Lauren Mockridge

Mini Gear Grinder... not a crazy one, just a mini one... Candidates: when replying to Posts that have jobs listed, multiple companies / Games Studios, etc. within them. A comment of "I am interested" does not do you much good. A comment of "I am interested in the following role at XYZ company" is however helpful. Seeing so many of these & I love that you're interested in the roles posted, but which ones? Help the Recruiter or the people out that are putting the resources in front of you & let them know what you're interested in. ⚙ The job? Which one, we have 5+ listed. ⚙ The company? Which one, as some of these posts list 5+ organizations. ⚙ The person posting? Let's keep it PC / PG here people, I'm not advocating for weirdness 😝 I'm referring to a conversation or asking for help where you need it potentially. Don't be creepy, please do not be creepy! ⚙ The products they make? Etc., etc. Identify a bit deeper... Help them help you! 😁 Keep fighting the good fight everyone! Enjoy the weekend & wishing you best out there! #'s for the #'s #TheMattBarney #OneLove #TheMeatballs #GearGrinder #VideoGames #PirateRecruitersUniteUnderOneBanner

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Complaining won't get you hired. Sending hundreds of applications without a reply sucks, I get it. And job hunting in game development is tough in 2024. But hear me out: No one hires out of pity. People hire because you show value. Instead of complaining about the market, focus on creating value for others: • Share common best practices • Contribute to professional topics • Create useful solutions or courses • Make a tutorial on a complex issue Or go a step further: prepare a list of recommendations for the company you want to join and send it with your CV (and also share it publicly). How so, you might ask? Do something for others for FREE? Yes, absolutely. It's called "content marketing." You create value upfront, become more recognizable, and gain a reputation. And then you get hired easily because you provided value upfront. If you're willing to spend hundreds of hours on interviews, spend some time creating value for others. It'll pay off in the long run.

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"Required: X titles shipped" I've been involved in a few conversations lately with aspiring or junior developers who are frustrated that so many job descriptions require shipped titles. It gets even more difficult when a JD requires specific types of games shipped. These job seekers become more infuriated to find out that a lot of recruiters or hiring managers don't really count their game jam titles or solo games as "shipped" for purposes of these roles. Why is that? What exactly are hiring managers looking for here? Does it even matter? To answer that last question first: yes. It matters. First off, let's be clear on a couple of things here. As a general rule, you shouldn't be seeing shipped title requirements in true entry level positions. In those cases, any experience is better than no experience, so you should call out your jam, student, or solo games whenever you don't have anything else to show (or just call them out anyway if you're still relatively new or you're particularly proud of something you've worked on or built). But the reason you see a lot of jobs asking for shipped titles is less about the end result and more about showing that you've got experience working in a particular environment. If I'm asking, it's because I want to know that you can work on a team in the first place. You've been through the process already and have gone through the reviews and planning sessions and discussions that you simply wouldn't get building a game on your own or even in a quick jam. I've been through this a lot, with games that shipped and those that unfortunately did not. I've seen it on tiny teams where we could fit everyone in a single room and the entire schedule took months to teams which numbered in the hundreds across continents with multiyear schedules and the differences are very real. I've seen how different it can be in having to ship a boxed game through first party submissions or maintaining a liveops MMO that only existed on PC or mobile. Different processes. Different tools. Different methodologies. Different scales. I know how rough the market is out there. I know it seems hopeless at times and utterly unfair. I know it can really hurt to find a role you think you're just perfect for but then you see they want "shipped titles" experience or you need to have "worked on AAA teams" or "must have liveops experience" and it just doesn't make sense. Your challenge is in trying to show how you have the skills without the direct experience, while also competing against others (potentially dozens of others) who already have both. I wish the process could be easier for you. At the least, I hope I've added some context from the other side of the table here.

