Here's an interesting read from Down Under for anyone hoping to get a job in the gaming industry. It chronicles one man's experiences in finally landing a position on a AAA game being developed in the US. Source is Aussie game site Big Kid. Here's a taste:
More information.
and...And this is the important subtext to Step 3 - you have to value your own worth, because often no-one else will. It is in a company’s interests to keep you working for them. IT companies, and games companies in particular, make a great deal of money from the continued support, effort, and talent of their staff. Believe me, they make a lot of money. Generally, but not always, they look after their people in return. It is a symbiotic relationship, and a trade off. But it is not ownership - it is crucial to remember that when the pressure is applied, as it usually will be. Good companies understand this, and facilitate ways to keep staff even when they move. Luckily, THQ was one of those companies.
You'll find the entire article here.So, as these things tend to happen, the telephone interview with the studio I wouldn’t normally pick went amazingly well. They liked me, and flew me over for a week to interview and check out the area. I liked what I heard and saw, and after several months of visa issues arrived into a mild desert winter to take up the position of Senior Designer on my first real AAA, “gamers” title. It took 6 or 7 years to do it, but I am finally working on games I would actually play.
More information.