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A huge chance: should I take it?
Author
Hey.
First of all, I want to say that I'm passionate about game development. Programming is a very fun and rewarding thing to do, but from what I hear, it's hard to get into the industry.
Now, I have a huge plan I would like to set in motion beginning this year. I want to move to Japan sometime after I've built up experience and work for a game development studio there since I've basically grown up on games from this region of the world. To me, it seems like the modern center of game development, and I'm willing to take any risk and overcome any challenge to make my dream come true.
But alas, that's quite far ahead of me. Right now, I'm applying for colleges. My last year of high school has just ended, and what I see as a potential opportunity to force my way into the software development industry in general has appeared: my dad, who works for a software development company which uses many of the technologies I have taught myself and have a concrete knowledge of, is able to get me into the company this summer as a programmer given that I pass an interview and prove myself able to handle the job.
I have never had a job before and this is a very stressful thing to me; my question is, should I take this opportunity to get into the software development industry? While it's not specifically game-related (actually, public safety) I'm sure it'll give me valuable real-world experience and would look great on my resume. I'm just not sure how everything will fit together once the summer is over and I start college... I can't hold my job over that time if I take daytime classes, and I'm not sure about spending every single hour of my life either studying or trying to make ends meet to pay for college; but if that's what it takes, so be it.
Tom Sloper's FAQ has helped me greatly (especially lesson 48), but I'm afraid it doesn't answer my specific questions.
So, in finality, I would like to know if someone could help me figure out the answers to these questions:
-Should I attempt to secure this job?
-What other (better) alternatives are there?
-Somewhat unrelated, but what course of college study would you recommend for me? (Software engineering or a variation thereof, obviously, but more specifically, I need to work Japanese studies in here somewhere, either on my own time or via classes. I realize it takes much dedicated hard work to learn a language, but I believe I have what it takes. The problem here is that some people swear that language courses simply do not work. Is this really the case?)
Thanks for for your time and I look forward to your valued responses.
Quote: Original post by KuraitouIt depends. If you're not capable of doing the job, then yeah, you're hoping for a lucky chance that someone is desperate enough to hire you. If you are capable of doing the job, you've just got to wait for an opening and then p[rove your stuff.
from what I hear, it's hard to get into the industry.
Quote: I want to move to Japan sometime after I've built up experience and work for a game development studio thereYeah, definately plan for this to happen later on in your career. Hiring foreigners is always a hassle - I've only seen it happen once for a junior position - usually it's reserved for people you really want/need to hire.
It's even worse if you're not completely fluent in the language spoken in the studio. Lots of european studios speak english, even in non-english-speaking countries, but I wouldn't expect this at all in Japan.
Quote: While it's not specifically game-related (actually, public safety) I'm sure it'll give me valuable real-world experience and would look great on my resume.For sure. While other college grads can talk about their group assignments and sharing files over USB-drives, you'll be able to talk about how well you adjusted to a team environment and your experiences with their processes, source control, etc.
So... I'd definately give the job a shot, even if it only lasts you 3 months.
Quote: I need to work Japanese studies in here somewhere, either on my own time or via classes. I realize it takes much dedicated hard work to learn a language, but I believe I have what it takes. The problem here is that some people swear that language courses simply do not work. Is this really the case?I think they're ok as long as you don't miss anything. I never paid much attention in my Japanese lessons, so after 2 years of lessons I can't go far past "where's the toilet" and can't read/write it any more (it's been 7 years since I learnt). I have friends from the same course who can still read and have basic conversions though, so it worked well enough for them.
Japan is weird in that they simultaneously love European/American stuff, but are also very traditional and isolated. Be prepared to be extremely respectful and to treat your superiors like they're higher life-forms than you ;) It's notoriously hard to "get on the same level" as your superiours there, and I hear even moreso as a gaijin.
First of all, and it seems to be quite common for some reason, I don't know why you think that moving to Japan should be any part of breaking into the games industry. Development is hard enough without throwing yourself into a situation where you'll be surrounded by the language barier on all sides.
The real Japan, while friendly, is also very insular. You cannot expect realistically, as an outsider, to simply storm the gates and make a big impact.
Further, Japan, while still a hugely important cultural region for games, isn't really the development or even technology center of gaming that it once may have been.
