What do you do if you want to rebuild your career in the gaming industry after a layoff?

After I see the big layoff in the gaming industry, rebuilding my career became a journey of self-assessment and adaptation. I started by evaluating my existing skills and expertise, recognizing the need to stay abreast of the industry's ever-evolving landscape. Identifying gaps in my knowledge, particularly regarding advancements in game development tools and marketing strategies, became paramount. Embracing this opportunity for growth, I dedicated myself to upskilling through targeted online courses and workshops, ensuring I remained competitive and relevant in the dynamic gaming industry. This proactive approach not only equipped me with the necessary expertise but also instilled confidence as I embarked on my career reinvention journey.

After having attended this year's GDC. I noticed one overwhelmingly similar pattern. 💡 It's about WHO you know. And who sees YOU. You can have the best skills in the industry but without a network, you may as well be a needle in a haystack with how many applications each position receives every day. Update and post regularly to LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter (X), any platform you can think will be of use to you, make use of it! Hope this helps. ❤️

This industry is "smaller" than we think, by this I mean that we are all connected and having a good networking is a huge plus! If you have been laid off and can't attend to offline events, make sure you do to online events. Keep learning, keep meeting new people and engage with them. Don't send random invites to the people from the industry, connect with people who talk about some specific topic you're passionate about and you can learn from. Connect with the person, not with the company or the position, we are all humans and you can change your company but the person still the same! Be genuine!!

When going through this, be reminded at all times to make friends not enemies. Be proactive in sharing the knowledge, and intentional in making a relationship over just a connection. Be authentic and genuine in your interaction, people often remember the experience while conversing with you, and that makes impression.

One of the most important things when landing a job in the industry is KEEP YOUR PORTFOLIO UP TO DATE! With how unstable everything is now adays. It's never a bad thing to continue upkeeping your different platforms so that in the event which you are restructured, your work to do before putting yourself back in the job market is minimal. Hope this helps! 😄

Make sure to stay up to date to the latest trends in the industry, this will show your expertise and your passion. This industry changes fast and the people who can adapt quicker are the ones that are always ahead. Be confident about what you learn about the industry and think of ways you could improve it or add more value.

When you're applying, don't be desesperate but be strategic, take your time: - Don't overapply to any position, focus on what you want to do next on your carreer. - Make sure you understand the values from the company you apply to and show it in your Cover Letter. - Adapt your skills to what the company is looking for. No need to show off all your skills but just the relevant ones. - Ask for Advice: Find resources on linkedin or mentors that can help you to improve. - Keep grinding, be patient, you will find the perfect opportunity ! :)

3 Critical Tips to help after layoff 1. Did you know you have job seeker settings inside your LinkedIn Settings? Go check them out! Settings > Advertising Data > Job Information & Employer 2. Follow Company pages on LinkedIn; their recruiters/HM may not have access to your profile unless you follow their company page and/or: 3. Find a minimum of 1 person to connect (not follow, that is different, make sure its a connection) that is actively employed at the company you want to work for. You don't even need to know them, just get an accepted invite. It's like unlocking a portion of a "skills tree of visibility" on LinkedIn. This increases your chances of hiring managers/recruiters seeing you.

Please take a look at the industry's current situation. Tens of thousands of folks have been laid off in the past 18 months, and hiring was slowed or frozen at a significant portion of studios and publishers during that same timeframe. While these "tips" are all valid, surfacing this article at a time when the biggest issue is completely outside the job seeker's control strikes me as disrespectful, opportunistic, and toxic.

The games industry is incredibly close-knit especially when compared to other tech verticals. Being in the loop can help you remain aware of roles and opportunities. At the same time, finding opportunities to bring in a wider array of experiences can be hugely beneficial. Looking at other tech sectors, gaining experiences in these industries and bringing those skills back into the games sector can really make you stand out