I graduate in July and it''s about time to start looking for work. I want to program, ideally in games but other kinds are OK. I have a few questions: 1)Many companies seek to recruit graduates, does this include game developers? 2)Lots of graduate jobs get offered now even though we don''t start for nearly a year - would a standard game prog job be similar or would you expect to apply much closer than when you want to start; when do jobs on offer expect the applicant to begin roughly? 3)Is it possibly easier to work in normal programming to get experience (plus I can definately get a job there) for a bit then transfer to games, or is going straight into games programming a real possibility (I''m working on a complete game which will be finished, but not for a few months)? 4)Do any recruitment agencies exist who''ll try and find me jobs, in Game programming fields and are they expensive? 4)Anything else I should be thinking about? Thanks for answers, really appreciate any help. Read about my game, project #1 NEW (9th September)diaries for week #5 Also I''m selling a few programming books very useful to games coders. Titles on my site. John 3:16

Yes some companies do recruit direct from univeristy. Where I used to work (Elixir) most of the coders came in that way. They had extremely good degrees, if you dont have a first in Comp Sci you can probably forget it.
I didnt even have a degree, but I had a lot of cool demos, which is the other way in.
I think you might find it just as easy to go straight from uni to games than to switch from ''normal'' programming.
I always think that academic results are pretty worthless in comparison to the expereince of a good demo myself, but people DO take people on purely on the basis of a good degree (plus a passion for games).

http://www.positech.co.uk

I found a couple of recruiters who had graduate sections on their sites, but can anyone tell me of people who are likely to help with graduates particularly? Or general advice as a graduate?

My degree is in CompSci, Maths and Physics at Durham. I know C++ very well, also Java and have experience in various other languages.
I''m likely to get a 1st I think. Does my joint degree make make my chances better or worse - bearing in mind I''ve seen jobs advertised for physics/collision programmers.

When should I start applying if I want to start work ~September 2004?
One aside: I heard that some companies who search for graduates pay off your student loans by giving you a 10K bonus after a year or similar - is this known of at all in programming jobs?


Read about my game, project #1
NEW (9th September)diaries for week #5
Also I''m selling a few programming books very useful to games coders. Titles on my site.

John 3:16

http://www.aswift.com/

http://www.opmjobs.com/

http://www.gamesrecruit.co.uk/

If you can apply direct, rather than through an agency, then do so. Start now by contacting them and asking if they take graduates and what they expect from them. That will give you pleanty of time to prepare. You might also try to set up an internship. That will get you in the door before the end of your course and help start a relationship with the company.

Dan Marchant
Obscure Productions

[edited by - obscure on November 11, 2002 8:13:38 AM]