i've looked at quite a few 3d related job lists (though i'm not yet trying to get a job, got a long way to go befor that happens[xx(][:p])
but anyway as i was saying, most of the job's said they needed 2 or more years of previous work experience in the field. and what i want to know is how does anyone just starting out get in, is there some spooky[8] ritual or sacrifice that needs too be done? because when the time comes i'll do it[8D] *laughs evily*
They'll pick someone who has enthusiasm and talent over someone who is a PhD in Computer Engineering but would rather be somewhere else any day. The person who gets the job sometimes only has about half the qualifications mentioned in the advertisement.
Plus, it never hurts to send in your resume one way or the other ... even if you're not quite qualified for what they want, they may have another position that could suit you.
Hello everyone, my first post here and I thought I'd add a little of my own ideas to this thread.
I've worked in the game dev industry for just on 5 years now for both local and international developers as a 3D modeller/texture artist.
I'm self taught, what began as a hobby about 10 years ago turned full time when I managed to land a job at a Melbourne game dev studio... the pay was bad and the hours were long and it was a difficult time for my family considering we'd had to move interstate for this job and I was earning around half of what I used to get in my previous job.
Anyway, it was good grounding for what I've been doing for the past 3 years which is freelancing (more of this in another topic maybe).
One thing I always strive to do is to be different than the next person in my approach to practically anything in life... anything that will give me some kind of advantage.
I honestly didn't have too much trouble finding a job once I decided the time was right for me to look, so I'll share some of my approaches with you.
Don't be afraid to break the so-called 'rules' of how to get a job in the industry... getting in through the back door can sometimes yield better results than through traditional methods of approach.
If you're an artist, try to find out the name of the lead artist at the company you want to work for, if possible contact that person and send him/her an email explaining how you'd bend over and take it any way to get a job as an artist at their company. Ask if there's anything you could submit to them to show your talents and most importantly, if they do show any interest, follow up with whatever they ask for asap to show you are keen and reliable.
Think of it like this, you send your resume/portfolio into a game company and it ends up on the desk of either the Personnel manager, executive producer, CEO, secretary or whatever, and unless they're currently employing poeple, the senior artists/programmers will never get to see your work.
If you've already built up a repour with the person who'll usually have the most pull when making the final hiring decision (the senior artist/programmer), and that person know's you're talented, keen and reliable, you already have a strong advantage over all other applicants.
Just remember there's loads of talented people applying to most game dev companies daily, you have to make yourself stand out amoungst the crowd, which means being 'creative' in your approach.
I've found in the past that phoning up companies (instead of writing) is a more personal approach, and can get very good results if you can get through to the right person.
Attending functions such as the AGDC is very good for networking and making contact (unfortunately it's not so good for much else) especially during the suite parties where people tend to let their guard down a little after a few drinks, can be a great way to break the ice and strike up a conversation with the person who could be responsable for getting you your dream job.
I hope this will give some of you a little inspiration... most importantly, never give up! [:)]
the trick here is simply to work on your own project, it could be a game, an open source library, just something related to games programming
generally this goes down to imo, spending 1-2 years solidly working on something which you can then use to get you a job, your mileage may vary, and its certainly not the only way to get a games programming job, but imo its the best way to prove you are suitable for engine programming work
I'm sure it's been said before, but essentially if you have hard talent, the requirement of 2+ years experience can get thrown out of the window. However, to increase your chances, working on a small game or mod greatly increases your chances, as you will have experience building a game with a team, going through some of the trials and tribulations you'll experience in commercial development.
So get a team together or join a team, or concentrate on your diversified portfolio. Whichever.
"Work hard. Be good to your mother." @;-)
Chris Bowden
http://brain.gamekey.com/