I'm an undergraduate in the UK hoping to seek employment in the games industry after I complete my master's degree (software engineering).. I've currently been reading some of the posts in this forum about the state of the industry in the UK and i'm quite worried as to whether its worth staying to work in the UK or moving to the states in the future, as I assume i'd have a wider choice of possible employer's, higher potential for advancement and get paid more (please confirm if i'm right or wrong with these comments because this is just the impression I get from what i've read and heard in the past..) I'd really like to know things like: - How difficult is it to get into the games industry in the UK at the moment? - Is their a terribly large shortage of jobs available? - Would I benefit from relocating to the US and if so what things would I need to consider? (i'm not sure if my UK degree will be valid over their.. will i have to do some tests or something?) - What's the average salary for entry-level programmers in the UK and across the globe? I've been persueing this career for as long as I can remember and I kno what it takes to get into the industry (I've read many articles and threads in forums online) and also I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to achieve this life-long ambition. I'm just worried as I don't want to get there, only to realise that its not what I was expecting and be forced to changing career's to work as a database programmer just because I can't afford to put my kids through university (I don't have kids yet btw..) Please help everyone!

I am currently in college in America, I used to live in London for a few years when I was younger, but I am American.

Basically, if you are serious about getting into the industry, and you are good, America is the best place.

There are just more game studios in America than there are in UK.
However, there are also more people fighting for those jobs, so you are going to have to be good at what you do.

But, there are many pluses to living in America over UK...

your standard of living will probably be better in America, because in the UK everything is so darn expensive.

plus, you will be able to get a lot of hot chicks with your accent.

your UK will be ok, but the most important thing for the games industry is the portfolio.

I can only tell you about the state of the games industry in Scotland and there's not that many jobs here (although Real Time Worlds are supposed to be looking for 40 people over the next X amount of time - and probably pertaining to all sorts of jobs).

Your best bet would be to get in touch with recruiters (Aardvark Swift etc)who deal with the industry and, obviously, you should have a good portfolio of your work to show.

At least your s/ware engineering degree should get you a job s/ware related, which is something you should do for commercial experience while keeping an eye out for your dream job.

Something else to look out for may be the 'Dare to be Digital' competition which is spreading it's wings outwith Scotland to the rest of the country this year - no harm in finding out about it anyways.

No idea about relocating...as said before, yep - more jobs but also more bodies to compete against.

Sorry not much more help...but good luck in getting there :)

Okay a quick and simple plan first go to http://sfg.low-ping.com and register then apply for a job and when ever it says clan forgive me it means job. After that email me your resume and username along with other info like how you would like to get payed after the game is published. If you wish to be a intern include that piece of info. Tell me what is you area of expertise and I will email you back the rest. Then I shall send you a gmail acount if you quilfy the password for our developer`s fourms. ( we just move to a new web no a new company). You will be given the password to our compay`s email. I will give you all the programs you will need at this point to do your work. You also must have a compiler of your own and a good 3D or 2D art program.

YOur pay will be a soon as the game comes out.

Current Projects
The Unknown-Demos
The Unknown Trailers
Demos of random games for money along the way ( you can be payed all of the demo money if you make one). Most good small games (demos) get $2000!!!
The Unknown Finishes Version. We will look for a publisher such as Microsoft or UbiSoft.


You can view the story line apply for a job and/or talk in our new updated fourms at http://sfg.low-ping.com (low-ping does not mean you have to have a low ping it just means the servers are the lower ping ones)

Best Wishes,
The Unknown Team
Bradleat (project Manager)



P.S The Unknown is the name of our current project.

Quote: Original post by bradleat
Okay a quick and simple plan first go to http://sfg.low-ping.com and register then apply for a job and when ever it says clan forgive me it means job. After that email me your resume and username along with other info like how you would like to get payed after the game is published. If you wish to be a intern include that piece of info. Tell me what is you area of expertise and I will email you back the rest. Then I shall send you a gmail acount if you quilfy the password for our developer`s fourms. ( we just move to a new web no a new company). You will be given the password to our compay`s email. I will give you all the programs you will need at this point to do your work. You also must have a compiler of your own and a good 3D or 2D art program.

YOur pay will be a soon as the game comes out.

