Resume advice
polycounter lvl 18
Polycount probably isn't the best place to ask about this, but it's the digital art forum I hang out in most frequently and I imagine some of you guys will have suggestions on how to handle my issue.
In short, I've never had a 'real' job. During my undergrad, I worked for the university as a tech support guy in one of the labs. Real work, like NT installs, IRIX account management on the SGI systems, network maintainence of all sorts, etc. I graduated with my BSDes, turned around and went right back into school to grad school. I spent a few years working as an adjunct design professor, which was great fun - even got to teach some low-poly and interactive design courses based on my own curriculum (Poop's dream gig, I know
). In fall of '03, I started doing contract work as I finished my thesis. It just happened to work out for me very well, and that's what I've done ever since: self-employed digital media designer. I've worked with a number of big name clients, from the Cincinnati Children's Hospital to Victoria's Secret. Made plenty of money, even paired up with another designer to tag team on some consultant gigs.
The problem is, my resume looks (to me) like some schmuck who can't get a job. I've got 5 years of working for the university I was then attending followed by 2+ years of consultant work. How would you guys sell this sort of career experience in a resume? I hate using the word 'freelance' to summarize the last couple of years, as it really seems to highlight the fact I haven't ever done the 9-5 thing on a regular basis (I have worked on-site for some clients, but only for a few weeks at a time). I am reassembling my portfolio to look for a full-time digital media gig here in Cincinnati, but getting this resume into shape concerns me more. Thanks for any advice
In short, I've never had a 'real' job. During my undergrad, I worked for the university as a tech support guy in one of the labs. Real work, like NT installs, IRIX account management on the SGI systems, network maintainence of all sorts, etc. I graduated with my BSDes, turned around and went right back into school to grad school. I spent a few years working as an adjunct design professor, which was great fun - even got to teach some low-poly and interactive design courses based on my own curriculum (Poop's dream gig, I know
). In fall of '03, I started doing contract work as I finished my thesis. It just happened to work out for me very well, and that's what I've done ever since: self-employed digital media designer. I've worked with a number of big name clients, from the Cincinnati Children's Hospital to Victoria's Secret. Made plenty of money, even paired up with another designer to tag team on some consultant gigs.The problem is, my resume looks (to me) like some schmuck who can't get a job. I've got 5 years of working for the university I was then attending followed by 2+ years of consultant work. How would you guys sell this sort of career experience in a resume? I hate using the word 'freelance' to summarize the last couple of years, as it really seems to highlight the fact I haven't ever done the 9-5 thing on a regular basis (I have worked on-site for some clients, but only for a few weeks at a time). I am reassembling my portfolio to look for a full-time digital media gig here in Cincinnati, but getting this resume into shape concerns me more. Thanks for any advice
Replies
If you're looking for a game job I wouldn't sweat your resume too much. I think most everyone looks at portfolio first and resume second anyhow.
-R
Anyway, thanks for the replies so far - more are welcome!
I refuse to believe that having a diverse skill set will screw anyone out of a job. Now if you have forsaken getting good at anything, in favor of learning a bunch of things, then yes it can hurt you. But only because it shows you have a weak skill set and you are not up to pro lvl yet in any area. Bounty of knowelege isn't a replacement for tallent. However bounty of knowelege AND tallent can do nothing by help you.
Not showing a varriety of work might screw you out of a job just as much as showing one really cool thing. A place is going to be looking to see if you can do their one thing well. If they don't see it in your porto, then they are going to move on. The trick is knowing what they need and making sure its there. If you are applying at only one place you can customize your work to what they want to see. If you are applying all over, then kicking ass in more than one area will help. If you don't kick ass in an area, mention it but don't spotlight it.
Bottom line, if you're going for a art job don't put sucky art in your portfolio.
I refuse to believe that having a diverse skill set will screw anyone out of a job.
[/ QUOTE ]
Well, we can all agree that since the orgional Quake there has been an increase in the number of features (and therefore tasks) for artists who make games. Additionally; each feature has become more robust ie: texture artists no longer have 1 texture to work with, they now have 3 or 4 types.
When this number was 3 (model, texture, animate) it wasn't insane to try and find a pro at each, though difficult.
Now, as games getn more complex the consumers demand more from each feature. Artists don't have enough time to become well-versed enough in each discipline to be the 'best'. In response to thise we subdivide tasks so that one guy can focus on one feature and become a pro at it.
So...jack of all trades isn't useless, but it's not the direction this industry 9or any industry that is growing) is headed.
-R
Also don't forget that the portable game market is growing and the tech for those is still not up to super high res normal mapped (insert 14 buzzwords here) standards because the hardware can't handle it at this point. Also not all studios have the multi-million dollar budget it takes to hire a specialist or 4 for each area. Being able to handle multiple types of work makes you more valuable per dollar to your parent company, and when budget cuts come, if you can do the work of 2 people or more you are more likely to be retained over the guy who can just do models or textures, no matter how gorgeous they may be.
Becoming a specialist means becoming proficient at all the tasks that directkly effect your specialty.
My last boss told me how the publishers he was dealing with were hesitant to hand over a 'full game' to a studio that didn't release a full roster of all their developers, their skillsets and they're expereince. If they didn't see a good corss section of wiorkers dedicated to key tasks they would move onwards.
We are working closesy with the team that is p[orting our game to PSP. They have modelers and texture artists and animators.
Besides, it's important to specialize...but it's still imporant (but not equally) to be competent in more than one dicipline.
-R
Maybe it's just my warped thinking and the fact that english isn't my native language...
Specializing is sure where the industry is headed and one should always make sure to kick as in 1 area, rather than being mediocre at 2.
However, this specializing makes people who rock at 2 or more things the more valuable and rare.
if you're an awesome modeler and skinner/texturer then you'll always be able to work pretty much wherever you want. All doors will be wide open, and with all the specializing nowadays there isn't much competition for goats (Gods Of All Trades, i made up a word!!).
So uhm, if you rock at one thing, and think you can excell at a second one if you put some time into it, i sure would, rather than cranking out the 3674th freetime model.
Vailias has a point. The handheld market will sure be growing more and more in future and there's enough room there i think for anybody who doesn't want to jump into the next-gen wagon. Being decent at skinning your own models without being over-talented at both is probably worth gold in a small PSP team.