If you work in tech, there's no ignoring the headlines surrounding the mass layoffs that have taken place this year alone.
To date, 490 companies have laid off 138,652 employees and counting, and from big tech to startups, workers across the board are feeling the pinch.
While there's no way to guarantee you won't be made redundant, pivoting to an area that continues to be in high demand is a good way to future-proof your career. One such area is gaming: the video games industry in the U.S. is one of the leading gaming markets in terms of revenue and currently employs 268,000 people.
So how can you go about making the move?
1. Build your technical skills
The technology that powers the gaming industry relies on software developers, engineers and machine learning specialists. You'll need to have fluency in programming languages like C++, Python, and Java, as well as game engines such as Unity and Unreal.
If you don't have extensive experience in any of the above, an online course or bootcamp can help you upskill. Fullstack Academy or Flatiron School are two that allow you to complete short courses online.
2. Create a portfolio
If you really want to impress hiring managers, including a link to a portfolio of gaming work you've designed can help demonstrate your ability to build your own games, create demos and contribute to open-source projects.
Or why not include it on your cover letter instead of on your resume. Jobbio's Hiring Intelligence Report 2022 found that 46% of hiring managers say a well-crafted cover letter immediately sets an applicant apart from the competition.
3. Ask ChatGPT for help
Not only can ChatGPT, the AI-powered language processing chatbot, give you a competitive edge when it comes to researching companies and the technical skills you might need for a job, it can also help with the application process.
Keywords have become more and more important when it comes to job applications. An increasing number of organizations are relying on applicant tracking systems (ATS) to screen applicants before hiring managers ever get their hands on them. So if you want to beat the bots, turn to... the bots. By uploading the job spec to ChatGPT, you can ask it to highlight the keywords, and then ask it to add these keywords to your resume.
You'll have to cross-check the information for accuracy, but you should receive a bespoke resume that ticks all the boxes and should get you through the first round of screening.
Ready to put your tailor-made resume to the test and bag your dream role? The Tech Times Job Board has thousands of opportunities in companies focused on gaming, like the three below.
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment and was an early pioneer of the home computer games industry. Currently, EA develops and publishes games of established franchises, including Battlefield, Need for Speed, The Sims, Medal of Honor, Command & Conquer, Dead Space, Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Army of Two, Apex Legends, and Star Wars, as well as the EA Sports titles FIFA, Madden NFL, NBA Live, NHL, and EA Sports UFC. You can browse all job opportunities at Electronic Arts here.
Netflix
Streaming platform Netflix started its gaming division in 2021 with a focus on interactive experiences and has since launched over 50 mobile games. Its games studio wants to create a synergy between what people watch and what they're playing, and has also tapped into third-party game development by buying Helsinki-based Next Games,Texas-based Boss Fight Studio and California-based Night School Studio. Check out current opportunities at Netflix here.
Amazon
Amazon Games is a video game company and division of the online retailer, and primarily focuses on publishing video games developed within the company's development divisions. Its mission is to be the most player and developer-obsessed company in gaming. It is actively developing and publishing a portfolio of original IP and high-ambition games. This includes Prime Gaming, Twitch, Amazon Retail, Prime Video, Game Growth and from engineers to artists, development managers to designers, product managers to program managers, its teams collaborate to create a range of games and products. Find out more details about current openings at Amazon Games here.
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