The First Step: Getting a Game Industry Job

So you want a job in the games industry, eh?

Think of that rollercoaster ride of emotions you feel when playing your favorite game, that series of ups and downs, those frustrations and elations as you face obstacles and overcome them. Your job hunt will be very much like that.

The average game company receives over 100,000 unsolicited resumes every year. Which means you're going to hear the word "no" over and over and over again. And it's going to be very easy to succumb to a sense of inadequacy. But you mustn't give up! While it might sound like a cliché, those turndowns aren't personal, they're business. A job rejection usually means you didn't set yourself apart from the other candidates. Even a shiny new Computer Science or specialized game degree doesn't guarantee success.

And remember... some people do, indeed, get hired.

But let's face it-if getting a dream job in the games industry were easy, everyone would have one. Job hunting is a skill you need to develop to get employed and it requires practice, planning, practice, patience, practice, persistence, and more practice.

Job hunting can be broken down into a series of steps starting from the first step, which is targeting your search, and ending with your first day on the new job.

Pay attention; we're going to teach you how to take those steps: