How can I conduct myself better in job interviews against all odds?
interpolator
Hello PC, there's something I want to improve on (or rather surpass).
I've applied to a lot of jobs, both 3D and outside of it, and when I show up at these interviews, I've been met with these roadblocks I can't find an answer for.
1. Location.
Probably the thing that killed all the recent interviews I've been. I've wanted to move for the longest time, and had my sights on Montreal and Vancouver. But now I'm only left with Toronto as far as what I can do with my income.
But when I'm lucky enough to get a job interview in Toronto, my employers look puzzled when I tell them I'm not from this city. It really sucks because that right there eliminates me from the job pool despite anything else I manage to bring up during an interview.
2. Experience
It's not that I don't have experience, but I can't make my experience go longer. All these job ads I find lately make it a point to stick out "we want ONLY the most experienced/qualified candidates only". So my 1 year of working in retail is instantly thrown out because someone might have worked 1.5 years. Even though the skills are roughly the same, I'm competing in a market where no one wants to give up their job, because they're holding them down longer. This brings me to a final point.
3. Future
At least when it comes to looking for entry level work, no one really wants to work these jobs forever. But given the job market now is so dangerous that any unemployment is almost asking for a death sentence, what do I tell these employers? "Oh yeah, there was this 3D thing I'm doing, I went to school for it and started doing more 3D work at home, would it be ok I leave when the job pops up?" Are they going to be more willing to give me a job or less knowing that I have an education? I mentioned last year that explaining this only lead to employers thinking I'm "overqualified".
I've applied to a lot of jobs, both 3D and outside of it, and when I show up at these interviews, I've been met with these roadblocks I can't find an answer for.
1. Location.
Probably the thing that killed all the recent interviews I've been. I've wanted to move for the longest time, and had my sights on Montreal and Vancouver. But now I'm only left with Toronto as far as what I can do with my income.
But when I'm lucky enough to get a job interview in Toronto, my employers look puzzled when I tell them I'm not from this city. It really sucks because that right there eliminates me from the job pool despite anything else I manage to bring up during an interview.
2. Experience
It's not that I don't have experience, but I can't make my experience go longer. All these job ads I find lately make it a point to stick out "we want ONLY the most experienced/qualified candidates only". So my 1 year of working in retail is instantly thrown out because someone might have worked 1.5 years. Even though the skills are roughly the same, I'm competing in a market where no one wants to give up their job, because they're holding them down longer. This brings me to a final point.
3. Future
At least when it comes to looking for entry level work, no one really wants to work these jobs forever. But given the job market now is so dangerous that any unemployment is almost asking for a death sentence, what do I tell these employers? "Oh yeah, there was this 3D thing I'm doing, I went to school for it and started doing more 3D work at home, would it be ok I leave when the job pops up?" Are they going to be more willing to give me a job or less knowing that I have an education? I mentioned last year that explaining this only lead to employers thinking I'm "overqualified".
Replies
2. Honestly, portfolio is your greatest tool to getting the job, resume is how you negotiate title and pay once you land the job IMO. No matter how sparse or nonexistent your resume is, even if you are still in school or didn't even go to school (I got my first AAA job 2 weeks after graduating high school), if your portfolio is solid and fits the job responsibilities... you will not have an issue landing something at an associate level. No matter what the job description says.
3. If you are applying for a temp job to pay the bills between games work, I wouldn't even bother telling them that you are planning on leaving. You can't 100% predict how the future is going to play out, just focus on the current interview for whatever job you are applying for. In that moment, it should have your entire attention. Don't even bother attending an interview if you aren't going to give it your all.
2 - Again, you are making an assumption. How do you know your application was thrown out because you only have one year as opposed to a year and a half of experience? Granted, if an applicant with say 5 years of experience, applied, yes, they may favor them because the difference there is far more substantial then six months.
As Add3r correctly points out, your portfolio speaks more then your retail experience ever will when it comes to getting a job in 3D.
