Gamedev Linkedin Profile: top tips to make it discoverable for recruiters

Making your gamedev LinkedIn profile stand out to recruiters is more crucial than ever now, as the industry navigates through the challenges of layoffs and closures, and the pool of available candidates has significantly expanded. While this might seem to make a recruiter’s job easier, finding the right fit amidst a sea of talent is anything but straightforward. As gamedev recruiters, we’ve gathered a wealth of experience on what makes a LinkedIn profile truly effective and discoverable. In this article, we aim to share insightful tips on optimizing your profile for visibility and appeal.

Help recruiters discover your gamedev LinkedIn profile: keywords are everything!

Now buckle up cause this is important. You need to make your profile discoverable for recruiters. Don’t worry – we’re here to tell you how. We’re gonna spill some recruiters’ LinkedIn tips. While looking for that perfect candidate, we’re using a LinkedIn search engine… and we’re typing relevant keywords. Yep.

Do you recall this headline thing on LinkedIn, just under your name?

You usually write there who you are. For example, what is your position, etc.? This is the most important thing when it comes to letting us (recruiters) find you.

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Be Location-Specific, Be Title-Specific

Many game developers are using the wrong set of keywords. They’re typing something not related to their desired job. Or something very vague which leads to you missing the best job opportunities.

Example time

Picture this: Let’s say you’re a NYC-based Unity Developer looking for a Senior or Lead Unity Developer job (cause you’re ambitious). To keep things broad and appeal to a wider audience, you’ve labeled yourself as a “Software Engineer”. You’ve also chosen not to disclose your exact location on LinkedIn, assuming it’s irrelevant to your recruitment. But here’s a fun fact – the details in your profile, especially your job title and location, play a significant role in how the LinkedIn algorithm works.

As of March 2024, according to LinkedIn Talent Insights, the platform hosts a whopping 1,176,150 “Software Engineers” based “somewhere in the US”. However, if we add a specific location (eg. NYC), the number drops to a still pretty crowded 114,774 professionals.

Now, let’s take it up a notch and be more specific with your job title. If you proudly flaunt “Unity Developer”, in a location like New York City, the count dwindles down to only 124 professionals. Even with the location removed, you’re looking at “just” 16,699 potential competitors.

LinkedIn Keywords in practice

So, who do you think stands a better chance of being favored by the LinkedIn algorithm and shown more frequently to recruiters? Your gamedev LinkedIn profile details can make a significant difference in your visibility. So, remember to make it as specific as you can!

What should or shouldn’t your gamedev Linkedin profile include?

• Title/ Headline: Senior Unity Developer (or Senior Unity Programmer or Senior Unity Engineer – I think you get the idea).
• Don’t put generic “Software Engineer” – it says nothing about the tech you’re working with and attracts unwanted offers.
• Location: even for 100% remote roles, it’s not just about possible onsite meetings in the future, but also about time zone overlaps for effective collaboration with the team. Including your city makes it easier for recruiters to determine logistical compatibility.
• The “About” section should mention that you’re interested in “Senior or Lead Unity Programmer roles” + add any experience you think is relevant for it. In this case, it could be something like:
  • Over 5 years of experience working as Unity Programmer
  • Developed 40+ mobile games for Android/iOS (mostly hypercasual, casual, match-3)
  • Worked as a temporary Lead Programmer
• Add a sentence or two in the “Experience” section to describe what you’ve been doing in each role. Here again, make sure to add relevant keywords like “Unity Programming”, “mobile games,” or “VR/AR,” whatever kind of projects you worked on.
• Add links to your portfolio, projects, Github, or games you worked on. You can simply list them, add them in the “Projects” section, or by using the “Add media” LinkedIn option.
• Make sure the relevant skills are listed in the “Skills” section, like Unity, C#, mobile games, etc.

How do I know which keywords to put in my Linkedin profile?

Rather than just take our word for it, why not conduct a little LinkedIn experiment of your own? Do a search for the kind of role you’re after and take a look at the profiles that pop up at the top. Notice anything about their titles? You guessed it—they’re precise and descriptive.

Now, let’s put theory into practice with some real-world examples—because who doesn’t love examples?

Example time

If you’re a Senior Game Designer, those three words should be front and center in your title. Heck, you might even add the platform or genre you’re most comfortable with to streamline the types of opportunities that come your way.

For a 3D Artist who primarily crafts environments and wants to keep it that way, swapping out “3D Artist” for “Environment Artist” could work wonders. One word could help you dodge irrelevant offers for Asset/Props Artist roles and other areas that aren’t your cup of tea!

For a programmer working on PC/console titles, especially if you specialize in something like tools, engine, gameplay, or animation, these should be a part of your profile. A generic title like “Game Programmer” leaves too much to the imagination, leading to a wide range of job offers, many of which might not align with your aspirations.

Stuck with creating keywords on your own? Ask AI for a little help

Here’s a ready to use prompt for you to use with ChatGPT, Bard or whatever tool you enjoy chatting with:

“I am a game developer specializing in Unreal Engine with experience in developing RPG games for PC and console platforms. I have expertise in AI programming, gameplay mechanics, and multiplayer systems. I am currently based in New York City and looking for a full-time role in a mid to large size gaming studio. Can you help me generate a list of relevant keywords that I can use for my LinkedIn profile to attract the right job opportunities?”

