Professional Development

Metal Card! I Choose You!

by

I was at GDC when I ran into a gentleman discussing a hard truth about programming – that a game developer (and I'd say any developer) should get some experience in computer languages that get their "hands dirty" as opposed to doing all the work for them.  .NET, Java, Flash, etc. are all good, but a little experience with C, C++, or gods help you assembly will quickly teach you the reality of technology.

(For those of you not initiated to the mysteries of programming, simply there are some languages that do a lot of work for the programmer such as managing memory, etc.  Other languages give you finer control over what you do, but also expose you to the guts of the operating system and things like managing memory, accessing resources, and more.)

The gentleman I talked to then gave me his business card.

It was made of metal with his name, email address, and website printed on it.

Yes.  His business card was made of metal.

Read more

Weekly Challenge: Find Your Precision

by

When it comes to our careers, balance is appropriate.  Too much time looking for a job and you burn out, not enough and you don't find one.  You can take classes constantly, and neglect the rest of your life and your social obligations.

There's a sweet spot of effort in our careers that we have to find, where you can be incredibly precise, yet appropriate.  You can step on the Tiger's Tail and not have it bite.

  1. Pick your last job search.
  2. Now, list all the times you overdid it and the things you overdid – did you work too long, change your resume too much, be too aggressive?
  3. Now, list all the things in that search you could have done better, been more aggressive on, done more on.
  4. For each of the lists in #2 and #3, ask what you should have done to have the right level of precision.  Bit of hint – #3 is harder to figure out.

– Steven Savage

Epic Resume Go! Part 5! Tie-Ins!

by

"Wait", you think, "didn't I just do my resume?  Isn't that what all of this is about?"  Another section?

Well, if a resume is a story, it's made even better by supplemental material.  Like movie photobooks, sequels, short stories – additional elements help flesh your resume out.

Things that help you "tell your story" include:
Cover Letters – These are an art in themselves (perhaps one I should cover sometime). Cover letters help tell your story as well – I think of them as "previews" of your resume.

Websites – Having a professional/personal website helps tell your story as well.  Of course you want to have your website fit your theme and focus.

Social Media – Twitter, Facebook, etc. all are great ways to show who you are.  They're also ways to embarrass the hell out of yourself, so use them cautiously.

Portfolios – Portfolios can be online or offline (or both), and range from simple prints to clever things like DVDs with video examples.  A good portfolio, delivered in the proper manner, can really make an impression.

What else can you use to tell your story?

– Steven Savage