How do I get a job in gaming? All you need to know

How to get a job in gaming has been explained in this article with proper reference by experts in the gaming industry to make it easier!

We previously said that there is no industry more exciting than esports, but if there is something that challenges that point, it is games! More than ever, younger generations are growing up alongside video games as their primary form of media, and business professionals from more traditional industries are seeking roles in a new and challenging environment for them.

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We are well aware of the myriad of industries and jobs now available in gaming, but the question remains for many:

“How do I get a job in the gaming industry?”

In this article, we are going to list some tips and tricks that will increase your chances of landing a job in the gaming industry as a newbie and expand on each point with all the information you need to use them and become the next vet in the gaming industry. games. !

1. Participate in Game Jams

Game Jams brings together a large group of like-minded people in one place with the goal of creating a game from scratch in a short period of time, usually between 24 and 72 hours.

Not sure what kind of job you want in the games industry? Game jams are a great way to try your hand at many different gaming-related fields, with small groups commonly allowing everyone to work up an appetite by trying Design, Programming, Art & Graphics, Game Writing, and more.

In addition to this, having a job that you have worked directly to show off to a potential recruiter is a huge boost when applying for positions. Don’t worry if it’s not the prettiest job – recruiters know full well that game jams are hackathons at heart, and they are finished in a short amount of time.

Use it to show your talent in whatever field you want. List what you thought went well in your time-pressured environment, what you would improve if you had more time, and what you learned from the experience. Were animated platforms too complicated? Does the chosen encoding language not match the content you were creating? Did the subject limit your writing ability? Demonstrable learnings from mistakes are great to see in interviews and apps, and game jams are a great place to get them!

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Search your local area for Game Jams where you can connect

We also highly recommend Game Jams online to remove the location barrier. Ludum Dare is a Game Jam competition that takes place twice a year, completely online, and allows anyone to join and compete on their chosen theme. Create an account and find your team members in preparation for the next event!

2. Network in events

Unfortunately, this point has been put on hold due to the impact of COVID in the world.

But, while it may not be possible to attend the year’s regular core events in person, you can still network with industry professionals. It is a good way to get a job in gaming.

Whether through online variants of these events, such as the Gamescom digitization in 2020, or the more closely knit networking events that are common in the industry (and that we often advertise on our website or Twitter account). The world has separated, but the community has been quick to stay connected. Look for these opportunities where you can and seriously consider attending. All it takes is a good conversation to open up a job opportunity you might never have dreamed of.

When these events resume in person, keep an eye out for recruiters who will be wearing highly visible branding and having booths to approach. Ask them: Discuss your passion for the company/games they make and what they would recommend as the next steps for your own career. Hey, maybe they even have some entry-level roles in their own company!

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If you are an artist, developer, designer, writer, or any other role that you can take your work with, print it out for in-person display and build on your experience. If your work cannot be displayed on paper, upload it to a web page and hand out business cards with your contact information and a link to your portfolio.

Side note: set up a LinkedIn profile and make sure to maintain your portfolio and always connect with the people you meet at these events. Having a network of people who will frequently update their feeds with new positions and tips/articles is one of the main takeaways from these events, in addition to getting an interview directly.

These events also host many panels and talks with experienced staff from the gaming industry. These are a great learning tool and can provide excellent conversation starters and answers to questions in future interviews.

3. Modern education

The world is changing! More and more people are learning skills online, and the video game industry is no different.

If you are looking to improve your business, programming, or management skills, you should see what our partners at the University of California, Irvine have for you. They have a large number of remote programs that can be studied anywhere in the world, and you don’t have to be your typical college age! https://htmr.kr/UCI

Jobs with specialties like art and programming have vast online resources to improve these skills as well, but as a standard, there are two things that everyone who wants to enter the gaming industry should learn that can be found at line: knowledge of Project Management Systems (PMS’s) and the product life cycle of a game.

An example of where you can learn about career skills like this is with our partner at the University of California, Irvine. They host several online courses where you can learn about project management, Java programming among other areas. It might be worth checking out if you’re looking to expand your skillset! It is a good way to get a job in gaming.

Most companies list their PMS used in their job functions; personally, I haven’t come across one that doesn’t have a full tutorial online to date!

To the point, a PMS tracks the individual tasks and jobs required to complete the overall goal of a study (the launch of the game). This is commonly done in a workflow called “Agile Scrum” and, infrequently today, through a work methodology called “Waterfall”.

To learn more about Scrum and a bit about Waterfall, check out this amazing YouTube video from Utility.

Although dated, this video from “JIRA“, a PMS in common use by many game companies, summarizes what it does and how it is used (other PMS worth considering include DevTrack and Trello).

Understanding the way a game plays out and, more importantly, how its future role fits into that process is an important element to study. Showing an understanding of this in an interview will greatly improve your chances of being selected over other candidates.

4. Consider a job in QA / Games Testing

Quality assurance (QA), sometimes referred to as game testing, is a very common role for entering the video game industry, generally requiring nothing more than an analytical mindset and passion for the game you will be working on in your entry-level/junior roles.

Although QA is slowly becoming a more standardized profession with education available specifically for it, many companies are looking for players with in-depth knowledge of their titles to test their upgrades and expansions. After all, QA methodologies can be taught in a matter of months, but years of knowledge and experience with a particular game cannot.

No role touches more parts of the development cycle than QA. Use this to your advantage and while you’re there, learn the product life cycle of a video game first-hand, discover the internal code used, familiarize yourself with project management systems and workflows to better understand the production of games. You can then use this knowledge to decide if you want to move to another area of ​​the industry or if you want to stay within quality control. 

With the information above, you can get a job in gaming! Good Luck!