Hello, I have a couple of questions for all of you game developers out there :-) I'm a university graduate from Israel who's pondering about his future. I would really like to work in the gaming industry, but that industry in my country is fairly undeveloped, so I was wondering what can I do in order to get a job or at least an interview at an American gaming company? and how can I get a work visa etc in case I get the job... (If anyone here ever experienced that procedure...) Second, Do you think an MSc in computer graphic will be an advantage when applying for a job in a game development company? Thanks a lot :-)

Hi,

I know how you feel 'cause I'm also from a country where the game industry is underdeveloped. I am now working at an American game company and I owe a lot of that to my degree in game programming. In my case:

-I learned a lot while going to school and enjoyed my time there
-Going to school in the U.S. gave me several advantages towards getting a job (you can apply for temporary work status called OPT after finishing school)

Not every situation is the same, so I suggest:

-Make sure the school(s) you've looked at teach what you want to learn. Some people end up disappointed when they find out their school didn't teach what they wanted. It's best to research your school thoroughly before attending.
-Create a game demo... something that highlights your skills. This has been said time and time again, and can't be stressed enough. The best way to convince a game company to give you a job is to prove that you can make a game.
-Why do you want to find a job at an American company specifically? There are several companies in Spain, England, Germany, etc.

If you really want to go to school, then go to school. In my case it was helpful because I was eligible for OPT. Being on OPT means that the company that hired me did not need to sponsor me for a work visa (for a year, which is the length of OPT). If you just want to get a job, then try by sending out resumes and your portfolio. Research the companies you want to work for and tailor each resume/portfolio for each company and for the position you want. This means highlighting different things on your resume/portfolio and by all means, writing different cover letters for each company. DO NOT USE A TEMPLATE COVER LETTER. Read this:

http://www.doublefine.com/news/comments/twenty_years_only_a_few_tears/

Stuff like that shows how much you want to work at a game company, as opposed to just finding any job. Regardless of going to school or not, create the game demo. It'll be a great learning experience and you can show it when applying to school or for a job.

Good luck, I hope you find what you're looking for!

[Edited by - gsamour on October 16, 2009 6:54:48 PM]