10 Tips on How to Get into the Gaming Industry

Have you ever wondered how to get into the gaming industry and get hired by the gamedev studios, including the AAA big girls and boys? We are here to let you know that top-tier companies don’t always or rarely post on job boards, they have us the ‘recruiters’, the ‘head hunters’ to seek out those of you, the candidates that are not necessarily seeking (yet!) a new challenge… So, if you happen to bump into a recruiter with an interesting job offer or you’re actively looking for a new gig, here are 10 quick tips to help you accelerate and get the best results working with us the recruiters. Enjoy the read!

Recruiters are all around you.

Just search ‘gaming recruiter’ on LinkedIn. You’ll easily get about 1,320,000 results, so do not hesitate to connect with our own 8Bit recruiters as well! 

Make a brief and informative introduction.

Let us know what’s the reason you’re connecting with us. Share what type of roles you are interested in and in which locations (emphasize whether you look for on-site, hybrid or remote gigs). Keep it relevant and to the point. Asking us broad questions like “How to get into the gaming industry with no previous experience whatsoever” is a waste of your time and our time as well. 

Keep your CV and candidate portfolio up-to-date and ready to share.

The real first impression in a recruitment process is your CV, so make sure you’re selling your best self – no cheating! Check the spelling and make sure it is concise and ready to go go! Also, bear in mind that while we do our best to review every inquiry we receive, our resources are finite. If you reach out to us via LinkedIn with your resume and portfolio, understand that we may not be able to provide feedback or suggest you what and how to adjust. Use the online resources to polish your docs and then share them with recruiters. Here’s our guide with tips on creating a perfect resume and a video showing how to create a top-notch portfolio. 

Recruiters are no bots, treat them well!

Real recruiters are like lionesses fighting for their candidates to get the best possible job. Keep it nice, drop a word of appreciation and a real beast will emerge. If you’re unresponsive and unprofessional, why would they stick out their necks for you?

Don’t keep them waiting.

It’s hard to break the news for you, but you’re not the only one. Recruiters tend to have dozens of active candidates and they need to allocate enough time for each and every one of them to feel comfortable and have a smooth recruitment process. Answer as soon as possible, if you get back to them promptly it makes their job easier and proves your real interest in the role. It takes two to tango 🙂

There’s some good guys and bad guys.

Recruiters like any other professionals can be either good… or not so good at doing their job. Please, don’t go after the world’s whole population of recruiters because you have received an unsolicited job offer. It’s not every recruiter. It’s a compliment that someone is checking you out! Take the compliment and don’t rant on social media about it. You can unintentionally offend someone who keeps their hand on your dream job.

It’s directly proportional.

The more you get paid, the more recruiter receives for their well-done job. Simple as that, with a 10% commission and your contract for $70k a year, they get $7k commission. With the same percentage and your $90k a year it’s an additional $2k commission. So hey, it’s a common goal to get you signed at a higher rate. Cooperate closely, make sure you keep them in the loop, be transparent and give them anything they ask from you. It’s a win-win situation and we are in it together!

There are more candidates that are after YOUR dream job.

You don’t always get the first job you apply for. Don’t give up and if the cooperation with your recruiter was smooth – stick with them! No more painstaking application processes, filling out forms, writing cover letters or customizing your CVs, portfolios, and keeping track of the job market – they are there to assist you with that. Loyalty pays off!

Recruiters have a good memory.

But usually remembering extreme cases – both good and bad. If you got a job with recruiters help, they’ll most likely keep an eye on you and reach out a few years down the road with a new offer when you’re ready for a change. Keep in touch with your recruiters – such relationships are a real asset.

Recruiters are residents of the world.

Take us – 8Bit – we’re located in 7 different countries and hiring all over the globe. Either you’re looking for a new gig in anywhere in Europe, across the pond in NY and beyond the International Date Line in China or Hong Kong – we’re your go-to people. Our recruiters know how to talk to people and create long-lasting relationships. They know all the cultural differences and can use them to mutual benefit. Just trust them and let them do their job!

Time to move from “How to get into the gaming industry” to actually landing this job?

We hope the above helps and you no longer wonder how to get into the gaming community! We will always strive to get you a better deal. Let’s all carry on being best what’s in humans, let’s be organized and courteous to each other and we’ll both benefit from this relationship.