3- "would it be ok I leave when the job pops up?" As a hiring manager, I would instantly mentally file you as a flight risk and likely not hire you if there are other options available. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but unless I'm looking for fill a 3 month contract, an employee is someone I am investing my budget in, and someone who sounds like they will drop me on a moments notice isn't worth it for me.
However, you can say "Long term I am looking to expand into doing 3D work, in X years, I want to be doing Y." Why is this different? Honestly, you are saying the same thing, but not saying "I will drop you like a hot potato as soon as some studio comes knocking on my door"
Be prepared to answer the usual follow up questions "If you are so interesting in doing 3D, why are you applying here" and "What will happen if 3D studio offers you a job 2 months from now."
1 - if you are on the same country and show willingness to relocate i doubt that is a showstopper unless you arent clear about it.
2 - Portfolio , Portfolio , Portfolio. If it isnt up to par you wont get hired. period. Submit your current one to review here and work on it.
3 - dont give the impression that you are finding your starter work as something you see as temporary, if you dont evolve your skill you might not "go up" . But again, this all comes down to portfolio.
For outside 3d work :
what everyone else said.
Good luck and work on your folio man, thats the thing that is 80% most important !
You also don't have anything that stands out. It's well made but immediately forgettable.
There's nothing impressive in your portfolio, even though judging from your skills, you probably **could**.
A Canada Post Office box is not going to impress anyone. This might be impressive if you made the entire street scene, and it was one of several hundred props you made.
A Radial Engine is impressive:
A Mechanical Welding Arm is impressive:
2. Retail? You want to work at Old Navy?
3. Nobody cares about your education. Employers care that you have the skills and aren't a pain in the ass.
The presentation could use a facelift, its not well designed from a usability and aesthetic point of view.
The way you display your assets could also use some refinement, no texture maps, no wireframes, no context. etc. What are those spheres above each image? I think you are probably 4-5 solid portfolio pieces away from what I personally would consider ready to start applying.
Also a bit confused about whether you're asking about retail jobs or game-art jobs. No one is going to relocate you for retail, I don't imagine. And with your current portfolio, I imagine you'll have difficulty getting relocated for a game art job, as well.
p.s. The chairs in your cartoon kitchen have no leg-space. They're too big for the table.
That's where my dilemma comes in. I didn't want to gamble on moving without having a job to cover it, but I can't get to the jobs because I'm located outside of it.
Trying to get retail/dishwasher work in the city is what I considered the safest choice.
You can stay where you currently live and work on improving the arts, if you have a paying job. If not, holiday season is right around the corner. Retails are hiring.
if you are in the same country no problem at all, and usually being in a different country doesn't matter as well if your portfolio is good. except for personal visa problems.
So like everyone else says, work on your portfolio and things will become a lot easier.
I thought about working for free but the recent interviews I went up to actually made that a requirement (you have to do work for them and sign a waiver that covers it).
I'm honestly still feeling the wounds of retail, and dread doing any general labor work.
The stuff JacqueChoi told me to is what I'm doing now. But I don't like rushing so it's something I want to work on when I find a full time job.
The point @JacqueChoi was making is that you'd need pieces of work like that currently on your portfolio to attract a job. Not necessarily those specific items, but just projects to that quality. If you mean a fulltime job outside of the industry: you wont have time. If you mean in the industry: you wont be getting a job IN the industry WITHOUT pieces to that quality.
This is starting to become a pattern with some of your threads. Ignoring feedback, coming back and saying nothing has changed. You have some serious work to do on your portfolio BEFORE any studio is going to take your application seriously. I know that's tough to hear but you've got work to do. It'll be tough but rewarding.
If I make the 4 props that are up to the same standard as the engine/welding arm, I'm guaranteed a job in the industry?
I'm not saying this to be rude but it's to remedy an anxiety of mine. Because I have a fear of losing everything, I wanted to start somewhere safe and then change when a successful path is revealed to me.
In a way, I'm a person who hears something is 100% certain, I try to be 500% certain instead.
Man, but the challenge it would provided... Just the thought of it.
https://www.artstation.com/artist/coreyhill