I was talking the other day with a friend regarding my job(s) and how lucky I felt to have them, when it suddenly occurred to me that I was really, really glad I didn't work in the industry for a developer. Oh, sure, there are plenty of horror stories about grad school and academia (plus New York Times articles on why blogging is an unhealthy profession), but it all seems like a cake walk compared to the stories that come from the developer trenches. Well, EA's European head of talent acquisition has set about to debunk some myths about working in the game industry and point to ways to attract talent and keep talent in the trenches:
For our industry to continue to grow at its current rate of acceleration, we need to attract talent from other industries as well as more new graduates. The industry has become overly reliant on playing recruitment chess - taking employees from one competitor and then losing their own in return. This never ending game benefits no one, results in stalemate and does not meet the industry's needs for fresh perspective and growth.
A simple Google search for "games industry" reveals a number of preconceptions of what working in gaming is like. Today I'd like to acknowledge common perceptions and break through some of these myths. Together, we can debunk these myths and grow the industry with a new generation of talent.
Top Myths About Working In Gaming
- Work Hard/Play Hard
- Getting Lost In The Crowd
- Jobs, Not Careers
- Old Demographic Paradigms
It's an interesting little piece, more so if you're dying to get into the industry, I'm sure. I'll take the shark-infested waters of academia any day, but that's just me.
Making The Game Industry An Attractive Place To Work [GameCareerGuide]