MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
The games industry’s jobs sector is sometimes thought of only as studios looking for talented developers, but there’s actually a huge breadth of jobs available in the sector. Some of which might even attract people from outside the industry.
“We do come across people that have come from outside of the industry, though making this transfer isn’t easy,” Nathan Adcock, PR and marketing manager at OPM Recruitment, tells Develop. “Video games is a unique industry that requires niche skillsets and desired experiences. Most of our clients ask that applicants have experience working in the games industry for their vacancies. Having said that, there are some roles where it is easier to get a foot in the door.”
We regularly see composers and musicians who want to work on games,
Liz Prince, Amiqus
Illustrators, concept artists, composers, musicians… These are some of the lesser-known professions In the games industry that are attracting people from ‘the outside world’. But they are still not necessarily the best way to enter the industry.
“QA is a big gateway area where people are attracted to testing great game experiences rather than business applications,” Liz Prince, head of games recruitment specialist Amiqus, says. “We regularly see composers and musicians who want to work on games audio scores.
"Analytics and UX are another two evolving areas using transferrable skills available outside the industry. These people often look to hone their skills in a highly visible, commercial environment which games can provide in a different way to traditional sales, marketing or design.”
Ian Goodall, founder and MD at Aardvark Swift, agrees that data analysis and UI/UX are ‘great opportunities’ to enter games. “The games industry needs these people and there are very few within the sector. Same can be said for digital marketers and social media marketing experts,” he adds.
“While some candidates can be new to the industry entirely, others come from neighbouring industries such as TV, film, gambling, toys and licensing. So candidates often possess skills and knowledge which are transferable to the games industry.”
Adcock suggests that transferable skills should be highlighted at the top of a candidate’s CV. “This is where you need to grab the hiring manager’s attention,” he says. “However, some people making the crossover should be prepared to take a pay cut, particularly software engineers and creative people coming from a film or TV background.”
Showing your passion for games, being committed, familiarising yourself with the games industry: these are the keys to enter the games sector, according to both Prince and Goodall.
