Chapter 7: How to Get a Job

1. Chapter 7:How to Get a Job

2. Packaging Yourself as a Professional • Resume & cover letter • Portfolio or Demo for development position • Business Card • Remind people who you are • How to contact you • Show creativity, not too gaudy or corny • Professional web site • Omit home address • Consider using “at” instead of @ in email to avoid spam

3. NetworkingIt’s now what you know, but who you know • Where to meet developers • Visit game development web sites • Participate in online forums • Use your real name, shows professionalism • Ask for help, game industry thrives on sharing • Avoid flaming others • Attend local IGDA meetings • Join IGDA • Go to conferences and trade shows

4. Networking (continued) • Researching a company • Potential employers appreciate prospects who know about the company • Visit company website • Products • Job openings • Magazine ads • Internet news – Yahoo!Finance

5. Networking (continued) • Researching a company (continued) • Build spreadsheet about companies • Names • Phone Numbers • Email addresses • Name of products • Other notes that might be useful

6. Networking (continued) • Recruiters • Headhunters • Hired on commission basis to find talent to fill open positions • No cost to new hire • Seldom look for entry-level people • Great resource for current salary range, job markets • Contact you when there is possible fit for job

7. Networking (continued) • How to schmooze at industry event • Introduce yourself • Say interested in company • Ask if person knows of job openings • At end of conversation • Offer your business card • Ask for their card • Follow-up email, less intrusive than phone • Don’t bother handing out resume, it will get lost

8. Networking (continued) • Talk about yourself • Schooling • Course of study • Projects you’ve worked on • Tools you’ve used • Be real • Be honest • Be direct • Be sincere • Be truthful

9. Resume • Summary • Employment history • Position, company, location, dates • Treat multiple positions with company as separate jobs • Lead paragraph if necessary • Bullet items of responsibilities

10. Resume (continued) • Skill set • Areas of expertise • Specify technical skills as separate items • Platforms • Programming languages • Education

11. Resume Tips List most recent experience first Use bullets rather than paragraphs Note the school and degree awarded or expected graduation date Do not list age, birth date If female, consider using initials rather than name Salary history not required Don’t say “references on request,” either list them or wait to be asked

12. Resume Tips(continued) Adapt resume to match job description Highlight key points with bold or underline Don’t worry about keeping it to one page Don’t include irrelevant material

13. Cover Letter • Write unique letter for each company • Don’t be arrogant, your objective is to get an interview • Formal politeness is appropriate • Use proper English, standard industry terms acceptable, but avoid slang • Keep it short 1/2 - 3/4 page • Spell & grammar - check everything

14. Building Portfolio or Demo • Make available in as many formats as possible • Pay attention to format company wants • Demo files on CD – test disk on several computers • Include only best work • Include credits & shot list

15. Building Portfolio or Demo(continued) • Create master and make copies from it to guarantee quality • Show wide variety of talents and well-rounded skills • Display variety of genres & art styles • Show best work in first 3-5 minutes

16. Building Portfolio or Demo(continued) • In person demo • No longer than 10 minutes • Have a captive audience • Know company is interested • Build in natural cut-off points, so you can stop if interviewer is looking impatient • Illustrates and supports your message • Tune your demo for your audience

17. Building Portfolio or Demo(continued) • What about nudes or erotic material? • Knowledge of anatomy important • Blatant sexuality should be avoided

18. Finding and Applying for a Job • Network, network, network • Read industry news • Check company websites frequently • Read job ads in • Developer magazines • Developer web site • Job web sites • Newspapers & general media

19. Mailing Your Resume • Do not spam resume • Options: • Fax • Quick • Expensive, if long distance • Doesn’t look nice, color is lost • Good chance of getting misplaced

20. Mailing Your Resume (continued) • Options (continued): • Mail • Classic delivery method • Professional • Slow • Cost • Good option if going directly to hiring manager • “Real” mail not often received, will make you stand out • Tangible reminder of you • Can’t easily forward to others