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To all my writing peeps out there, whether you're a junior game writer or senior narrative designer (or someone else altogether): what are your tips for studying and analyzing games you admire? I've been keeping a game journal for about eight months now where I jot down notes for story beats, narrative moments that impacted me, story progression, mechanics that involve narrative and/or UI (i.e. tutorials that use diegetic v.s. non-diegetic prompts), et cetera, but I've found this can be very jarring--especially on my first playthrough--so I'm curious if anyone has tips or tricks you use so you can enjoy the experience as it was intended while also helping you understand the hows and whys that make the game and the story work. #gamewriting #narrativedesign #gamedesign

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🎮 Want a job in the video game industry? 🎮 Begin with the end in mind.* ➡ When you drive to work do you just turn left or right based on how you feel that day? 😅 (I hope you left extra early that day) ➡ When you gather data for a project, do you grab monthly active users, popular breakfast items and breeds of dog? 🤐 (This report might be fun but your boss will not be happy) ➡ When you schedule a doctor appointment, do you call random numbers in the phone book? 🙃 The same applies to...well...applying for jobs. ❔ Do you look at the minimum requirements for a job or do you click easy apply on cool titles? (Although, I might as well shoot my shot for Game Director) ❔ Do you update your resume with your most relevant experience when you apply? What is your desired outcome? Work backwards and you'll see at least some of the steps in a path to get there. This is not easy to do, because there is no perfect way to be the best fit for a job. Everyone's journey is different. What steps have you taken to get to your goal or how have you been successful in your journey? *One possible end goal pictured #Letsgetyouhired #RecruiterAdvice

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Don't want to bum you out but I know I'm not the only one who has noticed the same layoff cycle on LinkedIn over and over. I can tell your future... 1. Studio is shut down, all the devs become active on LinkedIn maybe for the first time in years and do their looking for work posts. People reach out with connections and support emojis. 2. The outpouring of thanks to the wonderful gamedev community. Amir Satvat and other full time LinkedIn influencers are tagged. 3. Nothing comes of all the LinkedIn support. Devs post frustration posts about how hard it is to be laid off and the injustice of the game industry. Many people will later delete these posts when they start to realize studios still aren't hiring them. 4. The reality step. Months pass and prominent veterans are still unemployed, let alone those "juniors" with a mere 5 years experience. At this point, people either give up and disappear, get a job and disappear (rare), or become a chronic disillusioned LinkedIn user. This last one either requires wearing a mask or ranting about capitalism more and more. 5. The laid off devs watch this cycle repeat for a whole swath of suffering people every couple weeks/days. And that's the step I've been on for a few months. But hey I've been working hard on my family and my solo projects. Magehunter coming soon, and AAA Simulator devlogs will be in production even sooner! Make art for yourself and those you love. Don't make my mistake - look for happiness outside this Microsoft product called LinkedIn.

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Dear Games' Industry, I've had enough of remaining silent, and you should too. If there's going to be any change in the way our community does things, it needs to start with us. THE PEOPLE. 👏 How many layoffs is it going to take? How many people have to uproot their entire lives, only to have it ripped from them right before they even start? How many more IPs, corrupted by microtransactions are we willing to put up with?? Is this the Industry we want to leave behind for the next generation??? As someone who's had friends give up on their dreams because of the sheer hopelessness they felt, I already know my answer. I'm sure these Indies do too. Cave Bear Games Digital Scorpion Interactive DigiPen Institute of Technology WTTW Games Kyrie Studios Steelion Studios Serious Point Games Dontae Phillips Willem Delventhal Kat Craig Raftur Games Dinobyte Softworks LLC Indie Game Academy Things need to change. And I want to help dedicate my platform to accomplish that. #IndieRevolution #GameIndustry #GameDev #IndieDev #Games #Change #Movement #EnoughIsEnough #Indie #OpenToNetwork #ProjectManager #Community #Networking

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I want to talk about careers, specifically in the games industry. Did you know that there's more to the games industry than just art, design, and programming? Really, there’s a whole lot more. CIG is unique in that we possibly display the widest array of careers needed in the games industry under one roof. Every career is crucial to the development of our product. You don’t need to be a wizard at coding, the Da Vinci of anatomy, or the Ive of design. Sometimes, you can be that one person who just goes out of their way to make everyone’s working day that much better—like Ashley McGovern. The point is, there is a place for everyone in games, no matter where you are from or what your passion is. It's all about perspective. The next 12 months are going to be our biggest yet, and I want to show the next generation where they fit in the games industry. Check out this amazing resource created by Simon Lawson 🔜Develop Brighton, one of our awesome Talent Acquisition Team. I will be breaking this down over the coming weeks and sharing it with schools and colleges. But for now, here's a little peek. #GamesIndustry #CareersInGaming #BeyondArtAndCode #GamingJobs #GameDevCommunity #FutureOfGaming #DiverseGamingRoles #GamingPassion #GameIndustryInsights #CareerOpportunities #GamingEducation

