Just when we thought we’d done it… Everything was going so well. We’d grown up. We’d got jobs. We were functioning adults with responsibilities and aspirations.

Then, boom! WoW Classic.

It’s the revival of World of Warcraft in its original form, first released in 2004, and it’s been wildly successful. It has seen thousands upon thousands of players, who haven’t played the game in years, dusting off their keyboards and renewing their subscriptions. And if you’re anything like me, you’ve probably spent more time in Azeroth recently than you’d like to admit.

But! – before we spiral completely out of control and find ourselves moving back into the box bedroom at our parents’ house, let’s look at what we can learn from WoW Classic that we can apply to our working life.

There’s Nothing Wrong With Asking For Help

WoW Classic is hard. There’s no two-ways about it. One second you’re enjoying an afternoon of leisurely questing, then one wrong step and you’re getting smashed to bits by murlocs – lots and lots of angry murlocs.

However, because of this, there is a real sense of community. You will need to work with other players to achieve certain things in the game. And the same can be said for your career goals too.

‘No man (or woman) is an island’, as the saying goes, and you really don’t need to be. There will always be people that are a higher level than you; that have more experience in your sector.

Reach out to them – perhaps find a mentor. A lot of people (not all, but this is the same in WoW, to be honest) will be happy to advise and help you where they can. This is a highly valuable resource that will help you to achieve more in your career – don’t waste it.

Have The Right Blend Of Skills For Your Role

One of the most interesting aspects of WoW Classic, for me anyway, is the talent system. Split across three different specialisations, players are able to allocate one point, each time they level up, into a talent of their choice. These talents will, bit by bit, result in the character becoming stronger and more effective.

However, the complexity of the talent tree means that your end result will often be quite complex; your own blend of talents which complements the way you like to play the game.

In a career sense, we could also adopt this talent tree approach. You can’t get by with one specialism alone. You will always need supporting skills to help you get by. So, to give an example, while you may put most of your talent points into Software Development, don’t forget to put some in your Communication tree too.

By being self-aware of your own unique career play-style, and what is required of you in your role, you will be able to create a blend of critical skills that will help power you through to top level.

Prioritise Your Objectives

Let me set the scene. You’re in the Barrens. Your quest journal is nearly full. You have so much to do, but where do you start? Well, there are a few things to bear in mind:

Are you a high enough level? – If you aren’t strong enough (or in a career sense, don’t have the skills) to complete a task, it may be worth waiting a while before you attempt it. That is, of course, unless you have a higher-level friend who is willing to give you a hand.

– If you aren’t strong enough (or in a career sense, don’t have the skills) to complete a task, it may be worth waiting a while before you attempt it. That is, of course, unless you have a higher-level friend who is willing to give you a hand. Where on the map is it? – It’s always worthwhile doing quests (or work objectives) in a logical manner. In the same way that it makes sense to do all of the quests in a certain area in one go, you will save time and effort by applying the same kind of thought to your career goals.

– It’s always worthwhile doing quests (or work objectives) in a logical manner. In the same way that it makes sense to do all of the quests in a certain area in one go, you will save time and effort by applying the same kind of thought to your career goals. What is the reward? – A factor that may sway your decision is this: which quest will you get the best rewards (or results) from? By prioritising high-reward quests first, you may receive items that will help you later down the line. Can the same be said for your career goals?

Want to learn how to better plan your career objectives? Take a look at our guide to effective career planning. (No World of Warcraft insights to be found there though, unfortunately!)

You Need To Work Hard To Reach Your Goals

There’s no denying it: reaching level 60 on WoW Classic is a bit of a graft. By the time you get there, you will have undoubtedly sunk close to 100 hours into the game – if not more. However, if you persevere, work through your quests and remain consistent, you will inevitably reach the top level.

And the same applies to our career goals. Setting targets (or quests, if you will), and working through the objectives will, inevitably, achieve results. However, the reward is more likely to be a £2,000 pay rise or promotion, rather than a +6 stamina cloak.

So get out there and use these valuable lessons in your career. But feel to free to set aside some time for gaming too because, I mean, when was the last time you shot a lightning bolt at an ogre in the office?

Lok’tar Ogar!

Are you an junior or mid-level IT professional? Would you like to learn more about how you can boost your career prospects?