Hello all!
I'm three months away from graduating an online program with a Bachelor's in Game Programming and Design. I am 26 and previously had a bachelor's in Christian Ministry, so I'm looking to change careers. I ultimately would like to be a game designer and plan out the games and their structure, but that requires years of experience in the industry. I would love to start out in QA or as a junior Developer/programmer and learn the ins and outs of the industry. I've been applying for a month or so now here and there to these sort of jobs all along the West Coast. QA is supposedly an entry level job but almost every post I see requires at least a year of experience. I have a portfolio made up of some of my school projects, but they aren't much to write home about, as I was learning the skills and only had 6 weeks for each one (and other assignments and a full time job). Once I finish school I plan on using that free time to work on prototypes and games and dive deeper into mastering a coding language. I also am in the beginning stages of designing a game with some former classmates, which will probably be the first portfolio piece I am really proud of.
To sum up my post in a question, how can I best switch career paths and get into the games industry when everyone "requires" at least a year of experience? I'm married and can't afford to take an unpaid internship or minimum wage job to get experience. Thanks for your time and response!
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Getting Into the Industy
Getting the first job in the industry can be difficult.
Here is some reading, it's just one page of many so after you read that page go read most of the other 90+ FAQs on his site.
You mention supporting a family. QA is a mostly throw-away job, it can be done but can be difficult. Sometimes you can find a dedicated QA department that sticks around but it rarely a permanent job. They're generally short-term contracts that last through the end of the project when everyone leaves with a big party, and they often have difficult hours. Even so, it serves as an "in" with the company, and a few people in the QA group become permanent employees in other roles.
Unfortunately for you and thousands of other aspiring game developers, "Game Programming And Design" doesn't align well to an actual job in the industry. It's a popular degree for many young people because it touches things they think they want, and sadly many school are cashing in on it, but employment metrics straight from school aren't that great. Programmers in the US typically have a CS degree. Game designers generally start through other disciplines with a CS degree or fine arts degree or join through another path.
The main paths to break in to the industry are programming and art disciplines. QA can also work, but the initial inroads can be tricky. There are rare openings for level designers, character designers, and other design-based jobs but they're not reliable if you're looking for a good path in; apply to the jobs when you discover them, but they're uncommon.
Based on what you described I'd work hard to build a good portfolio doing all the parts of game development you enjoy, and work your social network hard. Every one of your fellow students who gets a job in the industry is a potential lead. When companies have multiple openings they ask new hires if they have any friends who they would recommend, and you want everybody you know to recommend you.
I'd also look for related employment that you can do that meets your interests. You may find your ideal job right away, or you may not. Other entertainment industries are closely related so consider them. If you're interested in programming, simulations in entertainment, medicine, and military can be closely related work. Programmers who work with business solutions can also transition to game server programmers. If you're interested in art paths jobs in those same fields plus some fields like marketing may work for you. Every industry relies on software these days, so QA is needed virtually everywhere. Apply to these jobs when you aren't making inroads toward your ideal job.
Breaking in is always hard.
QA is a good place to start, however, it can be soul draining and monotonous. And as you likely already find out, it doesn't pay much.
Best advice is to get your portfolio up and polished. Hiring managers want to see that your willing to stick to it, even when it is tough.
A natural question I'd have, is why are you looking to change careers?
Online degrees are better than nothing, but ods are if no one has heard of the school, it will still be a hard sell.
Something like 80% of college grads don't work in an industry that they went to school for.
Even if you get into the Industry, it's likely going to be a long time before you get into a position that has the type of power and autonomy your looking for. Sr. people determine the core structures of a game, that comes with years of experience.
The one way around that, is to start your own company, but that has it's own challenges.
Games is unfortunately not like most other industries, where if you do good, you get a salaried job with benefits, and your set. That happens, but not for beginners. The Industry expects you to be there for more than 40 hours, and not report overtime. It's very much like how the Electrical Engineering field is. Most get contracts, not just because it's cheaper or the company, but since games are usually based on project by project basis, it's not economical to have as many full service staff.
Sorry, but unless your really good, or spend years building up your portfolio, games will not bring in the pay and stability your looking for, it's even worse if you have children.
Games is the tech industry on steroids. Only the big corporations have the kind of pay and stability your looking for, but you won't get the power and autonomy any time soon. They are also really hard to get into. Even harder than brand name tech companies.
