Am I stuck?

Started by
4 comments, last by Derek William Lawrence 10 years, 6 months ago

Basically I really wish I could find a job programming something... anything at this point. But right now I'm stuck working a job I don't love and I don't seem to have any time or energy any more to really code.

I apply every listing I feel that I am even remotly qualified for, but there are so many qualifications most of the time that what I do know and have in experience doesn't seem like it's enough. And not being able to code won't help that any.

So I wonder, is there any hope? I wouldn't mind being paid beans if it meant I could do what I love instead of answering phone calls all day. :/

Advertisement

I apply every listing I feel that I am even remotly qualified for, but there are so many qualifications most of the time that what I do know and have in experience doesn't seem like it's enough. And not being able to code won't help that any.

You're not able to code, but you're applying for programmer jobs? Is that really what you said? That sounds like Stupid Trick #8 on this list: http://sloperama.com/advice/lesson24.htm

If you want to get a game job, you need to do the things on this list: http://sloperama.com/advice/lesson27.htm


is there any hope?

As long as you're alive and able to work, there is hope.

-- Tom Sloper -- sloperama.com

Basically I really wish I could find a job programming something... anything at this point. But right now I'm stuck working a job I don't love and I don't seem to have any time or energy any more to really code.

I apply every listing I feel that I am even remotly qualified for, but there are so many qualifications most of the time that what I do know and have in experience doesn't seem like it's enough. And not being able to code won't help that any.

So I wonder, is there any hope? I wouldn't mind being paid beans if it meant I could do what I love instead of answering phone calls all day. :/

I think many people with weak skills began like that - weak

skills, very low salary, then you could level up in skills and knowledge, (yaaawn) [ps. programming can be much harder than answering phone calls, many people would

not like to do it at all; life brings a lot of troubles, but life is life and programming is programming (programming is not related to life at all i think, the more you program the less you live any life, )]

There is always hope. A few things to consider are:

-Job postings are often not entry level positions, so it's not strange that you don't have all of the qualifications unless you're already working in the field or have worked in the field in the past.

-The game industry isn't growing as fast as it used to, so they are less likely to hire people that need to be relocated for entry level work. You would have better luck with local companies. If there aren't many local companies then it would be easier if you relocated to where there are. This is harder to do generally the older you are and the more roots you've put down (i.e. wife, kids, house).

It's hard to give advice beyond that as I don't know what type of programming you want to do or what non-work experience you have.

Out of curiosity, you could post a link to your resume so people could look it over. It might make it easier to explain the difficulty.

Yes, it is possible that you are lacking requisite skills. But it is also possible that you do have the skills yet are not presenting yourself in a positive light. If you are applying for a game programmer job but your application doesn't scream "Game programmer! Hire me!' then the employers will turn the page quickly.


You're not able to code, but you're applying for programmer jobs? Is that really what you said? That sounds like Stupid Trick #8 on this list: http://sloperama.com/advice/lesson24.htm
If you want to get a game job, you need to do the things on this list: http://sloperama.com/advice/lesson27.htm


I re-read his post a few times and it does seem like he is saying this but if you look at his first sentence he states he does not have time or the effort to code anymore. So I think that's what he meant by this.

ssdko2209 do you have a computer science degree as most places wont even look at your resume if you don't.

I made the mistake of going to one of those crappy "game development" schools. I did the same as you as and applied for every position I could find and didn't even hear back from 5% of them.

Getting a programming job without a degree will be hard but possible as I was able to. I ended up having to go for a QA job at first to get my foot in the door and that job lasted for 2 years. To which I ended up at another company doing QA with writing test cases which eventually turned into a 50/50 job doing QA and programming after proving to the team I could handle it. Both of these jobs allowed me to meet many people in the industry which opened a lot of doors which previously didn't even exist. This allowed me to land a junior programming job at a new company as I had people vouch for me.

If you don't want to take a route like this I would suggest catering your resume to each position you are applying for. You can also send in sample of games or projects you have worked on that are relevant to the platform the position requires.

If you are unable to show any projects or that you have a degree most companies do not even look at your resume as they have multiple others to look through and to them, yours looks like a waste of time.

This topic is closed to new replies.

Advertisement