This is a dream that seems to be common among wannabe game developers, and while I get that its part of your passion, its also kind of an unrealistic and, to a measure, childish, daydream. Even myself, I once thought that learning to speak fluent japanese would be a necessary skill -- reading would have been better a few years ago (documentation) -- but now I can see that its not at all necessary and only a 'nice to have' in a few, select roles.
I'm not at all trying to dash your dreams, but I just can't help but feeling that you're looking at this through childs' eyes, and you need to be realistic about the path you need to take to get where you want to be.
The real Japan, while friendly, is also very insular. You cannot expect realistically, as an outsider, to simply storm the gates and make a big impact.
Further, Japan, while still a hugely important cultural region for games, isn't really the development or even technology center of gaming that it once may have been.
This is a dream that seems to be common among wannabe game developers, and while I get that its part of your passion, its also kind of an unrealistic and, to a measure, childish, daydream. Even myself, I once thought that learning to speak fluent japanese would be a necessary skill -- reading would have been better a few years ago (documentation) -- but now I can see that its not at all necessary and only a 'nice to have' in a few, select roles.
I'm not at all trying to dash your dreams, but I just can't help but feeling that you're looking at this through childs' eyes, and you need to be realistic about the path you need to take to get where you want to be.
Hello Kura, you wrote:
>Tom Sloper's FAQ has helped me greatly (especially lesson 48), but I'm afraid it doesn't answer my specific questions.
>-Should I attempt to secure this job?
You mean, should you bother taking the application test for the summer job? Yeah, I forgot to mention that in FAQ 48. I slap my forehead and say, "chikusho!"
Why not take it? If you don't get that summer job, chances that you'll be moving to Japan instead are pretty slim.
You might not get the summer job, of course -- that wouldn't be the end of the world either.
Even if you do get the job, you should still go to college. You should talk to your dad about whether to work and skip college or not.
I wrote an article on how to make a decision. It's FAQ 70.
>-What other (better) alternatives are there?
Than applying for that summer job? I don't know. Some other summer job.
>-Somewhat unrelated, but what course of college study would you recommend for me?
You want to be a programmer, you said? View the Forum FAQ (above), and go to the For Beginners FAQ, and view that too. You should get a CS degree. You can minor in Japanese.
>The problem here is that some people swear that language courses simply do not work. Is this really the case?)
The problem here is that you listen to people you shouldn't listen to. How do you know we aren't some of those? Studying is actually a good way to learn things. Courses are a good way to study (you aren't a professional teacher, so you shouldn't teach yourself). But what I just said will find an argument here. Lots of GameDev regulars disagree with me on that point. That means you have to make a decision. I refer you again to my article 70.
>Tom Sloper's FAQ has helped me greatly (especially lesson 48), but I'm afraid it doesn't answer my specific questions.
>-Should I attempt to secure this job?
You mean, should you bother taking the application test for the summer job? Yeah, I forgot to mention that in FAQ 48. I slap my forehead and say, "chikusho!"
Why not take it? If you don't get that summer job, chances that you'll be moving to Japan instead are pretty slim.
You might not get the summer job, of course -- that wouldn't be the end of the world either.
Even if you do get the job, you should still go to college. You should talk to your dad about whether to work and skip college or not.
I wrote an article on how to make a decision. It's FAQ 70.
>-What other (better) alternatives are there?
Than applying for that summer job? I don't know. Some other summer job.
>-Somewhat unrelated, but what course of college study would you recommend for me?
You want to be a programmer, you said? View the Forum FAQ (above), and go to the For Beginners FAQ, and view that too. You should get a CS degree. You can minor in Japanese.
>The problem here is that some people swear that language courses simply do not work. Is this really the case?)
The problem here is that you listen to people you shouldn't listen to. How do you know we aren't some of those? Studying is actually a good way to learn things. Courses are a good way to study (you aren't a professional teacher, so you shouldn't teach yourself). But what I just said will find an argument here. Lots of GameDev regulars disagree with me on that point. That means you have to make a decision. I refer you again to my article 70.
If it were me, if it's a summer job and looks reasonable I'd definitely strongly consider it. The main downside would be if you were missing a needed break before college after burning yourself out in final year; you'd have to make that call. For my software engineering course we all were expected to put in a few months of on-the-job experience to qualify (I think there was a loophole in that you could count the first few months of post graduation employment; I managed to find enough work between years to count regardless).
