Welcome to Get A Job In Games, the web site that aims to provide you with all the hints, tips and advice you need on getting that dream job in the video games industry.
The pages of this site provide you with an insight into the kinds of jobs that are available in the realm of video games, what they entail, and what skills or qualifications you will need in order to land those jobs. We also provide advice on what other materials you should send along with your CV, and a few general pointers for how to best approach the dreaded interview.
Before we set you off on getting that new career under way, it’s worth pointing out a few things. Whilst games jobs can pay respectable salaries, you shouldn’t expect to become a millionaire over night, or be driving around in a flashy sports car. A games industry job is really no different to any other job in any other sector. You get paid your salary, probably without overtime. If you’re lucky you might get some extra benefits such as pension or healthcare thrown in too.
Still interested? Good! We’re glad you haven’t been put off.
The next step in your journey is to decide exactly what kind of job you want to try and obtain. If you think you have what it takes to create a video game, check out the jobs available in the Games Development section. Alternatively you may be interested in marketing video games to the public or actually getting games into boxes and on to shop shelves, in which case a career in Games Publishing might suit you. If you’re a bit of a games playing guru or have a way with words then the fields of Games Journalism or Games Retail might be areas to consider.
You also have a choice in how you apply for a position. You can send your CV directly to any company that interests you, which is great if you manage to apply at the same time that the company in question is looking to hire. Magazines such as Edge in the UK, or Game Developer in the US, usually carry advertisements for companies looking to hire, or you can check company web sites. The other option is to apply via a recruitment agency, which means both less work for you, and that your CV will be ending up on the desks (or more likely e-mail inbox) of companies that are actually looking to hire. The pages in the Hints and Tips section will provide further guidance in this area, tips on how to best prepare for an interview and links to other useful resources.
