Top 5 Takeaways From Speaking at CSULB

TL;DR: This past weekend, I spoke at California State University Long Beach’s esports convention, and now I've got thoughts; here’s the unfiltered breakdown.

I had the privilege of joining a fantastic group of talented panelists with wildly diverse backgrounds in gaming and esports. Our nearly two-hour Industry Panel was focused on sharing real talk and tangible advice about breaking into gaming, esports, and social media careers. And honestly? I learned just as much from the other panelists as the students did.

With that said, here are the top five takeaways from this panel (plus a few bonus nuggets, because I’m feeling generous):

1. Celebrate Your Wins; Big, Small, ALL of Them

One of the other panelists said if she could tell her younger self anything, it’d be to take time to actually celebrate her achievements. When she said that, I literally felt that in my soul. I’ve definitely struggled with imposter syndrome over the years, constantly chasing "what’s next" without pausing to acknowledge what I've accomplished. But seriously, slow down for two seconds, and celebrate your wins; no matter how small they feel.

2. Authenticity Over Everything

During the panel, I was asked what helped me stand out when I interviewed at Riot Games (shameless flex incoming). My answer was pretty simple: experience, personal brand, and being genuinely myself. Authenticity is your competitive advantage. Hiring managers and teams want to work with you; not the corporate-filtered version you think they want. Trust me on this one.

3. Failure Isn’t That Deep; Embrace It

Let’s get real for a second: I’ve started (and spectacularly failed at) something like 10-12 businesses over the last decade. Yes, that’s a real number. And guess what? It was worth it every single time. Failure sucks, rejection stings, but you literally can’t succeed without risking both. What's the worst-case scenario anyway? You learn something new?

4. Your Career Starts Way Before Graduation

If you’re waiting until graduation to "officially start your career," you’re missing a huge opportunity. I see it constantly; students underestimate what they can accomplish now. Join your campus esports team, run their socials, create content, or heck, launch something entirely new. My own college experience building up UTD’s esports program directly led me to opportunities at Evil Geniuses, OpTic Gaming, Complexity, and Riot Games. Your career starts whenever you decide to start it.

5. Seriously, Enjoy the Present

I’m calling myself out here; I’ve spent way too much time obsessing over the next big milestone and not nearly enough enjoying the present. During undergrad, I wish I’d slowed down just a bit more to appreciate what was happening around me. Future plans are exciting, but your life happens now, not just when you check off the next goal. Don't miss it.

Bonus Advice (Because Who Doesn’t Love Freebies?):

• Stay Curious.
  If you’re interested, explore it. My early curiosity led me from coding Minecraft plugins at 14 to running social strategy for esports. Curiosity opens doors, trust me.

• Advocate For Yourself (Because No One Else Will).
  You’re more than your job title or your resume. Practice talking about yourself confidently. Seriously, brag a little; you’ve earned it.

• Actually Use LinkedIn (Yes, Seriously).
  I know people think LinkedIn is dry, but it’s only boring if you let it be boring. Curate your network, slide into some professional DMs (respectfully), and actually leverage it. It’s free; take advantage.

• Being a Student is a Cheat Code.
  Here’s a simple script to message professionals you admire:

You'd be shocked how many busy professionals actually respond.

• Google & ChatGPT Are Your Friends.
  I use ChatGPT daily, like, seriously daily, for work (shoutout Riot’s enterprise license) and personal life. Stop sleeping on the power of AI and Google. Free resources everywhere, people.

• Polite Stalking (Don’t @ Me).
  Obviously, I’m not talking about real stalking. But professional “polite stalking”? Absolutely essential. Research LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube; whatever. Know your interviewer, your potential colleagues, and industry leaders. Preparation never goes unnoticed.

• Rejection is Redirection.
  Rejection stings, no sugar-coating that. But every rejection redirects you to something better. Case in point: I got rejected from Microsoft and Xbox Studios a week before Riot Games gave me an offer. Trust the process (even when it sucks).

Yes, I wrote this at 4 AM because insomnia and inspiration seem to love each other's company. But honestly, I needed to get this out while it was fresh.

If you enjoyed this real talk or found it valuable, subscribe (it’s free), and feel free to share it with your friends who might need a little career pep talk.

Questions, comments, or want a virtual coffee chat? Reply and let’s talk.

Cheers,
Eric Aaberg

P.S. I’m turning this series into short-form video content soon, so keep an eye out on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts.