The Games Game May 2006

Being Loyal to Yourself (May 2006)

Hi Tom,

I've just been involved in finishing a long game project (I'm a programmer), and I just heard a rumor that the company where I work is going to have to lay a lot of us off because they don't have another project to work on yet.

I'm not even sure that I'm going to be let go, so I'm worried that it might be disloyal to go looking for another job. But if they do let me go, I'm worried that my meager savings will be depleted before I find another job. Especially if the other guys here get snapped up before I do, because they weren't so conscientious about being disloyal.

Hope you don't think I'm asking too many questions. Do you think a headhunter might be a good way to go?

Chuck

Hello Chuck,

Part of the problem is that you're operating in a bit of a vacuum. If you're insecure about your future, talk to your boss. Tell him of your concerns, and that you don't want to be disloyal, but if there's a chance that the company might not have enough work to keep you employed, you need to look for another job. If he's a good boss, he'll be as honest with you as he can, and he'll offer you a good reference. It's possible that your boss doesn't know what the future holds either - his job, too, might be on the chopping block.

As much as we owe loyalty to our current employer, we always first and foremost must be loyal to ourselves. Our primary responsibility is to keep a roof over our own heads and keep ourselves fed. You didn't mention if you are a family man - if you have a wife and one or more kids, all the more reason to be ferociously pro-active in making sure your employment continues unabated. A good boss understands this. So my first suggestion is that you talk to your boss.

If you live in an area where there are other game companies nearby, you should contact their HR departments and inquire about programmer openings. And if you know any people who work in those companies, either former coworkers or people you've met at IGDA chapter meetings and such, call them too. I recommend telephone - I do not recommend email.

If, however, you live in a place where your company is the only game employer around, and you don't have any distant contacts, then you could go the headhunter route, if you want to. Check out the headhunter (don't just go with the first one you find). Don't make an exclusive arrangement with one headhunter. Make sure the headhunter only submits your résumé to companies you okay first. And don't sit back waiting for the headhunter to get you interviews - pursue your own channels as well. Contact people you know at other companies, check job listings at reputable game job sites. Don't just email them! Use the telephone! There, I put an exclamation point on it that time.

Jim Charne had similar, and other, great points in one of his recent columns. Check it out.

Hey, good luck, Chuck!

Tom Sloper's game biz career began over twenty years ago at Western Technologies, where he designed LCD games and the Vectrex games "Spike" and "Bedlam". There followed stints at Sega Enterprises, Rudell Design, Atari Corporation, and Activision. In 12 years at Activision, Tom produced 36 unique game titles (plus innumerable ports and localizations), designed four games, and won five awards. Tom worked for several months in Activision's Japan operation, in Tokyo. He is perhaps best known for designing, managing and producing Activision's "Shanghai" line. He is currently consulting, writing, speaking, teaching, and developing original games. Find out more at Sloperama.

© 2005 Tom Sloper. All rights reserved.