Resume ====== 1. 2 page max, better at 1 * Especially before you have much experience 2. Goal: show you have the skills they need 1. Standard-ish style: easy to digest 2. Put down what you want them to know so they can find it! 3. Sections 1. Contact: Name, address, phone, email, **link to portfolio** 2. (optional) Objective statement 1. If you have one, **customize it!** 2. **NO** "Software, Games, and/or Web Development" 3. Education 1. Current degree, even if in progress (give expected date) 2. HS doesn't matter 4. Experience 1. Relevant (including non-work experience) 1. Not standard after you've been working a while 2. But now, this is the most important part of what you know! 3. Limit to bulletted list of **relevant** projects (personal or school) 4. Say your role 2. Work 1. Shows responsibility 2. If you don't have, leave blank 5. Skills (could put before experience) 1. List of **relevant** skills (e.g. C++ or Maya). 2. Irrelevant skills weakens the list (says you don't recognize them) 3. Course numbers not relevant 6. Honors (if you've got them!) 7. References * Don't waste space on "available on request" Cover Letter ============ 1. May or may not have for online applications 2. Customize per **application** 3. Show some awareness of company's games or reputation 4. Place to point out anything you want to make sure they notice Online Portfolio ================ 1. Clean and Professional 1. Unless you're an HTML whiz, use wordpress, wix, or similar 2. Your name and link to resume should be prominant 2. Content 1. Only stuff that is good 2. Screenshot, description of project and **what you did** * When appropriate, artist's statement 3. Possibly **also** video or playable 1. Site should stand even **when** they don't watch or play 2. Unlikely to download anything to play 4. Categorize if enough 3. Examples 2. Programmer [Josh Barczak](http://www.joshbarczak.com/) 3. Artist [Tom Symonds](https://tomsymonds.deviantart.com/) 4. Designer [Michelle Menard](https://portfolio.artemic.com/games/) 5. Artist [Russell Vaccaro](http://foxrocket.com/) Finding Opportunities ===================== 1. Career Center 1. Resume and interview prep 2. **Limited** listings or career fairs * Larger local game companies, at the right time in their cycle 2. Networking (AKA don't forget your friends) 1. Friends in this class (for this job or the next one) 2. Others who have graduated from UMBC 1. Even if you don't know them, but know someone who does 2. [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com) 2. Check game company web sites for listings of current openings 1. Most will also list internships 2. Even if they don't, still worth applying 3. Listings by region [Game Dev Map](https://gamedevmap.com) 1. Double check with company web site 2. GameDevMap is better at adding companies than removing them! 4. Consider non-local 1. Concentrations in LA, SF, Austin, NYC 2. Even internships should pay enough * Many companies will help connect out-of-town interns for shared housing 5. Look for clusters 1. Smaller companies often founded by people from nearby larger companies 2. Concentration of strategy games near Hunt Valley, sports games near Orlando 3. Find one: look to see what else is nearby 6. Choose electives 1. If you're not graduating this semester, choose electives to make you more competitive 2. The closer you are to their ideal, the smaller pool of candidates you're co peting with 7. Internships 1. Junior-Senior year is ideal, but post-graduation internships do exist 2. Risk-free way for them to try you out, can turn into full-time job