I found this presentation, thought some people here might get something out of it: http://www.dallasigda.org/IGDA%20-%20home_files/Meeting_notes/Breaking%…
That would be a good idea, and even though I'm not in the industry yet (I would've been...) I can add that persistence pays off, not necessarily contacting them every day, or flooding their inboxes with mail, but just being persistent and keeping in contact works...
Now for some other contributions? Maybe even if they are just anecdotal - if we get enough it might become a well known fact.
my personal golden rule I tell anyone that asks - learn that it's not "The Industry" and realise you're going for a job, not a privelaged status. Be yourself in an interview, since you're going to be working with these people - they don't want to hire some stiff emotionless and humourless person that most people think is proper interview protocol.
Work your butt off! And I mean really, not just on rainy weekends, I went to sleep around 3-4am for 8 months getting my portfolios done!! I wouldn't recommend that but my determination paid off in the end.
Get a decent portfolio together and send it out..to everyone. Ring, visit, ring, ring.
Accept (and listen to) the knockbacks and don't give up.
I would be making a new portfolio the minute I sent out the first one etc, you don't want to show the same work twice, no matter how good you think it is, if it was good enough you'd have the job. [:P]
Most of all, and this may seem harsh but really ask yourself, am I good enough, do I really want this? Because a game job isn't as luxurious and bling bling as everyone makes out, its hard work, sometimes with little reward or acknowledgment.
If your answer is hell yes!!, then your half way there, determination and enthusiasm will show through in both your work and attitude. [:)]
Not specifically about the games industry but on topic. Two years ago I was made redundant from my IT job, the company was changing direction and my skill set was no longer needed.
In the exit interviews I was the only one to ask "What would I have to learn to stick with the company?" I still lost my job but 2 months later I got asked back. Partly because the company had shot itself in the foot by losing all that skill, but mainly because i was the only one who a willingness to accomodate change.
Back in the bad old days when I was pimping a folio and demo reel I'd get knock backs which were basically "Nice work, but it has a lot of X and we want Y". In hindsight I wish I had said "Give me a week and I'll show you I can do Y."
Showing you are skilled is good. Showing you are flexible and self motivated, in any industry, is even better.
Just seems to cover the basics of it, nothing that I didn't already know...
It's alright as an overview illustrating some key points of this thing called "game development".