This is kind of on another subject but I didn't want to open a new thread for it.

Do you think I can apply for internships with 4 years of software development experience in other fields or mobile games?

As I understand many people start from internships and I don't mind working for a few months for a lower salary in order to get to where I want, but I'm not sure if I'm not too old or too experienced for an internship as usually its for new graduates (I'm doing a MSc degree though).

Anyway, when game companies offer internships, are they usually paid internships? or do they ask the interns to work for free? I had an argument with my girlfriend about it, she comes from illustrations and she said that internships are usually with a salary.

Thanks

1. Do you think I can apply for internships with 4 years of software development experience in other fields or mobile games?
2. I'm not sure if I'm not too old or too experienced for an internship as usually its for new graduates (I'm doing a MSc degree though).
3. when game companies offer internships, are they usually paid internships? or do they ask the interns to work for free?

1. Sure, you can apply.
2. You're still early twenties? And you haven't worked in the game industry? You're not too old or experienced.
3. It varies. There is no black or white yes or no answer.

I'm almost 31, I'm from Israel so I had to be in the army for 3 years, then 4 years of software engineering.

I started I started working full time as a software developer when I was 26-27, first two years were not game related, the last two was doing mobile game development.

p.s is there a way to change the thread topic? now it just looks weird :)

So I should just continue to try to apply for junior/mid level positions and work on some kind of showreel\portfolio website?

I thought the fact that I'm a MSc degree student is a good excuse for trying for an internship.

Internships (in the US at least) are generally targeted towards people who have no industry experience as a way to get experience that is low risk to the employer. Given that you have four years of work experience that is going to put you at the bottom of the pile for prospective internships.

Keep applying for jobs while working on your portfolio. Even if it's not games, that four years of experience is better then a fresh graduate with just maybe an internship.

Internships (in the US at least) are generally targeted towards people who have no industry experience as a way to get experience that is low risk to the employer. Given that you have four years of work experience that is going to put you at the bottom of the pile for prospective internships.

Keep applying for jobs while working on your portfolio. Even if it's not games, that four years of experience is better then a fresh graduate with just maybe an internship.

I looked at a lot of linkedIn profiles for programmers in positions I want to reach and many of them started with an internship then continued working as juniors for the same company.

So I'm not sure that my experience is better than a graduate with an internship.

In the meantime I get a lot of rejections from companies saying I don't have the right industry experience.