and how to make yourself stand out
By Sarah Wetzel
One of our favorite quotes at 5CA is actually from a famous YouTube video game vlogger, PewDiePie:
“My parents said that sitting at home playing video games all day won’t bring you anywhere in life.”
Of course, this is a little bit of a stretch, considering that the number of video game jobs actually on the market is very minimal. With the right determination and effort, however, getting your foot into the industry is possible. Like many careers involving constantly-evolving knowledge and technology, there are always new opportunities: Game developer opportunities are expected to increase by about 11% annually over the next few years and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates occupation growth of 6% from 2014 to 2024.
As more technology becomes available to video game developers, the consumer market will expand to offer a wider range of products, thus creating jobs for all you hardcore gamers out there. After all, VR is only just getting started and there’s already over 1,100 VR supported games on Steam! Here’s a list of five video game jobs gamers might find interesting:
1. Multimedia Artist/Animator
Many video gamers are also creatives – making this position all the more attractive to gamers. A Multimedia Artist is responsible for dreaming, designing, visualizing and creating graphics and animation for video games and other multimedia. This person is responsible for bringing the writers’ dreams to life on a screen, so you could say the job is pretty important.
Best fit for the job: Artists, dreamers, doodlers, and graphic designers.
What to learn: Graphic design, art (a portfolio will be more important than your CV), computer science, and game design.
How to stand out: Have a unique style! Since jobs are scarce, standing out will be what gets publishers to notice you.
2. Video Game Tester
This is a great entryway into the video game industry. Also known as Beta Testers, Game Testers are responsible for detecting bugs, glitches, artistic flaws – they “play the game to break the game” according to GameDesigning.org. If you enjoy spending 8 hours a day (or more) playing video games, and you’ve got a great eye for details, this could be a job for you. It’s also a great way to learn about how video games are created, by working more closely with the Dev team.
Best fit for the job: Perfectionists, team players, dedicated gamers, and aspiring developers.
What to learn: Computer science, game play, hacking, and quality assurance.
How to stand out: Sometimes quantity matters in this quality-focused position. If you know you’re a good fit for this job, likely many others do too. You’ll have a lot of competition with other gamers, so knowing about all the positions available out there and putting in an effort to network will definitely help.
3. Customer Support Agent in the Gaming industry
I might be biased, but this is my favorite on the list. Customer service is a skill that takes patience, dedication and perseverance, but it’s also a skill that can apply to almost every industry. Getting into this industry as a Customer Support Agent will give you an inside view of the companies you would like to start a career with – and with a company like 5CA, you’ll also have doors opening in other similar industries that you may find you enjoy more.
Best fit for the job: Aspiring Yodas, tech gurus of the family, and communicators.
What to learn: Customer service, a second or third language, computer skills, and gaming consoles.
How to stand out: Have a good relationship with the customers of your current job. Since customer service is a skill that extends to most industries, get as much practice as you can, wherever you currently are. Being able to prove this will give you a great boost in this particular role.
4. Composer/Musician
This is probably one of the less heard-of jobs in the Gaming industry. Media productions almost always need music in combination with visuals, including video games! Being a musician is one thing, but also having the ability to compose music puts you above the rest.
Best fit for the job: Composers and musicians. 🙂
What to learn: Music composition, and how to play instruments.
How to stand out: It really just comes down to whether you are musically inclined. Play four instruments and you’ve probably ruled out 75% of the applicant pool.
5. Developer
Getting a job as a game developer is like the Hail Mary of the industry. This is probably the first to pop up in Google when searching for video gaming jobs, but your opportunities might be limited. Jobs site Indeed indicated that the amount of game developer openings have dropped 65% since 2014 while searches for “game developer” have increased by 50%. That’s why getting your foot in the door with one of the jobs above is a great way to grow your network and learn the trade from the inside.
Best fit for the job: Coders, computer programmers, and video game gods.
What to learn: Code, computer science, and game development.
How to stand out: Make your own games. Experience is everything.
We don’t have any Game Development or Musician positions open at 5CA, but check out our Job Openings page to see what we do have to offer!
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