Hi all

I'm in the second year of uni (CS - Graphics, Vision and Games) and I'm having an industrial year next year. I've been applying for quite a while now (still waiting for responces).
I've been wondering though if you could point me at some game companies offering an industrial placement or places to find such offers.

Also some require portfolio, but I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to demonstrate and how a portfolio for an IY is supposed to look like.
I have some old Game Maker games I used to make for fun, but I haven't really completed a single game in C\C++, although I have some Ogre3D, SFML, SDL etc... experiments which barely qualify as games. I have a couple of Java projects which are essentially simple games such as Hangman and Sudoku (+ solver), and finaly a number of non-game related, but fairly complete projects.

Unfortunatelly though, they've been keeping us busy ever since the start of the year and I'm afraid I have little spare time to do anything complicated, so if you could give me some basic guidelines for creating a demo I would be very grateful.

1. I'm in the second year of uni and I'm having an industrial year next year.
2. I've been applying for quite a while now (still waiting for responces).
3. I've been wondering though if you could point me at some game companies offering an industrial placement
4. or places to find such offers.
5. Also some require portfolio, but I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to demonstrate
6. and how a portfolio for an IY is supposed to look like.
7. I have some old Game Maker games I used to make for fun, but I haven't really completed a single game
8. although I have some experiments which barely qualify as games. I have a couple of Java projects which are essentially simple games
9. I'm afraid I have little spare time to do anything complicated, so if you could give me some basic guidelines for creating a demo I would be very grateful.

1. Seems a little early/premature, in my opinion. Third-years are more desirable, generally.

2. Yes, not surprising. Hopefully you're applying mainly locally, not from thousands of miles away. (The "location, location, location" rule - see FAQ 24 and FAQ 27

3. No. Nobody can do that. Just apply to whatever companies you think likely (and nearby).

4. Any company, really. Nobody posts offers of internships and industrial placements (those are the same thing, aren't they?).

5. That's a problem! Maybe they teach that stuff during the 3rd year.

6. Same as anybody else's portfolio. No difference.

7. You don't necessarily have to have an entire game. Some levels or mods or demos (depending).

8. There, see, you do have some stuff. Just not very good stuff (or so you seem to be saying). You need good stuff in your portfolio.

9. Maybe sleep less? Look, your focus while in school has to be on school itself. Building a portfolio in your 2nd year seems a bit premature/early, in my opinion, but you have to buckle down and do it, if you're supposed to get an internship or placement next year.

The whole second year thing is fine if you are in a country (like the UK) where 3 year degrees is the normal in which case an industry placement between the 2nd and 3rd year is VERY common.

like the UK) where 3 year degrees is the normal

Ah. See, now. I didn't know that.

I've been applying for quite a while now (still waiting for responces).

How exactly are you applying? What kind of response do you honestly expect from your effort?

Sending a single email to an unknown "to whom it may concern" is unlikely to give you any response. You are unlikely to be remembered, or ever hear back from them again.

Calling them, talking to the people at the front desk, discovering their policy, getting your call transferred to and talking directly with the HR manager, these will give you an immediate response. Consider doing that, instead.

'Kvadrat' said:

1. I'm in the second year of uni and I'm having an industrial year next year.
2. I've been applying for quite a while now (still waiting for responces).
3. I've been wondering though if you could point me at some game companies offering an industrial placement
4. or places to find such offers.
5. Also some require portfolio, but I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to demonstrate
6. and how a portfolio for an IY is supposed to look like.
7. I have some old Game Maker games I used to make for fun, but I haven't really completed a single game
8. although I have some experiments which barely qualify as games. I have a couple of Java projects which are essentially simple games
9. I'm afraid I have little spare time to do anything complicated, so if you could give me some basic guidelines for creating a demo I would be very grateful.

1. Seems a little early/premature, in my opinion. Third-years are more desirable, generally.

2. Yes, not surprising. Hopefully you're applying mainly locally, not from thousands of miles away. (The "location, location, location" rule - see FAQ 24 and FAQ 27

3. No. Nobody can do that. Just apply to whatever companies you think likely (and nearby).

4. Any company, really. Nobody posts offers of internships and industrial placements (those are the same thing, aren't they?).

5. That's a problem! Maybe they teach that stuff during the 3rd year.

6. Same as anybody else's portfolio. No difference.

7. You don't necessarily have to have an entire game. Some levels or mods or demos (depending).

8. There, see, you do have some stuff. Just not very good stuff (or so you seem to be saying). You need good stuff in your portfolio.

9. Maybe sleep less? Look, your focus while in school has to be on school itself. Building a portfolio in your 2nd year seems a bit premature/early, in my opinion, but you have to buckle down and do it, if you're supposed to get an internship or placement next year.

Sorry for the late reply,
1. It is a compoulsary industrial year which is part of my scheme (an not really a matter of choice) (reason - UK)
2. I am already studying abroad, so I don't really mind going further, although I can see your point.
4. "those are the same thing, aren't they?" - pretty much. An intership is shorter (up to 6 months if I'm not mistaken) and an industrial placement is 1 year or so.
Thank you for your reply.

Depends on the company, but normally sending a CV and a Covering Letter to their human resources department. Or sometimes filling an application form. The next step is an appointment for an interview, provided that I have passed the first round, so I would expect a call or an e-mail. Most companies know second year students with almost no work experience and very little employability skills wouldn't make professional CVs. I am doing my best to stand out from the competition, but it's mostly intuition and no actual experience in doing such kind of things.

'Frob' said:

Sending a single email to an unknown "to whom it may concern" is unlikely to give you any response. You are unlikely to be remembered, or ever hear back from them again.

I know
If I was hiring I would simply delete such an e-mail without even reading trough it. Usually companies make it clear whom the Cov Let and e-mails should address, if they don't a bit of google does the trick. If that fails I normally phone the company or ask them trough the given e-mail about the name of the director.

'Frob' said:

Calling them, talking to the people at the front desk, discovering their policy, getting your call transferred to and talking directly with the HR manager, these will give you an immediate response. Consider doing that, instead.

That sounds like a good advice and i will use it (or at least try it).