Hypothetical Question - Importance of your job in your life
polycounter
I know a LOT of people (like myself) who's location is dictated by where they work. Often travelling around the world for better opportunities (both in moving up in their career, and development as an artist).
But I find there are also a LOT Of people who are tied down to a single location. Not just because they own property, or because their spouses are working. But a plethora of factors surrounding their personal lives (such as proximity to friends/family).
So my hypothetical question is to the latter group:
Would you quit fulltime employment at a city far away, for a temporary contract position to be in the city you would like to live in?
Would you turn down Fulltime employment in another city, if you were working under a temporary contract?
o_O
Can you explain your reasons for either?
But I find there are also a LOT Of people who are tied down to a single location. Not just because they own property, or because their spouses are working. But a plethora of factors surrounding their personal lives (such as proximity to friends/family).
So my hypothetical question is to the latter group:
Would you quit fulltime employment at a city far away, for a temporary contract position to be in the city you would like to live in?
Would you turn down Fulltime employment in another city, if you were working under a temporary contract?
o_O
Can you explain your reasons for either?
Replies
For me now, I would turn down a dream job if the location were too distasteful, and I would take a temporary job if the location were favorable enough. (taking into account that in this theoretical world my husband could find a job in the new place also)
"Would you quit fulltime employment at a city far away, for a temporary contract position to be in the city you would like to live in?
Would you turn down Fulltime employment in another city, if you were working under a temporary contract?"
Fulltime and contract is usually the same over here so I don't care much about that. You almost always get a contract for a year and then get a renewal when it's up. I was on contract for 2 years before i got fulltime. Fulltime did jack shit because I was let go just as easily and nothing really changed.
Alot also depends on what kind of project and art I'd make. It would be a pretty tough choice to choose between a blizzard/id/valve-quality studio at a shitty location and a flash game studio in a great location.
moved around and ended up in Tokyo.
Would rather not move because: kids are well-settled here with friends and a good school system, wife has a job she likes, we have friends & nice property here.
If none of those were the case though, I would definitely move for an opportunity.
There are a lot of great studios around me locally, big and small so I don't feel like I need to move to find opportunities. I just need to live up to their expectations.
I also have no problem turning this back into a hobby. Either way hobby or job, I need to be doing something creative where I feel like I'm growing.
The problem at the moment is that I like where I live. (Phoenix, Arizona) The cost of living is reasonable, the weather and environment is fantastic, my condo is in a great location. If I were going to move somewhere else to work, I would want it to stack up favorably. And one of the big factors of that would be cost of living. There are a LOT more job opportunities for game development in California. But the cost of living there is also a lot higher. In order for me to pursue a job in CA, it would have to be a really great job.
Personally I have 3 factors when I choose jobs: the job itself, what it pays and the location. If it's an incredible location I wouldn't mind working for a not so well known studio. Or if the job is really great, I may care less about the location. But it all has to balance out.
For contracts, it has to be at least 1 year, with an option to become permanent if possible, and there must be a relocation package....moving stuff around ain't cheap, even if it's for the most part just books, PC and clothing.
Personally I enjoy moving around because I love expanding my horizon and it's very inspiring too, but I guess it's not for everyone. While you can have great experiences you also have to deal with having less personal contact with family and friends. That's probably the biggest tradeoff.
me and the missus are totally settled.
I honestly believe its better to try and make yourself happy than drag yourself around the country.
But I suppose if you are younger then its easier and more fun to move around ( if you have n't got kids/pets etc)
It really hit home though how much this industry requires you to move around and make personal sacrifice for personal gain for a steady paycheck. If I wasnt tied down with things I think I would be moving all round the world trying to find work but Im more concentrating on making the industry work for me and not the other way round (in a job sense) if that makes sense and doesnt make me sound super arrogant
Part of me would like to say I'd drop anything and everything to move back to where I was in a heartbeat, but with the knowledge that almost any place I could apply at to do the same thing would expect more experience, I feel like I'm here at least for a few years to get the needed experience.
But in a perfect world to answer your question, assuming I had all the experience and other qualifications necessary. I would definitely drop a full-time position even for a temporary contract position in a city I'd like to live in IF I was already madly in love with that company (there are just some company's I'd give my left arm to work for, even just temporarily), and if there were chances that the contract position could be extended into a full-time position. It would probably work in reverse too, it just depends on who's offering the job, or where I was working at at the time.
been eyeing up singapore for ages, clean safe city for the little youngling too.. and its not just tax everything in singapore is cheaper.. London is a frickin joke
But unfortuantelly settling just for anything is not an option, since shitty work could spoil the joy of any great place. So I'm working on oportunies I want, And once I nail it I'm so out of where, without a second of hesitation.
And yeah, my better 2/3 isn't all up for leaving since she's got parents here, but we both know leaving is for the best, so I hope everything will end up allright.
I handly my choices this way:
First I find companies I think I'd enjoy working for. Then I sort them out for the most appealing location.=)
Hope that answers your question.
Tonight I got really into researching several studios down in Irvine, CA. Then I checked out housing. It makes me feel kind of helpless, how intimidating $1000+ monthly for a single room in which to live whilst working someplace is. I've never made that much monthly in my life. The importance of my work is massive to me, but when it comes to actually being able to afford (what seems to me) an outrageous cost for simple housing, I feel like it does not matter how skilled or valuable an employee I am, that I will somehow never be able to do this.
