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Author: Jason W. Bay

Jason W. Bay is a three-decade game industry professional, credited on dozens of video games since 1995. He's held diverse roles in the game industry including Tester, Game Designer, Technical Director, Product Manager, and Director of Studio Operations, and has been a featured speaker at international game developer conferences. He's currently a Senior Product Manager at Amazon Game Studios in Seattle, WA.

By Posted in Applying No Comments
Social media icons on paint canisters
Your social media activity paints a colorful picture, but is it appropriate for recruiters and managers?

Last fall, I spoke to a group of students who were about to graduate and apply for jobs in the game industry. We talked about the usual topics – the importance of a strong portfolio, a great resume, and excellent interviewing skills. But then a young woman in the back of the room raised her hand and asked an incredibly insightful question: “When recruiters evaluate my job application, will they also search and investigate me on social media?”

She desperately wanted to know, and for a good reason. When she was in high school, she went through an angry phase and said things all over social media that she later regretted. And now, she was afraid a potential employer might see those terrible old posts, and it would destroy her chances of landing a job.

Unfortunately, she was absolutely right. Read more »

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By Posted in Networking 2 Comments
Two people at a professional networking coffee meeting
Can you talk to other humans? Then you already have the skills to do career networking.

Would you like to apply for game jobs before they’re posted to the general public? Do you wish you had an “in” at your favorite game company? Do you wish you knew employees and hiring managers in the game industry who could help you get a job?

All of that is possible, through the magic of career networking.

If you’re like most people, the thought of doing “networking” seems awkward at best, and the stuff of nightmares at worst. But the fact remains, professional networking is an important part of your job search strategy that offers a huge advantage finding your first game job. And it’s really not that hard, once you learn how to do it. In fact, if you know how to talk to other humans and take notes, then you already have most of the skills you need. Let’s learn how to apply those skills to landing a job in the game industry, through professional networking.

Read more »

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By Posted in Careers No Comments
For game developers, job burnout can be a real risk.

So you’ve been working extra hours lately — a lot of extra hours, actually — trying hard to finish and launch your new game. You’re living the dream, building a game you love, working with a team of people you adore… so why do you feel so anxious? Why are you having trouble sleeping at night? Why do you feel so irritable with your friends, your family, and yourself?

This feeling has a name: it’s called burnout. To some, burnout is the game industry’s dirty little secret. Driven by a deep passion to create the best game under seemingly-impossible deadlines, the hours can get long and, for some developers, burnout can become a real risk.

Fortunately, burnout is easy to spot if you know how to read the signs. And once you spot it, there are simple steps to pull out of the nosedive and get back to a happy place before you rage-quit. In this article, professional job coach Edward Mellett teaches you how to spot burnout, and offers advice on how to get things back under control. Read more »

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By Posted in Careers 2 Comments

The below is a free sample from my book, Start Your Video Game Career. Enjoy! – Jason

CHAPTER ONE

Introduction

I’ll never forget the day I got my first video game console. It was a chilly Montana morning. I climbed out of bed and stumbled bleary-eyed to the living room, with plans to watch Saturday morning cartoons in my full-body Spider-Man pajamas. (Did I mention I was six years old?) As I turned toward the television, there it was: a brand-new Atari 2600 home video game system, in all of its beautiful faux-wood and black-plastic glory.

I immediately fell in love. Read more »

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By Posted in Careers, Resume 14 Comments
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Understanding the game designer job requirements is the first step to mastery.

Is your goal to become a video game designer, but you don’t know how to get there? Start by understanding the game designer requirements and qualifications that game companies demand.

Every game company has specific requirements you’ll need to meet before they’ll hire you as a game designer. Luckily, you don’t need to ask companies what those are. Instead, simply find an online job posting by any game studio you’d like to work for, and read the game designer job requirements they’ve listed. It’s that easy. Read more »

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By Posted in Portfolio Advice, Tools No Comments
An artist building an online portfolio website
Which online portfolio site is right for you… and your budget?

Every artist needs an online art portfolio. Whether you’re applying to art schools or applying for a job, your artist portfolio site is your key to success.

But what if you don’t know how to build a website from scratch? Fortunately, it’s no longer 1995 — you don’t need to learn code to build a website. Instead, use one of the artist portfolio sites we’ve analyzed in this article. Each one lets you to build an online portfolio using pre-made templates, and then customize the look and layout using simple drag and drop.

But here’s the catch: There are currently seventeen (seventeen!) popular artist portfolio sites to choose from. They’re all pretty good, but they all offer a different mix of features and pricing, so it’s hard to compare them. Which one is the best for you? Read more »

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By Posted in Portfolio Advice, Portfolio Examples No Comments

“I used to worry about making my portfolio perfect. As I’ve discovered, there’s no such thing.” That’s Nathaniel Hubbell, a professional visual effects (VFX) artist. And when it comes to career advice, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. Hubbell has been sailing the seas of professional art for over a decade, and readily shares his tips to help you navigate your own career successfully. Read more »

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By Posted in Portfolio Advice, Portfolio Examples No Comments

If you’re like most artists, your online portfolio has one or two pieces you aren’t totally proud of. And if you’ve been asked about them in a job interview, you may have fallen into the trap of explaining, apologizing, or making excuses.

But according to Brent Watanabe, a Seattle-based new media artist, you should aways stay positive when discussing your portfolio. “Don’t make excuses or apologize for your work,” he says. “Present your work with pride, while remaining open to, and learning from, criticism.”Read more »

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By Posted in Portfolio Advice, Portfolio Examples No Comments

“Wow, how did you do that?!” According to professional concept artist Eliott Lilly, that’s the reaction your portfolio should evoke from the art directors standing between you and your next job.

Lilly has been a concept artist in the video game industry for over a decade on hit games like DOOM, F.E.A.R, and Black Ops. He also runs a concept art career website, and has written two best-selling books to help artists create “wow” in their own work.Read more »

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