The Games Game

Smart Wannabe Tricks (June 2006)

Dear Tom,

I hope you can help me see things from another perspective. I've been beating my head against the wall trying to break in. The wall doesn't have as much as a dent in it, and my head is getting sore! :)

After applying to at least a hundred companies, I've gotten only a few phone interviews, and no offers. Getting a full-time job is too hard, so I'm planning to go the freelance route. I'd appreciate any thoughts you have on how best to get freelance game design projects.

Dear Frustrated,

So let me get this straight. Your reasoning for going freelance is that it's too hard to get a job? Sorry to be the one to tell you (well, no, I'm not really sorry, I guess), but it's even harder to get paid freelance work as a game designer than it is to get a job. To get freelance work as a game designer, you have to show that you have professional experience as a game designer.

Your letter was very short on detail, so I don't know how many of the most common Stupid Wannabe Tricks you're doing. I think you must have done (or must be doing) more than a few. You need to use the Smart Wannabe Tricks instead. Go through this checklist with me:

1. Education - Got a degree? Is it a four-year degree?

2. Cover Letter - When you apply in writing, is your cover letter creative and engaging, responding to the particular requirements of the opening you're applying for? Tell me it's not one of those standard "you'll find me a hard worker, i'll do any kind of job you have, please give me a chance" things most people write?

3. Email - Please tell me you aren't only applying by email. Email is for follow-ups, not for job applications. Are you using the telephone?

4. Location, Location, Location - Do you live within daily commuting distance of any game companies? Please tell me you aren't applying for entry-level jobs long distance.

5. Networking - Do you belong to the IGDA, have you gone to any conferences, have you got a network of people in the industry, or at least other wannabe students who've graduated or are nearing graduation?

6. Perseverance - You've been keeping at this for a while, but it sounds like you're losing steam. Hang in there, baby. Using the other tricks in this list should energize you to keep on keepin' on.

7. Portfolio - Have you got a spectacular portfolio and/or demo? Worked on mods, designs, stories, reviews...?

8. Realistic Targeting - Please tell me you aren't only applying for Lead Designer jobs at EA, Sony, and Square Enix. You said you aspire to be a game designer, and that isn't an entry level job. So for breaking-in purposes, are you applying for entry-level programmer, artist, production, marketing, legal, QA, or CS jobs (whichever you're suited for)? Are you applying at small development companies, and not just big publishing companies?

9. Research - When you apply at a company, do you research their products so you can ask intelligent questions at interviews? Have you researched to find every possible company near where you live, or done research on which hotspot you'd most like to move to? Have you read up on game design, have you done analyses of what's best and worst about the most notable games of the past year? Have you researched the job of game designer and other jobs that you might be well suited for?

10. Résumé, C.V. - Is your résumé as complete, factual, and polished as it can be?

If you answered "no" to three or more of those, you know what you've been doing wrong. And you know now what you need to do to get your break. Good luck!