A very interesting twitter thread from twitter user @NotSoLittleC with some good Advices on how to get a job in the games industry.
We have been recolecting some interesting threads on twitter that we consider to have a lot of knowledge that should be saved and shared with the maximum number of game developers. the previous one was about Top 5 game development learnings from attending game conference.
Original twitter thread:how to get a job in the games industry
Edited Twitter Thread: how to get a job in the games industry
I’ ve had a few people dm me asking how I got the job at blizzard, and i have some thoughts i wanted to jot down in case someone else finds them helpful!
gonna be talking portfolio, resume, socials, interviews, etc.
🚨first and foremost!!🚨 these are things I have always done for job applications/interviews and I find a lot of success but they are JUST ideas, not rules or facts. try to absorb as many different approaches from different types of people and find what works for you 💚
so Blizzard actually originally reached out to me, which brings onto the importance of having your portfolio up-to-date and accessible! all of my socials have the same picture, name, contact info, etc. and its all linked together too! to make contacting me crystal clear 🖼
further to that, when youre making a portfolio. find the style of work that you like and want to make, and chances are, a studio making that kind of thing could see it? you’ve already answered a question from the get go of “can this person do this job?” YES you can 🎉
if its personal work, then just make sure you have high resolution/high fps videos, gifs, turnarounds, wireframes, textures, sculpts, everything, show your work, process of how it’s made, etc.
if its collab work, call-out specifically what you did in the work they can see!
Another point about this, is that *during* the interview process, because I have put a lot of effort into being engaged with the gamedev community, some people actually recognised seeing my name online which is WILD but goes to show that it can help!!! ✨
After they contacted me, i was very up front right from the get-go what i needed. i am v fortunate to be in the position i was, but theres no point going down a path youre never realistically gonna accept (salary, working location, etc.) so just be honest.
CV time!
this is my cv. i like it. a lot of people will have opinions on this. this is just mine.
most importantly: consider the HIERACHY OF INFORMATION! what do they need to know first? if its work, work goes first. if you havent worked yet, education and skills, etc.
– no more than 2 PAGES under any circumstances!!!
– dont use skill matrixes (this is from a presentation I made last year about how to make yourself more employable, that I will link here:
After all that admin nonsense, i got through to interview. first stage was just meeting with the Lead and Art Director, getting to know each other. try to relax! this is usually pretty casual, not a technical test. Just learning about each other and the project! ✌
The Tests
then I was asked to do an art test! I actually didnt mind doing one, because Ive never done an art test before and thought it was a good challenge for me. I’m not gonna get into art test ethics. 🎨
Here is a thread where i broke down the art test:
After this! I had 2nd stage, meeting with some of the VFX team. Now a little bit more in-depth questions. about myself, why do i want to work here? why am i leaving my current situation? what do i like about the project? what would I change? what’s a day in my job look like? etc.
i have only *one* piece of advice about interviews, and it’s to tell yourself OUT-LOUD, repeating:
“I’m not nervous. I’m excited”
This is just a trick from stage acting. you can absolutely re-frame your nerves as excitement. your brain is dumb. give it a try.
NOW the big-boi interview!
The interview
This was 3 x 1.5 hour interviews back to back, where I met 2 people at a time. this is a bunch of people from different departments (tech art, character, animation, vfx, etc.) all just trying to get a sense of what you’re like to work with.
BE NICE. be approachable! be interested! talk about your work, and also talk about your personal life? what do you do outside of work? ask questions? be genuine! don’t just ask questions for the sake of it, you should really care. its your chance to investigate! 🎉
i always like to ask “What has the company done in the last year that makes you feel valued as an individual?” – for me, this opens up a lot of conversations. they could say ANYTHING and you get to know the people and the company much better!
beyond that, it was an offer, negotiation, contracts, signing etc.etc.
but that’s pretty much it! there’s not really a secret to any of this, but thought i’d illuminate on it for anyone interviewing anywhere really! 💚
lastly, i do want to mention about the fact that I cant deny the privilege of being a cis white man and the effect that can have on employment, hiring processes, etc. i dont want to pretend that everyone’s experiences are going to be identical, no matter how much I hope they are
this is just an account of the experience that I have, and what has worked for me personally but there are many things you may want to do differently, or tune for yourself and the way that you approach things socially or professionally!
Originally tweeted by Chris Sayers (He/Him) (@NotSoLittleC) on October 28, 2022.
