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Video games make up a hundred-billion-dollar industry that's rapidly growing to meet the demands of millions of players worldwide, and that means that gaming companies are constantly recruiting employees for new projects.
Helen Jönsson is a recruiter for Massive Entertainment, a Swedish video game development studio owned by Ubisoft, one of the largest publishers in the world. In a recent blog post, Jönsson answered some common questions asked by people who want to join the video game industry, and gave advice on how aspiring developers can break through and find their first job.
Massive is responsible for the hit series "Tom Clancy's The Division" and has worked on popular Ubisoft franchises like "Assassin's Creed" and "Far Cry." While these games demand a ton of technical know-how to create, development studios require a full team to handle non-creative roles like marketing, human resources, and finances.
Jönsson said that Massive is looking for people who ambition and passion for gaming, even if they don't have direct experience working within the industry. People who have experience in business-oriented roles like sales and account management can still find places to apply their skills with large video game companies.
Getting into the video game industry doesn't always require prior experience.
"What I think is most important to take away from this is that there are so many different paths to this industry, and there is not one 'correct' way of getting into it," Jönsson said in the blog post. "I think that a good way of getting some insights to what you could do at a games studio is to figure out what your passion is and try to investigate through other people in the industry and job ads how you can best apply your experience and background to it."
Massive's workforce is intentionally built with junior, intermediate, and senior-level employees to create "diverse and dynamic teams." Jönsson said that passion and future potential can take priority over experience when Massive is considering junior and intern-level positions.
"Different roles demand different types of experience, and not all of them require that you've worked in the industry before," Jönsson said. "In general, I would say that we're looking for people who are driven and feel strongly about their area of expertise. Every job has its own set of skills we're looking for, but we are always looking for people with ambition and passion."
There are a few key things to keep in mind when applying for a job in the gaming industry.
Jönsson said that potential candidates should make it clear how their past experience will relate to their new role when applying for jobs within the gaming industry. She also recommends including gaming-related hobby projects and personal portfolios during the application process.
As with all job applications, it's essential that applicants include all of the information requested in the job listing. Jönsson said every application should include a resume and cover letter, and the letter should specify why the applicant is interested in the role they're applying for. She also reminded potential candidates to make sure that portfolios or other application materials are easily accessible, and that any links included in the application work.
Massive offers internships on two tracks, according to Jönsson, inside production and outside production. Interns working inside the production process are usually chosen from game development programs through the studio's partner schools. Internships not related to production are posted on Massive's career page.
Jönsson said that interview candidates should treat the interview process as a two-way street. Massive evaluates potential hires to make sure they're a fit with the studio's culture, and Jönsson recommends that candidates explore the company's values to make sure it's a proper fit for the long run.
She said the interview process almost always includes more than one meeting, and candidates applying to technical roles should expect to discuss their knowledge areas and problem-solving skills. Jönsson said it's not just about answering every question perfectly — applicants should be able to explain how they handle technical issues as they arise.
Massive Entertainment boasts employees from more than 50 different countries, and about half of the staff relocated to Sweden from their home country.
