Epic has a general policy that they don't hire programmers unless they have several years of experience in the industry.
I only wish this were true. I have two ex collegues who now work at Epic Games and they can barely program. They got head hunted for basically being forum whores on the Unreal tech forums and on moddb. Neither of them have ever worked on a full game or shiped any of the mods they were supposedly working on.
Epic has a general policy that they don't hire programmers unless they have several years of experience in the industry.
I only wish this were true. I have two ex collegues who now work at Epic Games and they can barely program. They got head hunted for basically being forum whores on the Unreal tech forums and on moddb. Neither of them have ever worked on a full game or shiped any of the mods they were supposedly working on.
Interesting.
I haven't worked there, but I have talked with some of their bosses who explained the policy. Their biggest feature is that Unreal Engine is heavily licensed. It is easier to take people who are trained elsewhere using the engine and then pick and chose among those with demonstrated skill. You pay a premium for it, but you also don't need to pay to train people up from novice college graduates.
Probably more likely it is just that those specific individuals slipped through the cracks because of forum participation and they took a risk assuming they were better than they were --- which is the very reason to have the policy in place to begin with.
Is huge part of an interview is just an implicit personality test. If you don't have an instance rapport with your colleagues-to-be, it'll be much harder to be hired.
I know one guy there, and despite fitting in perfectly at Epic, he'd been let to from a previous company during the probation period for... having a conflicting personality... To put it nicely.
From what I hear, Epic have a hiring party at GDC, where potential recruits can mingle with staff, like a big interview-orgy.
To come at it from another angle though --
companies change; the reasons for wanting to work there may no longer be true. Epic Megagames is likely worlds apart from Epic of 2014.
Also, your experience there would also differ depending on your experience -- working there as a vet may be completely different than as a junior.
And as a janitor... really? I know some companies go as far as to include the janitor in the credits, ever ahead of the CEO... But at most companies I've been at, the cleaners are ignored at best, and invisible at worst. Do you really want to be a low-caste sycophant, rather than an actual dev at a different company, which may actually be a better fit than this company. Love isn't always objective, and finding the depressing truth behind that infatuation can often lead to heartbreak ;-)
Better to try to have a whole career, than just blindly love one office.
Hi Steve, I've been a lead programmer and hiring manager at places like NCsoft and Disney Interactive (where I worked on the Epic Mickey games).
Here's how entry level type dudes made an impression on me and eventually got hired ...
Example programs. This is more important than a Comp Sci degree IMHO. I want to be able to download something "cool" from your website/blog and run it. It needs to run without crashing and work without me having to fiddle too much. I want to see source code too. Your code should compile without errors or warnings and to the best of your ability be easy to understand and follow. If you're going to get hired at Epic your work must be in C++ and should have something to do with the Unreal Engine.
Be super cool and friendly.
Be modest. When you are asked, "How would you rate yourself on C++?", give yourself a low score. It's a trick question. I've been programming AAA video games for 15+ years and I wouldn't give myself anything higher than a 7.
Also, you have a tinge of desperation in your post. Leave that at home :)
And be okay with taking a job at some other studio while you build your Xp. Epic isn't going anywhere soon. You can always apply in a couple years time (hopefully with a shipped game under your belt) if you're not ready yet.
Hi Steve, I've been a lead programmer and hiring manager at places like NCsoft and Disney Interactive (where I worked on the Epic Mickey games).
Here's how entry level type dudes made an impression on me and eventually got hired ...
Example programs. This is more important than a Comp Sci degree IMHO. I want to be able to download something "cool" from your website/blog and run it. It needs to run without crashing and work without me having to fiddle too much. I want to see source code too. Your code should compile without errors or warnings and to the best of your ability be easy to understand and follow. If you're going to get hired at Epic your work must be in C++ and should have something to do with the Unreal Engine.
Be super cool and friendly.
Be modest. When you are asked, "How would you rate yourself on C++?", give yourself a low score. It's a trick question. I've been programming AAA video games for 15+ years and I wouldn't give myself anything higher than a 7.
Also, you have a tinge of desperation in your post. Leave that at home
And be okay with taking a job at some other studio while you build your Xp. Epic isn't going anywhere soon. You can always apply in a couple years time (hopefully with a shipped game under your belt) if you're not ready yet.
