Jobs suck...

[netmonkey]

Now that I've graduated from the university, I've become quite scared of the future because I need to get a full time job so I can maintain myself and uh... buy stuff! But, have any of you see what's out there?

Well, first of all I wanted to get a job in the fabled "game industry", making good games, you know? But man, the companies out there want you to have at least 2 years of experience and 3d math programming skills for what? Shitty ass clones of other games or franchises. I didn't come out of college to make that stuff. I can think of Double Fine being the only studio in the United States making something worth while and while I'd like to work for them, I don't want to be spoiled with their next title! I want to play their game.

Meanwhile, all the jobs around here are tech jobs where you develop something related to a database for some business. However, some guy called me and he was explaining a job to me where basically I would have full creative control of every aspect of the software, because they're smaller scale programs where I would basically use everything I've learned so far and make something. It's not interactive entertainment, but at least I can do things the way I see fit, and actually make them good. It would quench my more nerdy side that just wants to do random software products, but it would waste my potential to entertain the masses.

So, what would you choose? Being assistant ass-wiping programmer making another first-person movie-licensed shooter for a long, long time or not making entertainment at all but having full control over what you want to do?

[baconian]

full control.

I'm just finished too, and it looks like I'll be starting my carreer doing this proof of concept/simulation/hardware design thing malarkey. I second the ambivalence about working for some big game studio. You could always work on some indie project. Maybe it could appear on the revolution.

[Ryam BaCo]

choose the path of the force, which fits your needs for an interesting job, a job you like best.

so i'd take the full control-stuff-thingie too.

[Erwin_Br]

Hey, Tim Schafer worked with Databases too before he got employed by LucasFilm Games TM. It's the obvious route to go

EDIT: On the other hand, I'm already working with databases for four years and haven't been able to make that move. Damn, I'm depressed. Oh well, I guess working on an Oracle Portal has it's own charm.

--Erwin

[Dingo Chavez]

Don't worry, netmonkey, you're a great individual that will one day fulfil his potential in entertainment.

Full power for me. I always thought about working in the gaming industry, but like you I hate every developer that speaks an understandable language except Double Fine (there were many a few years ago, but now they're all the same). I will hopefully make a living one day as a writer/illustrator but my drawing skill is still rusty (mainly in portraits, cartoons are a go) and my writing is just plain incoherent talk about society (I hate it so!).

[Tanukitsune]

I could never get a bloddy job at anything mildly computer related, they always asked for experience I didn't have...

I've been working for years at my father's buthcer shop without a contract and getting paid less than a burger flipper....

Yay me!

[netmonkey]

I had the interview for that one tech job today. It was alright, but I still had the feeling like I didn't belong there. It's weird. But they did have a dental plan! Lisa needs braces!

[Erwin_Br]

I had an interview last Friday. It didn't went as well as I had hoped and planned.

--Erwin

[baconian]

I started on monday. No more no getting up before noon free coffee all day no playing games all day Lots of money it's sunny outside and I'm stuck at my desk I can afford those new rims ...I could do this all night but I have to get up for work tommorrow

[Dingo Chavez]

But they did have a dental plan! Lisa needs braces!

HAHAHAHA!!!!!! That's one of my favorite episodes.

Good luck to you on your new job, netmonkey. I hope it'll get better when you'll get settled in, or you'll just go insane like most of those people that work with computers, being insane is underrated, it's also a type of job if you think about it, where would the world be without those conspiracies loving people? Or those old ladies with thousands of cats?

So good luck to you!

[Roderick]

Wow, all of a sudden everyone's working! I'm starting a two-month internship next week and that alone is making me nervous! What if I don't like it? What to do when I can't maintain an 8-hour day in front of the computer? It'll be great I think, but I still worry a bit

[Erwin_Br]

You're not supposed to sit 8 non-stop hours in front of your PC, you know... Unless you're working in the games industry

--Erwin

[Marek]

Based on what I've heard everywhere, going straight into the games industry will eat your soul. If you manage to get a job there at all.

My job is game designer, even though the company I work at does a lot of things besides games. I did my internship at a media company that does stuff for the web, video, 3D, etc. After graduation I got hired there to do some part-time editorial work for a games related website, but now I'm there full-time working (mostly) on games. Sneaking in from the sidelines worked really well for me. I never interviewed for a game design job, but sort of got there on purpose by accident.

I'd advise you to look for some short-cycled web or handheld stuff and ignore the big game companies (at least for now). Doing smaller projects seems to offer the most happiness and the most learning experience.

[Roderick]

Wow, didn't know you got upgraded Marek. Congrats. Now tell us about your secret projects and whatnot.

I think Bad Brain is perfect for me. It's small, enthusiastic and offers many opportunities. And Germans may have cannibalistic intents, they'll leave your soul alone. There are limits to everything.

[loonyboi]

netmonkey:

If you're dead set on getting into the industry but don't have the experience yet, go for QA. Companies always need QA testers.

...mostly because there's such a high turnover rate for that job. QA is NOT easy. In fact it's hard. Brutal even. You might enjoy playing a specific game, but imagine playing it for 10 or more hours straight every single day for a year or more.

I don't know how those people do it.

But it's the best way to break into the industry, as far as I can tell. I took an unorthodox method myself (I put in 7 years as a journalist before moving into PR), but then I was never one to do things the easy way.

One other thing to keep in mind is how much more important experience is quickly becoming in this industry. With next-generation games in particular, technical skills are highly prized and downright necesary for even low-end jobs. It's scary how much work goes into a next-gen character model. I'd hate to be trying to break in on that part of the industry now.

[netmonkey]

I heard a lot about game testing, but it seems that no one tells you that you get paid a miserable $10/hour or so. I guess it's a good job if you're in college and such, but how was I supposed to test game if I live nowhere near game makers?

[Tanukitsune]

Tomorrow I start working for a temp job agency....

I will work in a megamall for 10 days for 20€ each day, I'll wake up at 4:30! YAY!

And after that who knows where they'll send me?

[MrChlorophyll]

Aah. Nothing like getting up at the butt crack of dawn.

[netmonkey]

I have some job interview tomorrow which I don't care much about.

Why the fuck did I study computer science? I forgot!

I will not end in IT. Mark my words.

[scabb]

I recently had an interview-type thing for a supermarket so I could embark on an exciting part-time job as a checkout monkey and pay back my overdraft. The guy who interviewed me happened to be a Computer Science graduate from a fairly good University.

So don't worry about it, there are plenty of IT-unrelated opportunities for Computing graduates!

P.S.

I suggest you all you jobbed-up creative-types bow down before my "Trainee Cashier" position. Nothing beats the giddy kicks that come from weighing courgettes, or ordering customers to "Enter their PIN". I'm sure everyone here would've failed the interview anyway, only the truly elite are offered such work.