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By Posted in Careers No Comments
Lauryl Zenobi is a UX Researcher and author of a new book, "I Want a UX Job!"

Have you ever leaned hard to push a door open, only to discover too late that it’s actually a “pull” door? (And then glanced around embarrassed to see who noticed?) It wasn’t your fault. Some doors just don’t make it obvious whether to push or pull. My least favorite doors are even worse: they actually have a pull handle but still require a push!

Who designs all these confusing doors? Is it some kind of sick prank? Do the designers laugh diabolically as they imagine how dorky I’ll look pulling the push doors and pushing the pull doors?

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By Posted in Careers No Comments

Are you driving your own career, or are you just a passenger?

Can you imagine spending each day working alongside a team of super-talented game designers and artists, creating a new video game destined to be loved by millions of passionate fans?

What about waking up on Monday morning and being glad the weekend is over — because you absolutely love your job?

If your dream job is making games, you’re not alone. Every month, 40,000 eager readers visit this site to learn about the game industry and hear advice on how to turn the dream into a reality. Read more »

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By Posted in Careers, Podcast 8 Comments

In this episode of Game Industry Career Guide Podcast, I answer a question from Ashley, who asks “My name is Ashely and I am a recruiter that is new to the Video Game recruiting world. I wanted to combine what I do with one of my favorite hobbies which is playing video games. I discovered your blog and see that you are an expert in the field. Do you have any advice for me as a recruiter or can you guide me to any blogs that can help me crack into this industry?”

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Why recruiting is important to the game industry
  • Three challenges to overcome to break into game industry recruiting
  • A strategy for accelerating your transition into game recruiting

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By Posted in Networking, Podcast 7 Comments

In this episode of Game Industry Career Guide Podcast, I answer a question from Matthew who asks, “Hey Jason, I was looking into trying to get a job as a QA tester but all companies require years of previous experience. How do I get experience if no one will hire me unless I have it?”

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Why the “chicken and egg” problem affects every game job
  • How your career can take off once you get your foot in the door at a video game studio
  • Three of the top, proven strategies for breaking into your first game job

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By Posted in Applying, Networking 53 Comments
How can you get your foot in the door, if the door won't open?

Does the video game industry seem like a black box, with no way to break inside? All you need is a foot in the door, but how do you get it to open in the first place?

You can get into game development. All you need is a solid strategy.

But it’s time to stop searching for “the right way,” because there’s no one “right way.” Instead, there are many ways to get your first job at a game studio. To discover the best strategies, it takes an understanding of how the current batch of professional game developers started out.

Here are 10 strategies you can use to break into your first job at a video game studio, along with examples of pro developers that have done it. It worked for them, and it can work for you. Read more »

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By Posted in Careers 3 Comments

A sad man wishes he could quit his job to make video games for a living.
Is every day a bad day at work? Maybe it’s time for a change.

Somewhere around the tender age of 18 or 20 years old, each of us is asked to make a decision that will impact us for decades to come. We’re made to answer the question, “What do you want to do with your life?”

I remember the year I was required to answer that question for myself. It was the year my university “strongly encouraged” me to declare a major, and I picked Biochemistry… even though I wasn’t sure what a biochemist did all day, or whether it would be a good fit for me. Knowing what I know about myself now, two decades later, I have no idea why I picked it. What the hell was I thinking?

I was expected to choose, and so I chose. Read more »

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By Posted in Careers, Podcast No Comments

In this episode of Game Industry Career Guide Podcast, I answer a question from Justin, who wants to know how he could change careers, and become a professional video game developer instead?

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Why it’s not too late to change careers, even if you’re in your 30’s
  • How to learn to make games while also keeping your current paycheck flowing in
  • How I successfully changed careers to become a game designer and programmer
  • Bonus: How building games as a hobby could help you at your current job

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