As mentioned previously, I was on a recent panel discussing the popular topic: “How to get a job in the videogame industry.” The session was well attended and I had fun taking part (thanks to all involved!). Since there’s already a nice write up on the event here, I’m going to focus the rest of this post on the topic itself…

Helping people get game jobs is an important subject at Powerhead, as we’re in a growth “phase” (phase = most of the last three years). We spend a lot of time looking for “fresh meat” and have some advice to offer to offer. (If you read nothing else in this article, the short version is: DIY. Make cool stuff, show it off, and don’t give up.) That said, we certainly haven’t seen it all. So, to prepare for the panel, I recently took a look at what the rest of the internet had to say on the subject:

“How To Get A Job in the Game Industry”
“Game Industry Job Resources”
“Game Industry Careers”
“Game Industry Resume”

This won’t be a surprise, but there’s a lot of information out there. Some of it is even useful. If you’re looking to break into the videogame industry, I suggest reading as much as you can. (At the end of this article, I’ll highlight a few individual links worth checking out, but I recommend browsing the searches too.) It’s interesting to note that many of the articles have similar themes, alliterated ahead:

Proficiency

Playing games is not enough. Whatever job you are applying for, even game tester, will require more tangible skills. Some are obvious. For example: programmers need to know how to write good code (I can’t believe I’m not charging for this advice!); and almost all artists need to know how to realize their visions in popular commercial 3D packages. Ideally, applying artists should also know about the technical constraints of different game systems – that is, getting a character up and dancing on the DS is a lot different than on an Xbox.

Some skills nearly as important, but not as obvious, revolve around working with teams. The ability to communicate is vital (please proofread your resumes!) Also helpful, but not as critical, is being able to answer questions such as: Do you have experience making and hitting deadlines as part of a group? Do you know what version control software is?

To impress would-be employers, you need to show off your skills. The best way to demonstrate your ability to make quality art for games is to show the game art you’ve already made, which leads to…

Passion

We’re looking to hire people who want to make games. You know who you are.

If you’re passionate about making games, you’ve probably already tried to make your own game. This is great, because the best way to learn how to make games is… to make games! Make a mod by yourself or, even better, with friends; take a class where the final is an up-and-running game. (They have those now! We live in amazing times.) There are lots of game engines available for hobbyists and students. If you’re trying to get a job at a particular company, learn what software they use. Want to work on Gears of War IV? It turns out the company that makes that game, Epic, distributes their tools along with some of their games! Buy Unreal Tournament for the PC and learn the included Unreal Editor. Want to make DS games? Check out the homebrew scene and make your own small scale (and free!) game. When all is compiled and done, you’ll not only have a game you made, but a demo you can show to employers. Please remember, we are lazy busy people who want to make simple decisions. Seeing a cool demo that shows your passion and proficiency makes our day more fun easier.

Persistence

There are a couple of people working here who were hired after the third or fourth submission of their resume. It’s not because we lowered our standards… sometimes resumes slip through the cracks for whatever reason. Human Resources departments will use old school culling methods: “How many resumes do we have to go through? I can’t read all that… throw out the top half.” It’s not you, really. Keep trying until you get a no. Smaller companies, such as us, simply do not have the manpower to respond to every resume we receive. It doesn’t mean we hate you. Usually.

A classic example of enthusiasm is this famous cosplaying for a job. But, please, do not stalk. It’s creepy, and could possibly project your passion and persistence as psychopathy. We made the mistake of hiring a walk-in a couple of years ago. He worked well for a week, but then vanished, only to reappear months later, emailing from another state to let us know he had decided to “look for himself.” More power to him, and lesson learned for us.

Presentation

For artists (paraphrasing Mike Capps), no one wants to see your early work. We don’t need to understand how your art has grown. Companies will look at hundreds of resumes to fill one position. First impressions are important. Make sure you don’t give us a reason to say no right away.

Prepare for the interview

(That’s the last “P”. Promise.)
Have a clean resume. Keep it to one page if you can.

Make sure your demos, samples, mods, etc. are ready to go. Bring a flash card or CD that allows as close to a “one button play” as possible. Don’t assume the interviewer will have the time to get your game running.

Dress appropriately. Dress codes at games companies can be lax, but you haven’t gotten the job yet. Most companies probably don’t want to see you in a suit and tie, but leave the cargo shorts at home. (However, please wear pants or similar attire. Do not arrive in your Underoos.)

Here are some of the more useful links I found with a few notes from me. I reserve the right to edit this as needed.
Primers:
http://www.igda.org/breakingin/
http://www.gamedev.net/reference/start_here/
These are both great places to start.

Though dated, Ernest Adams wrote a good “getting started” guide:
http://www.gamasutra.com/features/game_design/19981211/get_started1.htm
I would add the landscape of collegiate game development classes has changed significantly since this article was published. (See “Study” below.) But Ernest does a good job of breaking up the advice based on “where you are.” That is, separate advice for students in Junior High, High School, College, etc.

Find out what companies are near you, and see if they’re hiring!
http://www.gamedevmap.com/
Every game company has a job page, for example.

Study:
More and more colleges are adding courses and programs devoted to games.
http://www.gamedev.net/reference/list.asp?categoryid=77
www.fullsail.com
www.digipen.com

Finally, Cliff Bleszinski (a/k/a Cliffyb) wrote this nice, vintage but useful piece: http://www.cliffyb.com/rants/how-to-get-hired.shtml
Good luck.