What recruiters need to know about esports fans

For some brands, marketing in the esports space is as much about brand awareness as it is about recruiting new talent in a challenging labor market.

As companies – especially tech firms – compete for talent, YouGov data sheds some light on what kind of jobs esports fans have now, how likely they are to leave, and what may persuade them to do so.

First, some good news for would-be employers. By a wide margin, esports fans are more likely to be in the market for a new job in the next 12 months. In fact, seven in ten are very likely, likely, or somewhat likely to be on the hunt for a new opportunity this year (70% vs. 44% of US adults).

However, here is the challenge for recruiters. Nearly three in ten esports fans say they love their current job (28% vs. 16% of US adults). While that may make it harder to attract talent, a notable proportion of this group, 16%, say of their job that it’s only okay, which is also slightly higher than the general population (12%).

What kind of work and responsibilities do esports fans have? They are more likely to be managing directors (6% vs. 2% of US adults), business owners themselves (8% vs. 5%) and chief executives (4% vs 1%).

YouGov Profiles data shows what kind of perks this workforce is looking for in a dream job. Yes, a lot of money is the top aspect of a dream job, but they are less likely than the general public to prioritize salary. This group of esports fans are twice as likely as the general public to be looking for variety in the projects they work on (22% vs. 11%). They are also keen to be learning a new skill (22% vs. 15%) and interact with more people (15% vs. 8%).

Finally, YouGov BrandIndex reveals the proportion of esports fans who would be proud to work for a brand, which is reflected in its Reputation score. Nintendo comes out on top, with 52% of esports fans indicating they would be proud to work for the brand, followed by Sony Entertainment (43%), Microsoft Studios (38%), Steam (37%) and EA Sports (36%).

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Methodology: YouGov Profiles is based on continuously collected data and rolling surveys, rather than from a single limited questionnaire. Profiles data is nationally representative and weighted by age, gender, education, region, and race. Learn more about Profiles.