🎉 Celebrating 25 Years of GameDev.net! 🎉

Not many can claim 25 years on the Internet! Join us in celebrating this milestone. Learn more about our history, and thank you for being a part of our community!

Back to Games Career Development

Moving before Applying for a job

Jason Maurer · 2010-06-14T13:54:40

I've always wanted to be a video game programmer, ever since I laid my hands on my first Super Nintendo game. (Starfox just in case you're curious.)But I didn't really decide to strive for that dream until very recently. As a budding video game programmer, I'm hoping anyone here has advice on what I should do in order to not only get up to the professional level, but also to GET that job. I'm currently a freshman in College, majoring in CS, and I've decided to learn as much code in my free time as possible, starting with C++. From what I've read on various threads so far, I need to build up some kind of portfolio and create sample codes. Other than that, I'm not exactly sure what I should be concentrating on. Unfortunately for me, I live in Las Vegas, and the only game companies here are the ones focused on gambling. I do realize that I need to move somewhere else. Are there any suggestions in places I should go? I'm currently looking at California, Texas, and Colorado, as I have either family or friends in those states. And as for getting the interview. This will probably be more general noob question, as I've never been to an interview, but do I have to "live" in the city/town I'm applying in "before" the interview? Or is flying there a much better option? I'm hoping that flying is the better way to go, as I'm lucky enough to have a parent that is a commercial airline pilot, which means huge discounts for me.Sorry for all the questions. I wasn't quite sure if this is the right board for these, or if I should have posted them on the "Beginners" board. Either way, I tremendously appreciate any help that you guys can give me. Thanks in advance.[Edited by - hasonish on June 5, 2010 2:25:28 PM]

Games Career Development Business

Started by hasonish June 05, 2010 12:15 PM

20 comments, last by ShinkaFudan 14 years ago

hasonish

100

Author

June 05, 2010 05:03 PM

Quote: Original post by jtagge75
And what is wrong with getting a job working on gambling machines? Yeah maybe they aren't AAA games but they work the same, usually done in C++, and lot of new ones use some kind of graphics API (usually OpenGL). Cost of living in Vegas is cheaper then where you would have to move to in California to get a job. All in all you could do a lot worse then making poker games for a year or two.

Unfortunately, I have a deep-seeded hatred for the gambling industry. Sure, it's a good place to start, but I definitely don't want to make a career out of it. If anything, I'll just start out here and get experience programming, then make the move to California whenever I can land a job. Still, I've got time to plan my life out, and it's good that I'm starting earlier than waiting till after I graduate. (Though maybe not early enough. *shrug*)

--Jason Maurer Budding C++ Programmer

Naku

151

June 05, 2010 05:10 PM

It's not really necessary to live near jobs you're applying for. Moving before applying is a pretty bad idea, you don't really want to move to a new city only to be turned down for the job you're applying and needing to move again, its completely impractical.

Apply for a position, tell them you're willing to move, if you're the right person for the job then where you're living now won't be an issue, people move for jobs all the time but not before even applying.

Telephone interviews maybe an option, although some companies prefer a face to face interview. I've also had companies pay my travel expenses when going for interviews although not all will. Don't ask them to though, that'll look pretty bad for you but they might offer it.

APE

hasonish

100

Author

June 05, 2010 05:20 PM

Quote: Original post by Naku
It's not really necessary to live near jobs you're applying for. Moving before applying is a pretty bad idea, you don't really want to move to a new city only to be turned down for the job you're applying and needing to move again, its completely impractical.

This is my initial fear with moving before applying for a job. Tom says it's a better to already live there before applying, and I can see the reason behind that through the examples in the previous posts. But as you state, moving before applying also has its drawbacks. Which is why I initial hoped that it would be better if I could fly in for interviews.

--Jason Maurer Budding C++ Programmer

rhnz

137

June 05, 2010 05:30 PM

If I was a company and had two identical candidates with one guy living near me and one guy on the other end of the world I would not care as long as a) the guy around the world pays for trips to interviews himself and b) he can make the same starting date as the other guy (say you apply today and both start at 1.7., plenty of time to move).

But I'm just a student myself so I'd go with Toms advice ;)

Obscure

175

June 05, 2010 09:20 PM

Quote: Original post by Naku
It's not really necessary to live near jobs you're applying for. Moving before applying is a pretty bad idea, you don't really want to move to a new city only to be turned down for the job you're applying and needing to move again, its completely impractical.

This is true in the UK (where relocation is just a few hours drive at most) but it isn't true of the US. As has been pointed out above, companies will pick a local applicant (all things being equal) over one that has to relocate because it's easier.

Also US hotspot cities like LA, SF and Seattle have more than one studio so getting turned down by one doesn't mean you have to relocate again.

Dan Marchant - Business Development Consultant
www.obscure.co.uk

Doctor Shinobi

100

June 06, 2010 04:04 AM

Well,I think you should mention in the top of your CV that you are willing to move. But seriously,you actually considered leaving your girlfriend behind? That's like going a step backwards.

hasonish

100

Author

June 06, 2010 05:34 PM

I'm not leaving her forever man. I can understand her need to not want to move away from family. So I don't want to force her to leave until I know I can provide for us in California.

--Jason Maurer Budding C++ Programmer

yaustar

1,022

June 07, 2010 06:52 AM

Have you tried companies like Boomzap and Linden Labs (Second Life) as they do a lot of telecommuting?

Edit: Oh wait, I just realised you are still studying so ignore this post.

Steven Yau
[Blog] [Portfolio]

VladR

722

June 11, 2010 10:20 PM

Quote: Original post by Doctor Shinobi
Well,I think you should mention in the top of your CV that you are willing to move. But seriously,you actually considered leaving your girlfriend behind? That's like going a step backwards.

Uhm, spending several months worth of living costs in a new town and being turned down by game companies (this will inevitable happen multiple times) - that is something you`d want your girlfriend to be away from.

Getting new good girlfriend is a magnitude (or two) easier task than a good gamedev job anyway :)

VladR My 3rd person action RPG on GreenLight: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=92951596

VladR

722

June 11, 2010 10:27 PM

Quote: Original post by Tom Sloper

Since you don't accept the idea on my say-so, hopefully someone else will confirm it for you.

Tom - it`s actually ok. Imagine if the universal truth (gathered as a life experience) was transferrable to others by pure reading.

Can you imagine the havoc that would wreak ?

VladR My 3rd person action RPG on GreenLight: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=92951596