Upcoming college graduate looking for job in design
by Jen Jones · in Jobs · 02/22/2008 (12:10 pm) · 5 replies
Hey everyone,
I'm getting ready to graduate from college in a couple months and have been starting searching for a job recently. It's hard because I don't have professional experience, but I've taken numerous courses on game design and development. I've designed a few games for projects in groups, as well as a few on my own time (details about them are in my profile). I'm looking for any advice or help with finding a job in the industry, or if you're hiring entry-level, I would love it if you could let me know.
Have a great day everyone!
Jen Jones
Portfolio: http://sulley.dm.ucf.edu/~jjones3/portfolio/home.php
Resume: http://sulley.dm.ucf.edu/~jjones3/portfolio/resume.php
I'm getting ready to graduate from college in a couple months and have been starting searching for a job recently. It's hard because I don't have professional experience, but I've taken numerous courses on game design and development. I've designed a few games for projects in groups, as well as a few on my own time (details about them are in my profile). I'm looking for any advice or help with finding a job in the industry, or if you're hiring entry-level, I would love it if you could let me know.
Have a great day everyone!
Jen Jones
Portfolio: http://sulley.dm.ucf.edu/~jjones3/portfolio/home.php
Resume: http://sulley.dm.ucf.edu/~jjones3/portfolio/resume.php
#2
Good luck!
02/23/2008 (6:42 pm)
There are a ton of ads for new hires on most game dev sites and magazines. I guess that's a good place to start. Quite a few studios have internships but don't advertise them anywhere online. That's because they usually get interns from nearby colleges. I'd recommend just sending your resume and an email asking for an internship/entry-level job to the jobs email address of some companies. Also, Microsoft has been very interested in hiring game developers whenever I've talked to them. And, last and probably least, try asking your professors. I've met a few developers that way.Good luck!
#4
It is hard but not impossible to get a design job right out of college, I know several people who have including myself. If you are die hard design don't give up on it, work on side projects while you are looking, it shows employers that you have incentive, it also allows to hone your skills.
If you have development experience, you can try for something other than design and work up.
Either way if you want it bad enough, you'll get it.
One thing that I will say is after looking at your portfolio, though the writing style is very good, I would suggest looking at different tutorials on what to put in a GDD. The ones that I looked at are lacking some information that may prevent a possible employer from looking at you.
Hope this helps and good luck.
P.S. I see that you are at UCF, if you sign up for IGDA you will get messages when there are meetings in Orlando. Going to the meetings is a great networking opportunity and a great way to pop out to future employers in the area.
02/28/2008 (5:34 pm)
I would also like to add www.creativeheads.net it's like monster for the entertainment industry.It is hard but not impossible to get a design job right out of college, I know several people who have including myself. If you are die hard design don't give up on it, work on side projects while you are looking, it shows employers that you have incentive, it also allows to hone your skills.
If you have development experience, you can try for something other than design and work up.
Either way if you want it bad enough, you'll get it.
One thing that I will say is after looking at your portfolio, though the writing style is very good, I would suggest looking at different tutorials on what to put in a GDD. The ones that I looked at are lacking some information that may prevent a possible employer from looking at you.
Hope this helps and good luck.
P.S. I see that you are at UCF, if you sign up for IGDA you will get messages when there are meetings in Orlando. Going to the meetings is a great networking opportunity and a great way to pop out to future employers in the area.
#5
I read through your GDDs. Now, I understand you only worked on certain aspects of the documents, by choice or by assignment, so I have only one or two recommendations to buff your resume and increase your chances of getting hired
1. Practice writing and integrating the design of game play mechanics, pseudo-algorithms, and other non-story concepts. For instance, in Project ACTION! there is a section dedicated to Gameplay systems. The AOS portion could use more details: a table of all the actions, if the Wii remote uses 1 to 1 motion or the accelerometers, etc.
2. Joining the Orlando chapter of IGDA is a great idea. I just joined up myself. I even had some classes under the chapter leader, Dustin Clingman. You can learn from the meetings, network, and so on.
3. I'm sure looking for your job is your main concern right now, but if you have some down time, look around the projects section of GG to see if you can snag some freelance work on the side.
Good luck!
02/29/2008 (6:09 am)
I second Anne's suggestions. I'm one of those people she was talking about. Granted, I got a programming job straight out of college, but they almost immediately put me in a mutated designer/programmer position.I read through your GDDs. Now, I understand you only worked on certain aspects of the documents, by choice or by assignment, so I have only one or two recommendations to buff your resume and increase your chances of getting hired
1. Practice writing and integrating the design of game play mechanics, pseudo-algorithms, and other non-story concepts. For instance, in Project ACTION! there is a section dedicated to Gameplay systems. The AOS portion could use more details: a table of all the actions, if the Wii remote uses 1 to 1 motion or the accelerometers, etc.
2. Joining the Orlando chapter of IGDA is a great idea. I just joined up myself. I even had some classes under the chapter leader, Dustin Clingman. You can learn from the meetings, network, and so on.
3. I'm sure looking for your job is your main concern right now, but if you have some down time, look around the projects section of GG to see if you can snag some freelance work on the side.
Good luck!
Torque Owner J.P. Berry
Design some simple games, get them completed, put them on your resume. Make your presence more well known, with plenty of pictures, design documents/charts, etc. Start e-mailing developers showcasing your work, and don't be offended if they don't write back. Try again in a couple of months. It's a difficult process, but time and persistence pays off.