Job Hunting

Seems like you could pull together a fairly strong data analyst resume. I can't say that I've explored the field much, but there has to be lots of jobs for that role in RTP. Check out SAS, I believe it has won best place to work in USA a few times.

Prodigal said:

seems it’s more like being an actor in that you land a job, work your ass of to complete the project and then your done.

Click to expand...

Except that actors are chasing fame and blockbuster paydays, and also just generally get paid more for their time due to the project-based nature of the industry (maybe not true for the starving-artist noobs). In the game industry, you're paid less for the privilidge of working on games but still need to budget for potentially months of job-hunting and relocating at literally any given moment.

Not all game jobs end up as horror stories of course, but the liklihood of any given job turning into one is much higher than normal. If you want to work in the game industry while minimizing the risk, look for studios that:
-have been around for a LONG time
-make games that you've never heard of
-are no where near any other game company physically

Places like this have found a profitable niche and are probably run more like a real company. They also have a harder time hiring people because they're in the middle of nowhere (relative to the game industry) and aren't churning out fanboy fodder. Turnover is also smaller because they don't need 2000 people to grind out content for the last 6 months of a 4 year production schedule. (Note that this might also eliminate whatever perceived benefits that you think will make a game company an improvement over your current job.)

Either way, it's hardly something that should really be considered for a passing interest. Chasing big name studio jobs is really only a good option for people who would be content spending all their waking hours working for free if the company gave them a cot and food. It's not that bad, but if you wouldn't be happy in that situation, then you'll be unhappy eventually once the shinyness wears off.

Alternitively, why not make and release your own indie game? You get to sort of see what it's like but at your own pace and with no risk (other than whatever time you want to invest), and it will make you more employable if you decide to go that route. And as an added bonus, you have the real (albeit tiny) chance of making something that actually sells, which is pretty much the only way to ever get a realpayday out of the game industry.

Yeah I would never want to work in the gaming industry. I work with a number of video game companies and have visited their offices. Ubisoft is the only one that seems stable in any regard because employee happiness is literally one of their two corporate priorities. Some of the folks I interact with have been there for almost 20 years.

I used to work for Nintendo. I think the Pokemon Bellevue office may have opened after I left. It's probably a decent place to work but Bellevue has ridiculous cost of living and some of the shittiest traffic in the US.

Even though Pokemon is owned by Nintendo they largely operate autonomously.

Saw this viral survey someone started here about salaries
Interesting to see what people are getting paid based on title, industry and area. I wish it included company names.

edit: google spreadsheet embed thing sucks.

Has title mania invaded all industries now? Friend sent me a list of titles the company he works for was hiring for. I didn't know what any of them did. He then sent me descriptions of the jobs and not one of them was I not qualified for. I had never heard of them. Is this a new thing or was I just unaware as usual.

One of them was something expeditor. The description to me sounded like flunkie class document control. Make sure stuff goes out and is stamped/logged as it comes in.

That it's the case or I'm totally unaware lol, or both. Most everywhere I've ever worked most people don't have a title. Just a department. Like accounting, engineering, estimating and no actual titles.

Just think tho, someone gets paid to dream up these titles. Good work if you can get it I guess.