It's a childlike and immature attitude, which I am too honest in expressing here.
There are probably a lot of jobs I could go for but don't for fear of homelessness. I've nothing against wandering the streets and starving in the gutters, but that is not okay if I'm trying to build a professional career.
I really hope that someday this restrictive fear goes away.
edit: This trio of quotes helps me ignore that feeling in the meantime.
Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.
- Ambrose Redmoon
Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear.
- Mark Twain
Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.
- John Wayne
So I guess the fear is a good thing. Wait, I sound like Kotick...
You should, it owns!
If it doesn't work out, I can always go back home crying.
My cats would just freak out, banging in to to door s and stuff:)
BTw was that recent volcano anywhere near you?
your work is good, so there is no reason to think you won't get a job at some point
Iceland Derail
The shortest day is 2 hours of daylight, and the longest day is 2 hours of darkness. It slowly fluctuates between the two, and the two equinoxes have exactly equal days of 12 hours/12 hours day/night. There is only a few months with shorter than normal day cycles, and it's totally bearable, and the insane days make up for it the other part of the year.
The volcano was quite far away, it's nowhere near Reykjavik, but you can take a tour right up to it and see.
/Iceland Derail
That said, I'd be out of here in a heartbeat with a good job offer.
If you google cost of living calculator, you'll find cost of living comparisons that take your current location and tell you how much you'd have to make to have similar living conditions in your destination city.
Iceland is really awesome...I have been to Reykjavik twice now and cant wait to go back.
Its a really beautiful country.
You may have noticed they has been a character artist job advertised in Reykjavik for ages now:/
It's bad enough in Britain with five months of depression during winter months, not sure if I could cope
I wasn't gonna apply anyway, just thinking aloud
So I guess that really does answer the question that yes, my job is the most important thing to me right now.
I might suck up to you later
I'm still undecided if I want to live or visit in Iceland but like I've said, been dying to go for five years. I think this may be my year though.
I do really want to travel around and live different places but it's going to be hard to leave when I already live in such a great place.
We have a guest house that is open for polycounters to visit.
But can anyone offer some insights to cost of living in Canada(e.g toronto vs edmonton vs vancouver)? I know it's a tad bit general, I'm looking into some schools there that I can hopefully afford to go study further if i don't get a job soon enough.
Also been looking up requirements to get work permits, but can't say i've found anything regarding education requirements. I reckon a diploma might not cut it?
Interesting tidbit though, my first role at a games company was as a Junior Environment Artist and when I left that same studio I was a Senior/Lead Character Artist.
I'd move anywhere to pursue my dream, but all my efforts thus far have been for naught.
I'm not tied down with a spouse or children, so my decision is easier than most. I enjoy travel and new experiences, so I'd welcome a healthy change. That said...I'd probably only move however for a longer term contract gig or one with strong potential of going full-time. I have 2 brothers with whom I live and family near in adjacent states to help and fall back on when things get REAL tough, which I wouldn't have in another location. Living in the parents garage isn't an appealing option at my age, but its better than finishing a contract gig, not getting renewed and then having nowhere to go.
I know what ya mean, man. Been unemployed for 10 months. Got a contract with Turn10 again, but it's only for 99 days. Luckily that will put me past my 1-yr "benefit" year for unemployment, which means I can re-apply again.
Hopefully it won't come to that though. I'm crossing my fingers they renew my contract or something.
cost of living: toronto about the same as van (expensive), edmonton not as high; night life, same cost and rank.
But if you're willing to live far from downtown core, you'd be alright in either T.O. or Van. Van has advantage re: sushi, nature, close to the border with U.S./ Seattle, lots of game studios. T.O. is awesome for it's multiculturalness. Hipper; close to NYC. Close to Montreal which has tons more of game/vfx studios.
Edmonton...if you want to just do serious time at Bio (if EA likes your stuff in the first place) without high expectation about life outside work...go for it (you got no choice but to work anyway especially when it's -40 degrees in winter). Cheaper cost of living for sure but I believe it still ranks number 1 in urban crime. If you don't mind long driving, national parks are about 3-5 hours away.
I'd first try my luck in your town if I were you. Most outsourcing studios/sweatshops are in Asia and Singapore's in the middle of it! You'd get triple A shipped credits faster than working at either Blizzard or Bungie just by slaving a short time in one of those places..
If this doesn't work out, I'm going to have to start looking for work in other cities of Greece, (probably Athens) but right now, I'd rather work from home as a freelancer than relocate.
I'm open to the possibility of moving, cause it's no life for a human being to live without drinking monies, but it's only a worst case scenario. I like my family and friends and I've been gone for a long time already (4 years in uni abroad and 1 in the army).
So yeah, like P.I.G. said, I'd rather have a 100% of my life being awesome, but if I have to choose between the 50% where I have my friends and family but no job, and the 50% where I have the money to visit my peeps every few months, I'm gonna go with the relocation option.
Yeah, I really hope I can hook into something/anything amongst the few game studios in Singapore. I'm just checkin out other options so that when I'm outta school, I'll have some idea on what to do