As for Japan, I'd expect there to be a large amount of culture shock. I've had a few friends work in Asia for a year or so, but they were all in teaching related positions. If you are dead set in experiencing life in Japan, there's always the option to spend a study year there. My unis had the option to apply for a year studying abroad at foreign universities, and I know there were several opportunities in Japan.
As for Japan, I'd expect there to be a large amount of culture shock. I've had a few friends work in Asia for a year or so, but they were all in teaching related positions. If you are dead set in experiencing life in Japan, there's always the option to spend a study year there. My unis had the option to apply for a year studying abroad at foreign universities, and I know there were several opportunities in Japan.
Take it.
As for Japan. If you want to go to Japan because of Japan, then I think you should. It is a childish dream, but hell, we only live once (probably) and not trying to do something about our dreams is a really bad thing to do.
But if you are not interested in Japan, just something else (games/manga/whatever), then I guess you should forget it.
You see, I'm in Finland now. I'm here because of Finland, not because of a career. It is a bit similar to Japan: unique lingo and very hard to get into the industry even with some knowledge of the language (any industries but IT, but I'm an Engineer so...).
I'm here for 6 months now in relative poverty without a job. But I still like it the same as when I came here.
My 'job' is easier, because I'm European, so I fit into the population well, but in Japan, you will always be a foreigner, even if you know the culture/language inside-out (I guess).
As for Japan. If you want to go to Japan because of Japan, then I think you should. It is a childish dream, but hell, we only live once (probably) and not trying to do something about our dreams is a really bad thing to do.
But if you are not interested in Japan, just something else (games/manga/whatever), then I guess you should forget it.
You see, I'm in Finland now. I'm here because of Finland, not because of a career. It is a bit similar to Japan: unique lingo and very hard to get into the industry even with some knowledge of the language (any industries but IT, but I'm an Engineer so...).
I'm here for 6 months now in relative poverty without a job. But I still like it the same as when I came here.
My 'job' is easier, because I'm European, so I fit into the population well, but in Japan, you will always be a foreigner, even if you know the culture/language inside-out (I guess).
Quote: Original post by Trapper Zoid
The main downside would be if you were missing a needed break before college after burning yourself out in final year
I never heard of high school senior burnout. A summer job is a great way to get your head into a new place before heading into college.
Quote: Original post by Kuraitou
-Should I attempt to secure this job?
It depends on the situation. If you're going to get a summer internship or temp job, absolutely. If they expect you to work instead of going to college, no. If you'll get a lot of grief for the nepotism... maybe not.
Quote:
-What other (better) alternatives are there?
These days, pretty much nothing for a high school graduate.
Quote:
-Somewhat unrelated, but what course of college study would you recommend for me? (Software engineering or a variation thereof, obviously, but more specifically, I need to work Japanese studies in here somewhere, either on my own time or via classes. I realize it takes much dedicated hard work to learn a language, but I believe I have what it takes. The problem here is that some people swear that language courses simply do not work. Is this really the case?)
I would expect a major in Computer Science and a minor in Japanese (or a double major if you're feeling ambitious). Sure, the courses might suck and you might need to do some work on your own to learn the language/kanji properly, but at the end you have the degree to put on your resume and that goes a long way.
Quote: Original post by Tom Sloper
I never heard of high school senior burnout.
It can happen, although I guess it depends on the nature of the education system in the area. I was pretty stressed out throughout the entire final year of my VCE (the high school certificate program in my state). Not enough to need a whole summer to recover, but I wouldn't have wanted to apply for a programming job the week after exams. [wink]
have you been to japan? You should visit it before you try to live there. It's a very different culture from most others, and you may find it doesn't mesh with you for living. I think it meshes with most people for vacations because it's a cool country, but it takes a lot to actually live there. Also keep in mind that coming back to visit your family if you get homesick is not trivial if you decide you don't like it.
I'd take the summer job. If it's an internship level job, you should be able to get by and get plenty of relaxing in over the summer. Make a little cash, and spend some time thinking about it more.
Like some above said, Japan is not nearly the video game mecca you make it out to be. You should do a little more research before making such a large decision.
I'd take the summer job. If it's an internship level job, you should be able to get by and get plenty of relaxing in over the summer. Make a little cash, and spend some time thinking about it more.
Like some above said, Japan is not nearly the video game mecca you make it out to be. You should do a little more research before making such a large decision.
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