"Jobs... Swing for the Moon or for the Fences?"

The question of the day is:

Do you hold out for the dream studio or get in where & when you can?

Pretty fair question that seems to have a simple answer right? Wrong! Where jobs, career & life choices come into play, there are no easy answers.

It all hinges on what your current circumstances, experience and motives are. If its money & experience you need, then yes, grab for low hanging fruit. Even though you may feel you're compromising on bigger dreams, you've got to start somewhere. Even smaller, less well known (or accomplished) studios can have a silver lining. You'll still gain valuable experience (not to mention the experience or probability of having to wear multiple creative hats) and making some money, but at least it's "preparing" you & your portfolio just the same. Not to mention that while you're at a smaller studio, you can still keep your options open towards looking. However, you don't just want to jump ship at the first sight of land in regards to a larger studio opportunity. If you're in the middle of a production and fairly "critical path," leaving your small dev is not always advised. It's still a small industry and word about your lack of commitment can get out! Besides that, larger studios may also be concerned that you'll do the same to them, hurting your chances to acquiring a stable position in their "seemingly" secure halls.

If you have more experience and the financial nest egg to hold out for a more competitive studio/position, that's great as well (especially if you’re tailoring your resume & portfolio with studios that have influential credibility). Whatever the case, understand that any hiring manager (large or small studio) is inevitably going to look at the number of studios you've worked for and how long you were at each. While "studio hoping" was a fairly accepted practice back in the mid '90's, it's a bad practice these days.

It goes right back to the "commitment" factor (or lack thereof) giving pause to any hiring studio that may see it (you) as an investment risk.

So in the end, get a job creating game content where you can and really try and give it a fair shake. Stay with a studio for no less than one title/production cycle (so you at least have something to show for your time & skills invested there).

Like anything in life, your "commitment" factor is just as important to a hiring studio as is your competencies and talents.

In conclusion, get in where you can, stay there and become a sponge by way of soaking up knowledge and experience, then consider venturing out. You'll ultimately be more armed & equipped with greater competitiveness, competencies and commitment prowess if you do! Making you a more attractive creative and new hire anywhere!

Dream Chasers v1.0

[Ed. Note] This article was written by Game Creator's Vault founder and video-game industry professional Mark Soderwall.

Mark Soderwall speaking at the University of California Irvine.

A fairly common question I get asked after lectures and presentations I give on game-design best practices is How to stay so passionate or positive in an industry that usually presents dream chasers more closed doors than open. Do I take Zoloft, or is my ignorance really  bliss?

Absolutely NOT!

My excitement and head-down resolve stem from not only my industry experiences working in both large AAA and small Indie studios, which helped me to better appreciate the reward of it all, but also in the understanding of how I can get paid in doing something I'd otherwise be creating in my own free time!

Like anything worth fighting for, getting into the game-dev industry is just that, a fight.

Trying to invent new ways of staying positive every day through the relentless portfolio updating, rejection letters (yes, even professionals get them), hours of researching studios hiring and self-publishing developments is always a great challenge. However, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and better prepares you for the next round of challenges!

Persistence is the key ingredient as well as timing in realizing opportunity. The day you blink your eyes open in the morning and choose to stay in bed is the day an opportunity may slip past you.

Every day is an opportunity to win, as well as lose. It's in the losing, though, that (most of the time) your character and resolve get tested and your ability to overcome adversity grows.

Continue to fight and muster up the resolve to constantly plow through the hard experiences of the day! Understand that your next opportunity may be waiting just around the corner, even if that corner takes days, weeks or even many months to round. Just don't give up, don't give in! The moment you settle for mediocrity is the moment life grabs you by the throat, wrestles you to the ground and sits its fat @ss on your chest! Fight through it and understand that while it may be a challenge, your character, portfolio and resolve will grow more competitive if you choose not to throw in the towel or tap out.

I understand that this sounds like a motivational speech. That's good! Sometimes we need to hear a good speech to warm up our heart and steady our resolve after it has grown cold in a wasteland of frustration and self doubt.

Mark lectures at an industry conference on game-development best practices.

The greatest thing to appreciate is that it's always a choice. You get to make one every day, for better or for worse. It's up to you. So what are you going to choose today?

As always, I, along with others, are here to help mentor and encourage you with our experiences, insights, best practices and networks.

If you really need advice or a good sock in the arm to you shake off your frustration, email me and I'll walk you through it!

Remember, it’s not only your talent and resolve that gets you over the next hurdle and into success, but the relationships and networksyou foster today and tomorrow that you'll take with you through your next challenge and career pursuits. You're never alone, or at least you shouldn't be!