To put it simple, your not getting into the games industry, unless your already in the games industry. That means you need to be working on your own side projects in concurrence with full time work or school.
I've done that for nearly a decade, and and it's brought me to the edge several times in the past. It's tough., most people aren't cut out for it.
6 hours ago, GeneralJist said:The Industry expects you to be there for more than 40 hours, and not report overtime.
Only the bad studios. Some do, many do not. This varies by studio, even within large companies with many studios there is enormous variation between locations. Do your homework before accepting the job and ask about their crunch policies.
If you are in a location that legally mandates reporting overtime, or if you know about wage fraud or tax fraud, report it. If the company encourages you not to do it then collect hard evidence of that, start looking for a new job as quickly as possible, and report your discovery to your local government's labor division.
I had close ties to two companies who did that. Both went out of business. One of them (thankfully I didn't work there) had the owner jailed for a year with the first criminal prosecution for wage fraud in that state (normally it is a civil prosecution meaning fines only), ultimately pleading guilty to multiple felony charges related to wage fraud and tax fraud. The employees who reported the crimes were paid some compensation by the state as the business was closed. Those who didn't report it received nothing.
6 hours ago, GeneralJist said:Sorry, but unless your really good, or spend years building up your portfolio, games will not bring in the pay and stability your looking for
Bad companies have high turnover and low tenure rates. In the bad studios you're looking at big layoffs after every project and it is rare for people to last more than 2 years. Bad studios also tend to focus on young adults with no established families and on fresh graduates who will accept less pay and are willing to work terrible hours because they have few external commitments.
In the good studios nobody wants to leave, retention is high, growth is slow, and many people are there for 5+, 10+, and 15+ years. In one good studio I was at there were multiple people who worked through to retirement. The one I'm at now just had their 10th birthday, celebrating about 30% of the initial hires as still at the company after 10 years and about half the staff with at least 5 years at the studio. Nobody wants to leave, and the company has established stable work conditions.
Be on the lookout when you interview. There should be a good mix of young and old, a few people with gray hair, and a mix of about 10%-20% women. There should be a mix of race somewhat similar to your city. If they're all in their 20's or early 30's, thank them for talking to you and walk for the door. If they're all male, think twice unless they're very small (under about 15 people). If there isn't a mix of race, directly ask them about it during the interview. While it is okay for offices to skew a little young, about 1/4 to 1/2 the desks and offices should have evidence of families including family photos, kid drawings, "world's greatest dad" mugs, and similar.
Usually the signs are there if you can read them. Older people won't put up with abuse and bad workplaces. When you find a studio with a bunch of old people and a track record of success, fight hard to work there.
On 7/30/2018 at 3:59 AM, Brandon Segraves said:I would love to start out in QA or as a junior Developer/programmer and learn the ins and outs of the industry.
On 7/30/2018 at 3:59 AM, Brandon Segraves said:QA is supposedly an entry level job
Junior QA is entry level. Senior QA is / should be as respected as other experts / veterans. It's a serious discipline.
On 7/30/2018 at 3:59 AM, Brandon Segraves said:Once I finish school I plan on using that free time to work on prototypes and games and dive deeper into mastering a coding language.
Programming is a serious profession that you can spend 4 years solid getting a degree in the foundations of. If you're not proficient in a programming language in use at your target job, and aren't interested in software as a career, then you're not a great candidate. You're competing against folk who have done those 4 year degrees, who knew how to code beforehand, and who spent those 4 years making games outside of school.
In any job interview, you want to be able to reassure them that you're completely capable of doing the job. Working on your portfolio to create some games (not school assignments) will be a good start for being able to do this.
Hi Brandon. I suggest that you find another job not related to game design so that you can support yourself and your family while temporarily volunteering to activites that can enhance you skills as a game designer. This will also give you the necessary experience which you can put on your resume and talk about during interview. You just have to sacrifice a little bit. After that, you will be able to quit your job and pursue a career in game design.
No, there are jobs you can get while in school and while out of school. Yes, everyone should have a backup plan. Nobody should be forced to volunteer their time rather than work.
Your career is not a single job. You can make career choices that are open to many different jobs. If you cannot get a job in the industry you prefer, you can expand your career by doing the same job in a different industry, or by doing a different job in the same industry. It is best for you if you can find a job and industry that you enjoy, but sometimes people can't, and need to adapt their career to fit the job market.
