idealpeople blog

We were delighted to be invited along to Liverpool John Moores University this week to give some job-seeking advice to students who would be looking to break into the Games Industry.

For those lucky enough to be there, we’ve made the presentation we used available for download from here.

For those who weren’t, here’s a very brief synopsis of the advice we offer people looking to break into the industry.

1 Some Context
You may not know that, according to one of the major on-line Recruitment websites, there are currently some 330 job opportunities being advertised in the Games industry. This sounds like great news - however, a brief glance at the same site’s CV database shows that there are a cool 3,870 jobseekers currently looking for a job in the industry. In other words, there’s 12 times as many candidates as there are jobs - meaning that for every graduate who makes into the industry, there’s 11 who won’t.

Faced with such competition, it’s important to get your job-seeking strategy right if you’re to have any chance of success.

2 How NOT to do it and why
Most people, particularly those working in the technology industry, when faced with trying to find their first job, will start by writing a (very generic) CV and sticking it up on Monster.com or (if they’re really adventurous) every single recruitment site in the world.

There is some (albeit quite small) prudence in this, although the truth is

a) everyone else is doing it, and
b) it more than likely won’t work and won’t get you noticed

If you do succeed in getting a job this way, you have a 1 in 12 chance of it being a job in games, and an 11 in 12 chance of it being a job that, frankly, you didn’t really want but accepted it anyway because you needed the money. Dream over.

3 How to do it
We can’t wave a magic wand, but we can give you some advice to improve your chances of making sure that you are part of the 1 in 12.

Get your “framing” right
Spend time on a demo (if you’re a budding developer) or a showreel/portfolio (if you’re a budding artist/animator). Remember that most games publishers are interested in examples far more than they are your CV - and those examples need to highlight your creativity and passion.

Your CV is important too - and should be full of measurable fact and benefits. For more information, see our CV tips here and here.

Get yourself on-line
Once you’ve put together your demo/portfolio/showreel/CV package, get in on-line on your own website. Even if you have no Web Development skills, it’s either a great excuse to learn or there are plenty of hosted, fully supported solutions out there. This makes it easier fo you to show your showreel off (all you need to do is provide a link, and particularly savvy recruiters and hirers will be able to find you easily.

Work with one agent able to offer you the benefits of a big network, better contacts and industry expertise
The perception of the Recruitment Industry is mixed - and often (perhaps even fairly), recruiters are accused of not knowing what they’re talking about, messing candidates around and being interested only in their commission.

A good recruiter will be able to:

- Assess the quality and relevance of your CV and showreel/portfolio/demo before you put it in front of potential hirers
- Make sure that you are being sold in the best way possible
- Put your CV in front of the right people

On the flipside, be careful of making relationships with too many recruiters, and always demand that any agent tells you exactly where your CV is going before you consent to it being sent. Distributing your personal details without permission is illegal and could seriously harm your chances if your CV ends up on the same person’s desk four times, without you knowing.

Treat every interview like an exam
Preperation is key for success in interviews, particularly for positions where competition is high. The best candidate is not guaranteed to get the job - but the best prepared is. Research the company, their products and be sure to use the interview as your chance to find out what the company are like as an employer.

For more tips, get in touch with Patrick Kennedy, our Principal Games Consultant, here.