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I interviewed our Casting Director and this was the clear takeaway... Voice Actors often ask me "how can I break into video games work." I thought this advise was brilliant 👇 - Actors who are also active gamers seem to get cast in games a lot! - However, Casting Directors aren't specifically looking for this - These actors tend to have a great understanding of the material - They instinctively know how a line or an effort should be performed - They have an enthusiasm & passion for the work - They are often easier to direct and are familiar with the language I am by no means suggesting an actor has to be a gamer to be a voice actor in games! But, if this is an area of the industry an actor wants to get into... Consider getting into the industry via this area... Do those last two lines make sense? I was trying to be clever! #VoiceActing #GameAudio #Develop2024

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I found a question on Reddit about "How to go from highly technical career game programmer to solo dev game designer?." This subject fills me with interest because both areas of video game creation are presented so differently even when they are forever intertwined. How many times you have played a video game with perfect gameplay mechanics that it's boring as hell? This was my answer to the question from this programmer. I'm going to tell you what works in my case, but have in consideration that every path can be different. I started studying and reading a lot of content related to games and level design. Yes, I know that there are many YouTube tutorials, but I went back to the previous technology: Books. What is important in any type of learning is the structure methodology. Try to avoid leaving holes without explanation. That's a killing approach when you're learning new basic concepts. Remember, you don't know about this, or even worse, you still don't know how much you don't know. This is my recommendation based on books I've read that help me understand the intricacies of video game design and level design. From the most essential to the less, here's my list: - The Art of Game Design - Jesse Schell - An Architectural Approach to Level Design - Christopher W. Totten - Level Design for Games - Phil Co - Level Up - Scott Rogers The other part is to try to connect with your gamers of the game genre you're creating. Start building a relationship so they can provide you with some feedback and ideas to improve your game. Be open to listen and to test ideas. Post Saturdays on Twitter (X) using #screenshotsaturday and ask for feedback. This will help you build a fan base and get ideas/suggestions for free. Finally, to continue my education in that area I listen to podcasts related to game design. Perspectives from other designers will help you big time. One more little thing I purchased, was the Master Class of "Will Wright - Teaches Game Design and Theory." He's a master of the art of game design. To close this post, remember that I'm creating an educational program with live sessions to mentor and teach people about how to become a successful video game creator. You can't be only a game developer, a game designer, or a level designer. You need to build your career with intention and follow a path and a strategy. If you're interested in becoming part of this project, I'm doing a group of interviews to collect information and design the content of this educational program. Reserve your time to talk with me here: https://lnkd.in/gPYJeadb Have a great journey! Tony #GameDesign #GameDevelopment #SoloDev #IndieGameDev #GameProgramming #LevelDesign #GameDesigner #GameDevCommunity #GameDevTips #LearnGameDesign #GameDesignBooks #GameDesignLearning #GameDesignJourney #GameDevResources #MasterClass

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I was asked, "How will Simply Sweet Games raise the bar for the industry?" The challenges are clear: frequent layoffs, inaccessibility, and a significant lack of diversity. Too often, games are just a side note in business strategies focused on short-term gains at the expense of passionate, underpaid newcomers. That’s why at Simply Sweet Games, we are committed to creating change. Our motivation stems not from greed, but from a vision to transform the gaming industry to include more diverse perspectives. We are actively addressing the diversity gap by creating games that cater to and celebrate women, who represented nearly half of all gamers in the U.S. in 2023. This market isn’t a niche—it’s a major segment that deserves better representation. I wake up and feel amazed at how this has become my full-time focus. We uphold sustainable hiring practices and foster an inclusive environment where everyone can contribute and succeed. We aim to redefine industry standards with principles of honesty, respect, and support—not just for our products, but for our people too. #DiversityinGames #Equity #InclusiveHiring #GameIndustry #WomenInGaming #womenwhowork #SimplySweetGames

