Breaking Into the Game Industry

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Breaking Into the Game Industry

• By Ernest Adams

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Packaging Yourself as a Professional
What you will need

• Your Resume and Cover Letter
• Your Portfolio or Demo
• A Business Card
• A Professional Website

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Networking Its not what you know Researching a
Company

• The place to start is the companys website for
  the most direct look at the companys products.
  Visit the Jobs or career page most
  companies have one. Go to the Contact Us to
  find out where the company is located. Also check
  out the companys magazine advertisements.

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About Recruiters

• Recruiters are a great resource for
  information about the industry, particularly
  current information like salary ranges and job
  markets in different parts of the country.
  Because their whole job is schmoozing they are
  usually chatty, well informed people, who are
  happy to give you a little of their time and
  advice for nothing.

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How to Schmooze

• To schmooze you have to attend the industry
  events where developers congregate, particularly
  the Game Developers Conference. (March 5-9 in
  Moscone Center, SF)
• If a company is throwing a party at a conference
  or trade show, thats the place to start, because
  thats where the largest concentration of its
  employees will be.
• What you are looking for at a party is a company
  employee who doesnt seem to have anyone to talk
  to at the moment like someone getting food.

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Be Real

• There is an old saying that sincerity is the key
  to success. If you can fake that youve got it
  made.
• Because of its large technical component, game
  development is about performance not
  personalities. For the most part, game
  developers, especially those in the trenches
  building the content, are honest, sincere, direct
  people who tell the truth and expect the same of
  others.

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Your Resume and Cover Letter

• Great resumes are not lists of facts rather
  they are a collection of powerful assertions that
  convince the employer that you have what it takes
  to be successful. Prepare your resume as
  professionally as you can Be truthful.
• From Mary-Margaret.com Resume site

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Resumes (Continued)

• Dont get cute The bottom line is that there is
  no substitute for real content, saying clearly
  and cleanly what you can bring to the job, Spend
  your time polishing your portfolio or demo, not
  ways to make your resume look cool.
• Never Lie, but Always Spin Never, ever tell a
  lie on a resume Dont make up jobs you never had
  dont make up degrees you dont hold. You dont
  lie, but you spin choose to emphasize the things
  that show you in the best light, and eliminate
  anything that doesnt.

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More Suggestions about Resumes

• Include the tools you know as a separate item.
• Revise it as appropriate to match the job.
• Highlight key points with boldface or
  underlining.
• Dont worry about keeping it to one page - This
  is nonsense. If you have relevant experience
  include it.
• Dont include irrelevant material

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Crafting the Cover Letter

• Rewrite it for each company you send it to.
• Dont be arrogant
• The reader is a stranger, and formal politeness
  is called for.
• Use real English words. No shortcuts like u for
  you No d00d-speak. They probably wont get it
  and you want the reader to take you seriously and
  give you an interview.
• Keep it short Half to three-quarters of a page
• Spell- and grammar check everything.

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Building your Portfolio or Demo

• In the game industry they look at your demo or
  portfolio. I cant emphasize this enough. You
  must create a demo or portfolio to break into the
  industry in a skill-based position. At the MIT
  Media Lab, Nicholas Negroponte says Its Demo or
  Die.

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More about Demos

• A self-running demo should show your best work in
  the first three to five minutes, and have the
  best material first.
• A demo that you present in person shouldnt be
  longer than ten minutes, or so.
• Be sure it illustrates and supports your message
• Like your resume, tune your demo for your
  audience.

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How Do You Find Jobs

• Network, network, network
• Read the industry news
• Check company websites, frequently.
• Read job ads in developer magazines and websites.
• Read job ads at job websites.
• Read job ad in newspapers and general media.

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Handling the Interview

• Show up on time
• Bring three or four copies of your resume
• Smile. Be positive. Sit up straight. Shake hands
  and look em straight in the eye. You want to
  seem cheerful but not flippant, sober but not
  dull, well-informed but not a know-it-all,
  confident but not arrogant.

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Who will Interview You?

• Your prospective boss
• Someone from Human ResourcesDont be fooled
  They get a vote!Relate story from Alex St. John
  (Wild Tangent)
• Your prospective bosses boss
• One or more prospective coworkers

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Showing Your Demo or Portfolio

• Rehearse and practice
• Anticipate questions
• Bring your own computer if at all possible.
• Be sure of your gear test it thoroughly!!
• A Rule of Demos is The more important the demo
  is, the more likely it will crash!