In essence, the devil is in the detail when it comes to your gamedev LinkedIn profile. So, get specific, stand out, and watch as the right offers start to roll in.

Advanced tips for keywords in the gamedev Linkedin profile

There is a basic set of keywords that help gamedev recruiters better understand your professional skills and experience and match better offers:

PC, console, mobile, AAA, AA, VR, AR, XR, Unity, UE4/Unreal Engine, proprietary/in-house tech

It applies to all the roles: animators, artists, designers, programmers, producers, and so on.

The genre of the projects you worked on or the style could be helpful, especially for Artists. By including these keywords in your profile, you’re increasing the chances of recruiters understanding your background and sharing more relevant job offers with you.

Linkedin is a great tool, but without some specificity in your profiles and keywords, in particular, it can be super misleading and cause frustration on both ends. *Yep. I’m referring to these infamous irrelevant offers on your inbox*

What to avoid when inserting LinkedIn Keywords?

“I won’t put the keywords I don’t want to be targeted for.” Repeat that a few times. And then start to live by it. 😉

Why, you ask? When a recruiter looks for a perfect candidate to fill a particular job (we call this process – Sourcing), LinkedIn algorithm searches for specific keywords or phrases included throughout your profile.

As a result, if you have “NOT Java” on your Linkedin page, you will also appear in the results for a Java keyword. Not what you’ve been hoping for, right?

Obviously, after checking out your profile, recruiters should see that you’re not a Java Developer. But wouldn’t it be easier for everyone if you just didn’t appear in the wrong results?

Linkedin tips for boosting the “About you” section

After reading the headline, the “About” section of your Linkedin profile is the first thing a recruiter sees, and with just a bit of preparation, you can make it stand out!

A good gamedev LinkedIn profile summary section includes the following info (preferably in bullet points):

• Years of experience in your current field
• A list of your most relevant skills. (This usually includes hard skills, tools you’ve used, programming tech, etc.)
• What you’re great at, any relevant accomplishments. If you’re a badass programmer – just prove it here
• What you’re passionate about
• What kind of role you’re looking for (if you’re openly looking for a new job, of course)

You don’t have to write the story of your life or a cover letter here (yeah… we won’t have time for reading it, I’m afraid). And it’s actually better to be brief and specific than elaborate. So in this LinkedIn section, again try to use as many relevant keywords as you can.

How to fill in the Experience section on LinkedIn?

Well, this is the #1 factor on whether you’re qualified for any given job or not, so we better do it right!

If you’re a freelancer/self-employed, putting a “CEO” title doesn’t really help you unless you’d like to receive such job offers. It usually indicates that you’re deeply involved with your own business, and offering you any lower-level position wouldn’t be a good idea. Of course, you can just say “self-employed” or “freelancer” – that’s totally okay!

It automatically raises a question: If you’re a freelancer working with a specific company, how to communicate that on Linkedin in the experience section? You have at least 2 options here that seem pretty logical and self-evident:

1. List the companies, projects in the self-employed role description.
2. Add each collaboration with a specific company as a separate experience, just mention in the role description that it was a contracting job in case it was short-term so that it’s not perceived as if you fled after 3 or 6 months.

Include the responsibilities and achievements that you think are relevant for each position.

LinkedIn allows you to connect other media to your profile like social media, Youtube videos, infographics — you name it. In addition, you can add links to the games you worked on to increase the attractiveness of your GameDev Linkedin profile.

Open to Work LinkedIn feature

So you’re on the job hunt. With the layoffs in the gaming industry we see the sea of green “Open to Work” labels on LinkedIn profiles. And we get it, you might be hesitant about flipping that switch yourself. Nobody wants to feel “desperate” or like they’ve somehow failed. But here’s the thing – there’s no shame in seeking opportunities. It’s a part of life, a part of growing in your career, and it shouldn’t be stigmatized.

This feature can be a game-changer, especially when you’re leveraging agency recruiters like us – your allies in the gaming industry. We’re here to amplify your visibility, match you with opportunities that align with your skills and aspirations, and provide guidance throughout the process – at no cost to you.

Be proactive and set your profile to signal that you’re ‘Open to Work’. Define the job opportunities you’re interested in, specify your preferred location, and make it easier for recruiters to find you. Remember, this template attached to your LinkedIn profile picture is not a mark of defeat but a beacon of your readiness for new beginnings.

Here’s a link on how you do that: LINK

Stay in touch

Equipped with these tips, you’re all set to attract those dream job offers. If you found these insights helpful, we’d love to hear about it – onward to your job hunting adventure! 🍀

Haven’t found your perfect match yet? Great achievements often stem from small, unnoticed beginnings. Go check our job openings and even if there’s no open position fitting your needs at this exact moment, you can still upload your resume in the Jobs section. This way, you’ll be among the first ones we’ll think of when a new opportunity that matches your skills and interests emerges. Don’t let timing discourage you, you never know when your perfect role might pop up!