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The more studios get closed, the more I think about how there's nothing quite seeing your whole Industry falling apart to be honest. None of my friends with "normal" jobs walk around seeing job offers and are like "Hey if this whole Video Game thing doesn't end well, I could do that", but I've done it more times than I can count at this point and it's exhausting. Librarian? If the whole video game thing falls apart, could be nice. Bus driver? If the whole video game thing falls apart, could be nice. Professional wall painter? If the whole video game thing falls apart, could be nice. Desk attendant at the airport? Meh, if the whole video game thing falls apart, could be nice. Gouv Clerk? At this point, if the industry dies before it comes back from ashes, sure, why not! The industry is in shambles and sometimes, it do be hard to feel secure because even those who did feel secure could have the grass cut from under their feet. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I feel for each individual in the same or in a worst position, because it's not because we have a job now that we aren't looking at the future with uncertainty 🫂

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🎮 Want a job in the video game industry? 🎮 ➡ Proactive - creating or controlling a situation by causing something to happen rather than responding to it after it has happened ➡ Reactive - to be ready to react or respond to something else Are you Proactive or Reactive in your job search? 1. Open to work banner on 2. Following favorite companies 3. Notifications from those companies (the bell icon in the top right) 4. Clicking on the "People" tab on the career page to find employees to follow on Linkedin to absorb their wisdom There's no one way to get a job. There's only the way that finally works for you individually. It is super tough right now. Any questions or comments? Advice for fellow job seekers? Put it below in the comments and we'll see if we can help. #Letsgetyouhired #RecruiterAdvice

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👶 Game producers = great parents… ? 🎮 Problem-Solving: Working with different partners/audiences with varying comm methods. 💬 Empathy/Sympathy: Seeing the world through other viewpoints. Interpreting signals! 🧘‍♂️ Stress Management: Resilience in the face of constant pivots & uncertainty… Are you a creating clarity or chaos when having to clean 💩? 📅 Organization: Scheduling routines and adjusting when your plan goes south. Have a mitigation? That helps! Game production = solid parenting prep! 🌟👾🍼 #parenting #chaos💩 #empathy

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I never thought I would be writing this but... like everyone else at Sumo, I might be at risk of being #LaidOff. We don't know much yet, and there's a chance I won't be affected, but what kind of doomsday prepper would I be if I didn't prepare. Especially when the industry has considerably slowed down. Not that the timing could ever be great for something like this, but it's particularly tricky as there are VERY FEW recruitment jobs in #GameDev. The only silver lining is that I have quite the generalist background and skillset, so please allow me to Sell My Fish™️⬇️ 🔎 Recruitment (In-House, Agency, and Embedded): •Extensive experience sourcing for all core disciplines and operational roles within game development. •Successful recruitment across the UK, Canada, France, Sweden, and the United States. •Proven success in hiring talent from graduates to studio leadership positions. •Represented companies at WASD, Develop Brighton, Unwrap Festival, Digital Dragons, EGX, and numerous university career fairs and student showcases over the past 5 years. •Delivered presentations on "Rethinking Recruitment" at major game dev conferences. 🗃️ Project Management: •Led the development of the entry-levels skills hub detailing 12 junior roles based on the UK Apprenticeship Standard, including designing surveys, analyzing data, and presenting findings. •Managed the UKIE & Into Games Kickstart Scheme, responsible for all aspects of the project, successfully hiring over 130 young people on Universal Credit. •Managed the creation of the largest-ever Recruitment Report in Games, overseeing all aspects except graphic design. 📑 Data Analysis and Reporting: •Wrote internal reports on DEIB insights and best practices, enhancing recruitment processes. •Analysed data from over 600 respondents, contributing 190 hours of input, to create a comprehensive recruitment report. •Designed and analysed two surveys targeting junior employees and senior hiring managers, grouping findings to create the hub. 📢 Marketing & Public Speaking: •Developed and executed the marketing strategy for the Entry-Level Skills Surveys and Hub, and the Hitmarker Recruitment Report •Represented companies at WASD, Develop Brighton, Unwrap Festival, Digital Dragons, EGX, and numerous university career fairs and student showcases over the past 5 years. •Content creation on LinkedIn, staying up-to-date with algorithm updates and best practices. --- So if you are looking for a Sara of all trades, master of inclusive hiring, do reach out, I'm happy to chat about future roles as well! ➡️For links and my CV go to: https://lnkd.in/e2SdSnR4 ➡️ Community, now it's my turn to need help, can I count on you liking, commenting and reposting this? --- 📣 Follow #RethinkRecruitment and ring the 🔔 to read about: ⏩ https://entrylevel.games/ 🌟 Opinions are very much my own™️ #layoffs

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📣GAMES INDUSTRY RECRUITERS PAST AND PRESENT📣 I have a curious question that you all have unique insight into! Today, I was chatting with some of my teammates about hard to fill roles in the gaming space and how we illustrate that to our greater teams and stakeholders with data. While we are definitely doing more data exploration I am also just curious about personal anecdotes and experiences so with that being said: ✍🏻 What are THE hardest roles you have had to fill in the games space? ✍🏻 Historically which roles have you found require a bit more work than usual? I figured this could be useful or interesting for other recruiters to see as well! As for me, I will be taking notes.

