ok so I''ve got this demo, looking quite good and all that, and I now want to approach some games companies locally and try to get a job. What''s the best way to do this? Should I email them, phone them up, turn up on their doorstep (some are out of the way), what would be best? Any help much appreciated. I DO have a website for my game, I know this helps a lot especially thumbnail pics for those busy HR chaps to look over. Many thanks, Daniel

Based on people who''ve contacted us on spec:

e-mail them to ask if they''re hiring at the moment. Try to hunt out the relevent e-mail address if you can. If you can''t find one, send an initial e-mail to whatever address they have on their website (info@topcompany.com) asking who you should contact about jobs. (Mention the type of job in that e-mail, programming, art etc - often you''ll get the relevent directors e-mail address [technical director, art director etc])

Phoning is ok, but you''re less likely to get through to anyone of importance, and nerves often mean you don''t get everything across properly (an e-mail suits everyone and you can be 100% sure everything is correct before you send it).

*Don''t* send any big attachments without asking first, tell them in the e-mail you can send samples if necessary. Do tell them the download URL for any stuff in that first e-mail.

*Don''t* be too familiar with them - keep things professional - writing an e-mail which sounds like a drunken ICQ message to a mate isn''t going to impress them. There is fun and jokery in the industry, but at the end of the day it''s a profession.

*Don''t* take things personally - if they say they have no vacancies at the moment (even if they''re advertising that they do!) - don''t be upset, and importantly *DON''T* hassle them too much about WHY they won''t employ you. A follow up e-mail or phone call is fine. 2 follow ups is probably pushing it.



--
Simon O''''Connor
Creative Asylum Ltd
www.creative-asylum.com

Thanks S1CA, very useful information (as always).

"I envy you, who has seen it all"
"And I, young sir, envy you, who have yet to see it for the first time..."
- Daniel Glenfield
1st October 2001

That''s a really great question tom, I''m going to do some research. It definetly seems like a worthy article for the MVG newsletter. I''ll let you know what I find out.

--Lowell N. Manners
lowell@makevideogames.com
MakeVideoGames.com

also, remember, if you don''t get a response from your email in about, say, a week or so, you can politely send another email requesting the status of your job inquiry. this will show persistence and the desire to get the job. but don''t send too many. it could get annoying.

a2k

Thanks for your advice everyone. I''ll have to post my website for my demo sometime soon so people have have a looksie.

"I envy you, who has seen it all"
"And I, young sir, envy you, who have yet to see it for the first time..."
- Daniel Glenfield
1st October 2001

quote:Original post by S1CA
*Don''t* take things personally - if they say they have no vacancies at the moment (even if they''re advertising that they do!) - don''t be upset, and importantly *DON''T* hassle them too much about WHY they won''t employ you. A follow up e-mail or phone call is fine. 2 follow ups is probably pushing it.

Generally good advice, but sometimes it might take some persistance. I have heard of one company (I think it was a marketing company) where their standard hiring policy was to turn a prospective candidate down. If he inquired about a job a second time, they would turn him down again. If he inquired a third time, he was hired. I really have to wonder exactly how many people this company ended up hiring. But I guess if they were into marketing/sales, those are the signs of a good marking exec/salesperson.

Is this a game company? No. Just a little story that persistance sometimes does pay off.

Hmm...this seems like a ridiculous hiring policy. Sure, persistence is important but think of how many capable candidates you''ve lost, because maybe another company they applied to did answer them after the first time. Seems like a good way to end up with all the dregs.

But hey...I''m not in HR, and I''ve never really found it to make much sense to begin with.

R.