My undergraduate career is coming to an end. This means I have to jump into the real world. By real world, I mean looking for a career. The problem is, that UCF is a gigantic school with an equally massive graduating class. This does not take into account competition in my respective field from all over the world as well.

I am a Writing and Rhetoric Student. There are many writers in the world and thus I must do something to stand out. Living in a world where people are coming up with new and creative ways to do just that makes this process difficult. But thanks to the advice of a professor who I hold the opinions of in very high regard, I have found a solution: Emphasis on my Dungeon Master experiences.

Before I explain why I need to bring context to what Dungeons and Dragons is. This is because the role of a Dungeon Master is best explained within that context. Dungeons and Dragons is a popular Tabletop Game that has created numerous fantasy tropes and spawned many similar games in such a transmedia way, that saying it is one of the most important pieces of fantasy fiction is no exaggeration. Players roll dice to determine the success and failure of their actions. However, to ensure that this game does not become a disorganized mess, a Dungeon Master steps up to the plate.

The Dungeon Master is the Alpha and the Omega in a Dungeons and Dragons session. This person's job is to keep order as well as entertain the other players. A Dungeon Master is responsible for storytelling, controlling any other character the other players come in contact with and making the game world as convincing as possible. A skilled Dungeon Master makes a Dungeons and Dragons Game that much more fun, while a terrible one can ruin the entire experience.

But one must ask what any of this has to do with getting a job? From my description so far, it would seem that putting Dungeon Master as a skill on my résumé accomplishes little more than taking up space. And in an age where that extra filler content can prove fatal, this does not seem wise. However, dig deeper, and the reason becomes more obvious.

For one, being a Dungeon Master requires organization skills of the highest level. If the one running the game has no idea what is happening, then none of the other players will either. This individual also needs to have high social skills. To keep the other players engaged and make sure that no one is left out is a requirement of a good Dungeon Master. Another important skill is adaptability. In Dungeons and Dragons, a Dungeon Master could have a perfectly set up story that the other players will not even notice. It is a Dungeon Master's job to either restore focus or create something new right then and there. This ability to seamlessly adapt and make it so the others never even noticed is what makes a great Dungeon Master.

After reading the job description for a Dungeon Master, one is left with two impressions: that this sounds like a customer service person or human resources job description for one. The second point is how difficult being a skilled Dungeon Master is. Keeping a game going is itself an incredible feat. As of the time of this post, I have managed a Dungeons and Dragons Campaign for more than eleven weeks. Thanks to the portfolio that will accompany any résumé I send out, I can tangibly prove this.

It is rare that something I have elected to do for leisure time has the potential to help so dramatically in my life. But emphasizing that in my spare time, I constantly make use of skills that are required for upper management, helps me stand out from other writers.

But that is not all. Remember, I am looking for jobs in the writing field. A Dungeon Master is required to be a storyteller. Storytelling is a hallmark of skilled writing. Considering what I am capable of creating without any direction, companies will certainly take an interest in what I am capable of when given deadlines and tangible goals. Goals that coincide with a companies overall purpose.

Setting myself apart is key to me succeeding once I leave school. This is an issue that many people struggle with. The revelations that I can put what I do in my spare time on my résumé to truly stand out are huge. It makes me wonder what other aspects of my life I can use to showcase myself. I wonder how I can sell myself even better today and tomorrow.