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This post is solid gold! Check it out if you want to help improve your odds at being successful in game dev.

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Transferable Skills from Gaming to Game Development Transitioning from passionate gamer to game developer is easier than you think. The skills you've honed through gameplay can be valuable assets in the development world. Here’s how your gaming experience translates into game development expertise. 1. Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking In Games: Strategy and RPGs like The Legend of Zelda or Civilization require solving puzzles, making strategic decisions, and thinking ahead. In Development: Game development involves debugging code, designing levels, and balancing mechanics. Highlighting your in-game problem-solving skills can showcase your ability to tackle development challenges. 2. Team Collaboration In Games: Multiplayer games like League of Legends or Overwatch emphasize teamwork and communication. In Development: Collaboration is key in development teams. Your experience coordinating with teammates to achieve common goals can demonstrate your ability to work well in a team environment. 3. Creativity and Innovation In Games: Creative thinking is required in games like Minecraft, where players solve problems and create content. In Development: Creativity is essential for designing mechanics, storylines, and characters. Showcasing your creative achievements in gaming can illustrate your potential for innovation in game design. 4. Technical Proficiency In Games: Gamers often understand hardware, software, and platforms. Modding communities require basic programming skills. In Development: Familiarity with gaming platforms and programming concepts eases the learning curve for development tools. Experience with modding or game editors like Unreal Engine or Unity is particularly valuable. 5. Time Management and Perseverance In Games: Long campaigns and high ranks in games require significant time investment and dedication. In Development: Game development projects often have tight deadlines and require sustained effort. Your dedication to mastering difficult games showcases your time management and perseverance. 6. Understanding Player Experience In Games: Avid gamers know what makes a game enjoyable or frustrating. In Development: Empathy for the player is crucial. Your deep understanding of player experience can help you create more engaging, user-friendly games. Transitioning from player to professional involves leveraging the skills you've developed through gaming. By identifying and articulating these transferable skills—problem-solving, teamwork, creativity, technical know-how, time management, and player empathy—you can position yourself as a strong candidate for roles in game development. Embrace these skills, continue to learn, and take the leap from playing games to creating them.

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🌟 Own Your Identity: You Are What You Say You Are 🌟 You are not an "aspiring" engineer. You are not an "aspiring" artist. You are not an "aspiring" game designer. You are that as soon as you say you are. 🔍 Why This Matters: Recruiters are looking for individuals who are confident and ready to step into their roles. They don't want to hire someone who is "aspiring" for a position; they want someone who believes in their own skills and potential. 🚀 Steps to Embrace Your Identity: Affirm Your Role: Why: Self-affirmation builds confidence and helps you internalize your professional identity. How: Start by confidently declaring, "I am an engineer," "I am an artist," or "I am a game designer." Embrace this identity fully. Update Your LinkedIn Title: Why: Your LinkedIn title is often the first thing recruiters see. It should reflect confidence and readiness. How: Remove the word "aspiring" from your LinkedIn title. Update it to reflect your professional identity. For example, change "Aspiring Software Engineer" to "Software Engineer." Showcase Your Skills: Why: Demonstrating your skills and achievements builds credibility and reinforces your professional identity. How: Highlight your projects, experiences, and accomplishments on your LinkedIn profile and resume. Use concrete examples to showcase your expertise and readiness. 🔑 The Power of Self-Identification: By confidently identifying as a professional in your field, you project assurance and competence. This shift in mindset can make a significant difference in how you are perceived by recruiters and potential employers. Remember, you are what you say you are. Embrace your professional identity with confidence. How will you update your LinkedIn profile to reflect this change? Share your thoughts and empower others to own their identities! 🌟 #CareerGrowth #ProfessionalIdentity #Confidence #LinkedInTips #SelfEmpowerment

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