Networking is an important part of any career, whether you are attempting to get into the industry, looking to change jobs or even just trying to protect yourself in case your current employer gets into difficulty. It is important because people tend to hire those they know and like and to recommend those people to others. It will often be the case that a company looking to fill positions will ask their existing staff if they know anyone who fits the bill and a position may be filled in this way without ever being advertised. Building as wide a range of contacts as possible helps to ensure that you hear what is going on and what positions are available. Unfortunately it isn’t something you can do overnight. You need to build a network of contacts over time. There are several good ways to do it including visiting trade shows & events, participating in industry related online forums, joining industry trade bodies & organisations.
Trade shows
There are quite a number of Trade shows scattered around the globe. GDC (www.gdconf.com/ – probably the best show for development staff), Develop in Brighton (www.developconference.com/), Milia (www.milia.com), Tokyo Game Show (http://tgs.cesa.or.jp/ or http://tgs.cesa.or.jp/english/) and the Leipzig Game Convention (www.gc-germany.de/). While good places to do business these shows are not ideal for networking unless you plan very carefully. If you are looking to break into the industry find out what companies are going to be there and contact them in advance to find out if they will be recruiting. If so make an appointment to meet them. This will always be more successful than just turning up and hoping to meet people.
If a stand has a sign asking for CVs drop one in. If people are in the recruiting area of the show then it is fine to approach them on that basis and give out CVs. However, networking isn’t just arriving at a show, walking up to someone, handing them your resume and asking for a job. It is about building relationships with people. The best thing to do is to talk/ask about them, rather than about yourself. When you meet someone ask what they do, what are they working, when is it due, what’s cool about it etc. – people are more likely to like you if you pay them some attention. If they turn out to be a junior artist (and thus unlikely to be able to offer you a job) don’t just walk away – one day that Junior Artist will be Art Director somewhere. Once the conversation is rolling then start to slip in the odd question of your own. “How did you get started in the biz?”, “What do you look for in a new hire?” etc. – In fact that Junior Artist may well be able to offer some good feedback on how she got into the industry.
If you are already in the industry then the CV isn’t really necessary (unless you are actively looking to change jobs) but a business card can be very useful. The people you meet are more likely to remember you if they have your business card. This applies both to those in the industry and those seeking to break in. If your employer doesn’t give you a card then have your own personal cards made up with your job title or field of specialisation and your contact details. If you are not in the industry then put your job title as “aspiring game artists”, “padwan programmer” or something similar. When talking to someone you can hand them your card and they will almost certainly offer you one of theirs in return. If they do, make sure you write on the back where/when you met them and what you talked about. If they don’t have a card then write their name and email on the back of one of your cards and keep it safe. The object is not to buttonhole one person all day/evening but to make several contacts so keep on moving. Then, after the show, send a follow-up email and keep in touch.
If you are trying to break in then the follow-up should be in the form of a “thanks for your time” email with maybe one extra question. – One question is much easier to answer than ten so they are more likely to answer. Keep the relationship going in this way and don’t forget to ask how their project is going etc. In this way you stay on the radar and are more likely to be remembered when a suitable opening comes up.
Trade organisations and events
Organisations such as ELSPA (www.elspa.com), The IGDA (www.igda.org), TIGA (www.tiga.org) often organise conferences and social events which are excellent networking opportunities. The IGDA (International Game Developers Association) has a network of local chapters (www.igda.org/chapters/) that organise development related and social events which are excellent for meeting and getting to know other developers in your area. Organisations that are not directly industry related (such as BAFTA – British Academy of Film & Television Arts) may also be worthwhile.
Online forums
With the exception of your local IGDA Chapter the above can all be expensive options. A much cheaper way of networking is via game related online forums such as gamedev.net (www.gamedev.net/community/forums/), the IGDA forums (www.igda.org/forums/) and two for industry members only The Chaos Engine (www.thechaosengine.com) and Game Illuminati (www.gameilluminati.com/). These are great places to chat about game development/industry related issues and to provide links to your online portfolio.
A few final points on networking.
1. Always carry your business cards. You never know when you will meet someone worth keeping in contact with.
2. Networking isn’t just about business. Some of the people you meet may become great friends which is always an added bonus.
3. A network isn’t a list of names. It’s a list of people who know who you are and will take your calls/answer your emails. It isn’t enough just to get a business card. You need to engage with someone in order to form a proper link.
