquette, business standards) that can be practiced and fine-tuned in SL to improve employability. At the very least it's common for SL to improve confidence and interpersonal-communication skills.

For me, SL provided the 'experience' my employers wanted while my RL studies provided the paperwork.

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Customer service jobs, fashion design, architecture, music, media, the list of possibilities is long.

Membership in SL, offers all Residents the opportunity to showcase their individuality, sense of fashion and style.

It takes time, energy and most importantly, personal initiative to create a success in SL. A Resident's dedication to a task or pursuit in SL may be representative of their personal drive outside of SL.

If given resources; how does this person command them and does the benefit of their product(ion) warrant additional resources.

My advice on bored at work is, some pay is better than no pay.   

  

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