Looking for a job in the game development industry? If you don’t have the skill stated below then you are not likely to be recruited by a game development company. We analyzed 100 jobs listing and found that people who satisfy this criterion are have the highest chance of getting through to an interview even with zero experience in the game development industry.
No more suspense. The answer is portfolio of similar games.
It doesn’t matter if you are applying as an artist, programmer or an animator, unless you have something to show off which is very similar to the game the recruiter is recruiting for, your resume will probably end up in the bin.
What is a portfolio?
A portfolio is a collection of work samples and other relevant information that showcases your skills and experience in game development. It typically includes information about your work history, and specific projects you have worked on, as well as examples of your code, artwork, and other assets. A portfolio can be used to demonstrate your abilities to potential employers, clients, or other industry professionals, and can be presented in various formats such as online, PDF, or interactive demos.
How to build a Job worthy portfolio?
This part totally depends on the type of job you are applying for. If you are applying for a pixel artist position, then your portfolio should include characters, props, environments in pixel art style. Even if not all your work is related to the position it’s better to arrange the work related to the position in front. If you have shipped games then include those details too. A shipped game sends a signal that you can complete a project that you started.
If you already have industry experience, then you should include a title which was commercial successful and you were a part of the team. This tells the recruiter that you are capable of working with a team that can create a commercially successful game.
Here are the top things to include in portfolios
For Artist & Animators
- Images with similar art style of what the recruiter is looking for.
- Testimonials from clients.
- Shipped titles
For programmers
- Shipped titles.
- Interactive demos from related games.
- Gameplay video showcasing the game mechanics.
- Experience related to job listing.
Other tips to make your resume stand out
- Tailor your resume to the specific job or company you are applying to: highlight the skills and experience that are most relevant to the position.
- Highlight your experience working with specific game engines or programming languages that the company uses.
- Include a link to your online portfolio or demos of your work. This will give the employer a chance to see your work and the level of quality you can produce.
- Use strong action verbs to describe your experience and responsibilities, such as “designed,” “developed,” or “implemented.”
- Showcase any relevant education, such as degrees in game development or computer science.
- Include any experience you have with game design, including any game design documents or level design work you have done.
- Showcase any relevant experience you have with team work, such as experience working in a team to develop a game.
- Highlight any experience you have with game development on multiple platforms, such as PC, console, or mobile.
- If you have any awards or recognition in the industry, be sure to mention it.
- Keep the resume simple, clear and easy to read, with relevant information.
- Tailor your resume to the company culture and tone
- Show case any additional skills you have that may be relevant such as motion capture or 3D modeling.
Good luck with job hunt.