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College degree and Job in the game industry

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4 comments, last by Tom Sloper 9 years, 5 months ago

I would like to get some advice from people who are already in the market and have passed through selection process or even made some selection processes, how hard would it be for a graduate from an acredited regional university, ranked 23 in college us rank and with a degree acredited by the Aacsb (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) to compete with an individual with a degree from a Ivy League University such as Harvard?

How much does the university name influences for someone to be hired in the games market in the sales or marketing area? (what is the weight of a degree in the Game market for the first job after internship) Can job experience and other skills balance the chances againts an Ivy league degree?

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how hard would it be for a graduate from an acredited regional university, ranked 23 in college us rank and with a degree acredited by the Aacsb (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) to compete with an individual with a degree from a Ivy League University such as Harvard?

Different hiring managers and HR processes will put different weight on your educational qualifications (I, for example, wouldn't consider the two you listed any differently: in my thought process you either have a degree or you don't, and we go from there, unless your degree is from a few select places that I've had bad experiences with -- "game schools" mainly).

Generally the education part of your resume is useful only for passing the initial (often HR-based) resume screen, and beyond that you will get the job or not based on what happens in the interview itself. Once you have had a job in the industry, your education is considered with even less weight.

Also this is highly sensitive to location.

In some regions of the world the degree is unnecessary. In other regions of the world the degree is a requirement.

In most of the US the degree is required, except for some cases where someone got 3 years in and then was snatched up by an employer before they finished the degree SO THE EMPLOYER COULD PAY THEM LESS MONEY. Don't fall for that trap.

I honestly don't care what school you attended, only that you learned all the things you need to know. Finishing the degree is strong evidence that you can stick through to the end of a project and that you at least know the basics. Declaring that you went to CMU or Berkeley or a state university means nothing to me. If you happen to have attended one of the schools the interviewer is familiar with they may ask a question or two, if you know so-and-so, but generally it provides approximately zero benefit. Some people will even hold it against you as a potential name-dropping individual, trying to ride the school's reputation rather than your own ability.

a degree from a Ivy League University such as Harvard?


I interviewed a guy from Harvard once (that was over 15 years ago). I saw his snooty snobby school as a minus, not a plus, but I tried to put that aside and just look at it as "just a degree."

I see things a bit differently now. I know that some of those big schools have outreach programs and give scholarships in underserved communities to deserving students. I realize now that a school can be seen by some as snooty but that doesn't mean its graduates are snobs.

-- Tom Sloper -- sloperama.com

a degree from a Ivy League University such as Harvard?


I interviewed a guy from Harvard once (that was over 15 years ago). I saw his snooty snobby school as a minus, not a plus, but I tried to put that aside and just look at it as "just a degree."

I see things a bit differently now. I know that some of those big schools have outreach programs and give scholarships in underserved communities to deserving students. I realize now that a school can be seen by some as snooty but that doesn't mean its graduates are snobs.

Apparently Harvard in particular is especially vulnerable to this problem, to the extent that people avoid mentioning that they are alums.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2012/05/28/not_easy_for_harvard_grads_to_say_they_went_there/

SlimDX | Ventspace Blog | Twitter | Diverse teams make better games. I am currently hiring capable C++ engine developers in Baltimore, MD.
Okay, so it wasn't just me. Thanks for the article, Promit.

-- Tom Sloper -- sloperama.com

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