Effective talk: Getting hired. Lets hope.
Year of Talk: 2024
Video Link: Getting Hired with a Personal Touch
Overview:
4 phases of interviews
Dos and Donts
Examples of how to act/present yourself
Disclaimer from the presenter that this principally works for their hiring process but can give an idea of how other companies/people do it.
Phase 1 (Sending Application):
It is pretty easy to find new jobs on different sites.
But it is also super easy to just reject a job application
Applying at the right time can affect. It can take some time between when a job is posted and they start sending emails and interviews. Be ready to be flexible on how soon you can start working.
Donts (According to the presenter):
Treating the company just like another number. (Kinda hard if it feels like many companies treat people applying as numbers.)
Make sure you read the instructions as there might be vital information. (I agree, this makes it seem like you can't follow basic directions.)
Apply if you don't meet any core requirements. His example is a programmer applying for a social media marketing position. (That's hard to do for junior positions requiring years of experience or X amount of released games when you've never been given the opportunity. Also, what if someone wants to switch careers are they just not allowed to because they never learned how to do that job.)
Try not to use AI-generated text. Being able to write it in your own words it lets you better express how you are instead of some generic robot that won't seem like you. (I understand that it shows your willing to put in the work into thinking how to express yourself and talk.)
Watch out how you present yourself to the company. If the company finds that you've followed them on Instagram where you have a lot of personal images that show you in a possibly inappropriate light while the CV you sent is trying to paint a different picture. (Ya that makes sense, helps to have the recruiter visualize you as a more serious candidate at the start. As they get to know you you can show that you are a more relaxed person. Having that initial difference might not help).
Low-effort cover letter:
Multiple fonts/different colors. Shows you weren't willing to put in the effort to make it a standardized format.
Content mostly talks about your background/skills and not about how it fits with the company.
Do:
Research the company.
Are there any demos or games they are working on?
Is there a more serious tone or a more goofy tone?
Talk about your strengths concerning the job listing. (I keep on hearing this but no one seems to give examples or an idea of how to do it.)
Try to make a personal connection. Maybe talk about how you enjoy the games made by the company or some other similar thing.
Be honest about any insecurities. If you dont have the exact skills being looked for then talk about how you can reuse your skills to better fit. Or how you can unlock a new area that the team might not have thought about.
Persistence
If you talk with a person try to once in a while get an update from them to remind them. Also, try to add some personality or talk about one of the games. This will show that not only are you interested in the position but also want to learn more and can show persistence.
First Round Interview (Phase 2):
What could be asked:
Give an introduction.
What does a game you played recently do well? What could it do better?
Best group project. What was good and what could be better?
Questions about the company.
Donts:
Arrive way too early. I.E. 15+ minutes earlier. This might mean the recruiter is still finishing something so you need to wait 5-10 minutes before they finish. Best to arrive 5 minutes before.
Ramble on. Try not to spend too much extra time explaining. If they ask a yes or no question then give a yes or no answer.
Blaming other people for possible failures. Be able to take some of the blame or take a more holistic view.
Do:
Be respectful of the time. Make sure nothing comes up before the interview that can cut it short. Shows you care for their time.
Be able to explain contributions to previously worked on games. Did you do a good job? What could you have done better?
Be critical of games. What you would have done differently or do you find interesting?
Work test (Phase 3):Dont:
Read the brief multiple times. Never know what might be in there.
Going off on a tangent. Might start reading about something that isn't related.
Do:
Ask questions for clarification. Sometimes things are purposely left vague and it allows for the people to show they can communicate.
Be able to document how long it takes to work on stuff.
Think of who might be reviewing the product. Will the manager expect it to work in a specific way? Could there be some problem with the implementation to consider?
What system might they use?
Does it require specific tools?
What happens if it's corrupted or is too big?
How will you send it?
Maybe have multiple solutions/tests to make sure it is very likely to work.
Stop to think:
Why am I being asked to do the task?
How is this related to the game?
How is the player meant to interact with the world?
Document any of these assumptions you are making or ask the interviewer to make sure you know as much as possible.
Ideal package to return:
Able to be opened in Mac and Win (Using Zip)
The source files (.cpp, .mb, .PSD) as well as any extras needed (EXE, FBX, or PNGs) as well as any screenshots to help show it off
Maybe a few videos showing what it's meant to look like.
Documentation on why certain decisions were made and your thought process.
Follow-up Interview (Phase 4):
Don't:
Blame problems with the software. Things happen, be able to adapt.
Don't be unprepared to talk about your experience and the process.
Can also ask other questions. About what you're expecting in the position, toughest role, etc.
If you can't answer at the moment you can always say you aren't able to answer at the time but you will get back to them after the interview. Improves communication and allows for both of you to talk at other designated times.
Make sure to communicate properly with the recruiter. If you have another event or interview at the same time then dont be afraid to tell/ask for more time or to move it around. It makes sense and is usually an understandable request. Dont, try to make a BS reason.
Book recommendations from the presenter:
Getting More, Stuart Diamond
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni
Leading Teams, J Richard Hackman
Sell with a Story, Paul Smith
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