Sounds simple enough right? In theory it is, put up great work and people will notice-peers, potential employers, and more.
That is a step in the process, an important one at that. The thing is when you want to get your work noticed, there are a few small things you need do to really take it to the next level and it has nothing to do with your actual artwork.
The Hiring Managers or Directors that you want recognizing your work for a potential job are typically very busy. They see hundreds of applications and portfolio submissions a week. Take it from me, being at the heart of the console game industry there are a few things that can help catch our eyes.
*Image by Travis Overstreet
WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?
In your resume, on your cover letter, on your website, and in your social media profile… be clear with this. You should have your Name at the forefront and what you are presenting yourself as. A good example would be Travis Overstreet, Digital Artist. Travis can obviously do plenty of things like 2D, 3D, and traditional art with the work in the sections of his portfolio. All that said, it’s very clear to me who he is and what he wants to do as it’s the first thing to load up when I see his site.
YOUR RESUME IS JUST AS IMPORTANT!
Along with the clarity in who you are, at it should be obvious in the first page where you’ve been and what your experiences are. Make sure you have your correct contact information available too. Often times your resume will be submitted in to a data base system, especially at larger companies. Ensuring that you have all the i’s doted and t’s crossed can really help you prevent getting lost in the pile.
Quick tip: whenever you submit your resume, make sure your name is in the file name. Ideally first in the string. An example would be “YourName_Resume_date.pdf”
WHO CARES ABOUT COVER LETTERS?
This is a debated topic among hiring managers. I personally land on the side of “I care.” When I look at applicants, (especially ones with the art work to back up their application) I read cover letters as a small gate way to the person’s creative passions and desire to be part of our teams. Game studios have many intricacies, and team dynamic is extremely important. You have to be sure that the chemistry of the applicants hired will fit. A good cover letter can help a person see into those possibilities.
These are just a few little things you can do to get that leg up on the competition. All these moves will help you and your portfolio get noticed more quickly.
If you want personal curated job hunting and portfolio building experiences feel free to book a call with us.
Roger