Current Projects
The Unknown-Demos
The Unknown Trailers
Demos of random games for money along the way ( you can be payed all of the demo money if you make one). Most good small games (demos) get $2000!!!
The Unknown Finishes Version. We will look for a publisher such as Microsoft or UbiSoft.


You can view the story line apply for a job and/or talk in our new updated fourms at http://sfg.low-ping.com (low-ping does not mean you have to have a low ping it just means the servers are the lower ping ones)

Best Wishes,
The Unknown Team
Bradleat (project Manager)



P.S The Unknown is the name of our current project.

Sorry maybe you didn't understand my post properly, I'm not looking for work at the moment, I have another 1yr and 3 months of uni to get through yet so.. Plus it kinda sounds like your looking for an artist and, although my pixel art is at a professional level, my 3D skills are no where near.. My major is in programming as thats what i'm studying and the method I plan to use to get into the industry (well.. unless I can get a better paying pixel art job somewhere in the UK which I kinda doubt..)

I started working at a UK dev co as soon as I finished my under graduate course, without to much problem. That was 3 years ago, and things have changed of course.

The main studio's that like to hire junior positions (Rare, Codemasters, Blitz Games, EA etc.) are still hiring, so the jobs are there, if you are good enough. Of course there are other's, but the larger the studio the more likely they are to hire someone without professional expereince, master's degree or not.

One thing i would say is don't do a masters degree if the only reason for doing it is to help you get a job in this industry. The advantages it will give you will not be worth the amount of work required.

Relocation is always an option, but if your only reason for relocation is to get a job, then I would advise against it. It will be _much_ harder doing that, than looking for a job here.

If your good enough to work in the US, and your demo work is good enough to get a job over there, then it's good enough to get a job over here. A lot of people apply for the limited number of jobs available, but the quality of these applicants is generally _very_ poor (Not generalising, as I know there is a _lot_ of talent out there).

Spree

Sorry maybe i gave the wrong impression.. I wanna do my masters because I wanna get to the top of my field or profession and be the best I can be.. I have other reasons as well for wanting to do my masters and its not just to do with giving me a slight advantage in gaining employment in the games industry as for example, In doing so I could probably get a standard IT programming alot easier once I graduate, with a reasonable pay package, while I look for my dream job.. As stated earlier..

Plus i'm a hard worker and I love to program and software engineering is interesting to me.. in fact 'learning' is intersting to me.. so yeah, thats pretty much why..

Quote: Original post by ArchangelMorph
Sorry maybe i gave the wrong impression.. I wanna do my masters because I wanna get to the top of my field or profession and be the best I can be.. I have other reasons as well for wanting to do my masters and its not just to do with giving me a slight advantage in gaining employment in the games industry as for example, In doing so I could probably get a standard IT programming alot easier once I graduate, with a reasonable pay package, while I look for my dream job.. As stated earlier..

Plus i'm a hard worker and I love to program and software engineering is interesting to me.. in fact 'learning' is intersting to me.. so yeah, thats pretty much why..

Just interview for jobs oversees. A serious company will pay for you to interview, pay for the relocation, and process the mountain of paperwork for a work visa.

Of course, it will be easier for to get a non-game company to do this for you... IT may be easier to start with an internship. If you are curious about pay scale, the going rate for interns is circa $5k a month for a grad level.

You need to check with an immigration lawyer before making plans, because most employers won't arrange visas or pay relocation for entry level staff. Especially in the games industry there are just too many newbies lining up to get it. You may have to get a job in the UK first to gain sufficient experience before looking to move to the states.

Quote: Original post by Obscure
You need to check with an immigration lawyer before making plans, because most employers won't arrange visas or pay relocation for entry level staff. Especially in the games industry there are just too many newbies lining up to get it. You may have to get a job in the UK first to gain sufficient experience before looking to move to the states.

That was the original plan.. The thing is now I'm curious as I kno that the pay is ALOT higher in the US even after converting.. but I talked to some of my friends and they told me that the cost of living over there is much higher..

Is this true?

As in, whats the quality of living like for those who work in the industry over there? Do you live "a little well off" or do u people live like kings and celeberaties?
I was told the the average cost of a house was much higher than it is over there but then.. isn't the average size of a house in the US like 400 times bigger than the box-size-3-bedroom-terrance-houses (similar to the one I grew up in.. with a family of 7!)...?