21. Mailing Your Resume (continued) • Options (continued): • Email • Fast, cheap, convenient • Send documents, images, executables, presentations • May get lost amid spam • Always follow-up every message • Courier or overnight delivery • Save your money • Use only if trying to beat a deadline

22. Handling the Interview • Arrive on time • Bring extra copies of resume • Smile • Be positive • Sit up straight • Shake hands firmly • Look them in the eye

23. Interview Tips • Be prepared • Know the company • Play the games they’ve produced • What to wear – business casual • Practice answers to sample interview questions online • Artists - bring portfolio, ask in advance for preferred format • Engineers – be prepared to discuss code & contributions to recent projects

24. Interview Tips(continued) • When the option presents itself, ask questions • Avoid the salary questions on first interview • Send thank you note • Good place to fill in or correct what you didn’t say, but should have • Reminds interviewer who you are

25. Who Will Interview You • Prospective Boss • Find out who they are in advance • May not introduce themselves as such • Human Resources Representative – outline company benefits & policies • Prospective Boss’ Boss – assess your personality rather than skill set • Prospective Co-Workers – determine if you will fit in

26. Showing Demo Or Portfolio • Rehearse & practice • Anticipate questions • Bring your own computer if possible • Test your equipment/demo beforehand • Bring extra copies for interviewer to share with others

27. Tests? • Programmers – language and concept knowledge • Artists – use of tools • If don’t test well • Act confident • Emphasize your qualifications • Be enthusiastic • Admit you don’t know & say you’d research an answer

28. Compensation Package • Game Developer magazine annual salary review • Monetary compensation • Salary • Bonus – flat cash payment • Royalties • Profit-sharing • Stock options • Employee stock purchase plan

29. Compensation Package (continued) • Time-Off Benefits • Vacation – paid time off, some have max saved before losing • Holidays - paid time off for all company • Sick Leave – paid days off due to illness • Sabbatical – extended time off with or w/o pay • Comp (compensatory) time – time off for extra time or effort exerted, usually does not exist as far as HR concerned

30. Compensation Package (continued) • Health Related Benefits • Health Insurance • Disability/Long-term Illness • Life Insurance • Dental Care • Vision Car • Employee Assistance Program

31. Compensation Package (continued) • Who does the plan cover? • Employee • Spouse/partner • Dependants • Cost? • Paid by company? • Paid by employee • Combination of both

32. Compensation Package (continued) • Retirement Plans • Usually employee take responsibility for own retirement • Traditional or Roth Ira • 401(k) • Contribute part of salary • Not subject to income tax • Choose how money is invested • Can borrow against it • Some companies contribute % to 401(k)

33. Compensation Package (continued) • Miscellaneous Benefits • Education reimbursement • Child Care facilities or subsidized • Gym membership • Company product discount • Trips or events for employees

34. Compensation Package (continued) • Work Policies • 48+ hours, 60+ during crunch • Flextime – flexible working hours • Core Hours – hours that employees are required to be in the office, 10 AM-4PM

35. Negotiation • Defer salary discussion as long as possible • Know your value in the job market • Tips • Emphasize you will be a valuable asset • Ask how often you’ll be reviewed, process & by whom • Don’t attempt to start a bidding war with two companies

36. Negotiation (continued) • Reasons to Accept Lower Salary • Company benefit are superior • Product you’ll be working on is highly respected • Company is highly respected • Company’s future looks bright • Won’t have to move • Job offers creative freedom • Job is exactly what you want

37. Negotiation (continued) • Reasons NOT to Accept Lower Salary • Cool-sounding title • Vague promises of big bonus & raise • Big stock option at privately held company

38. Discrimination andWorkplace Issues • Women • Male-dominate industry • Don’t doubt that you can do the job • Toot your own horn • Never be the office mother, martyr, hussy or feminist activist • Don’t be the office counselor or confessor • Don’t clean or volunteer to organize social events more than your fair share • Dress appropriately • Resist the urge to speak for all the women in the office

39. Discrimination andWorkplace Issues • Minorities • Developers tend to be liberal or libertarian • Game development community largely blind to ethnicity if you can get the job done • Few game companies offer equal benefits for same-sex partners, money rather than attitude