Un-preference for foreign talent?
polycounter lvl 18
Hi all! Just looking for another perspective on this. I've been sending out my resume and portfolio for a while now, and have never gotten a response from any of the companies I've applied to. I acknowledge that my art, although more than decent (or so I've heard), isn't top-notch, and that I don't have a lot of pieces in my portfolio, and I am working at it all the time. But could there be other factors working against me here? If anyone reading this is involved in the recruitment process, do you ever pass over candidates who live outside the country in preference of one who is local?
I hope this post doesn't make it seem like I am venting bitterness or frustration, because I'm not. I'd just like to know if there are other factors I should be aware of, so maybe I can take the extra steps to remedy them. And despite all this, I am still persistently seeking a job in the industry as a concept artist.
I hope this post doesn't make it seem like I am venting bitterness or frustration, because I'm not. I'd just like to know if there are other factors I should be aware of, so maybe I can take the extra steps to remedy them. And despite all this, I am still persistently seeking a job in the industry as a concept artist.
Replies
Some companies blatantly state that too. Wetas page for example: http://www.wetadigital.com/digital/recruitment/faq/
"Due to New Zealand immigration laws, we will only be importing non-New Zealand recruits with a minimum of 3 years experience in feature film digital effects, unless applicants possess unique applicable skills or experience which compensates for their lack of production experience."
All they're really doing there however, is trying to sort out the wheat from the chaff though, and trying to fob off the noobs. Clearly there are plenty of foreigners working for Weta.
So I take it you're prepared to leave the Philippines then? Btw, I'm not wishing to dishearten you. You could still get hired by a ( for example ) US co. They'd just have to really want you to make the effort. In a nutshell, your nationality is a factor yes, simply because countries have immigration laws.
the companies themselves apparently have little possibilities these days to bring you into the country even if they prefer you over local applicants - and to my knowledge this was different/easier for them only a few years ago under the clinton administration.
weta: if i recall right, weta was hiring desperatly for fellowship of the ring - worldwide, that is. back then it seems they had some special deal with the NZ government to bring foreigners in. and it also was before they were a hot-place-to-be, more of a unknown backwater-vfx studio preparing for LOTR.
In the UK you have to demonstrate (lie?) that the applicant will provide a service that a European citizen cannot. This means the company will have to hire lawyers to fight your case, this takes time and money, and the outcome isn't always clear cut.
Things that make the situation easier are:
A University degree
3+ years professional experience
I'm sure Ror said something in the past about Epic having to work hard to secure his position, and that x years work = y years education for visa purposes.
also, beware temporary work permits - they allow you to travel and work for a limited time, but often restrict the work you can do and the salary you can recieve - you are essentailly relegate to bar work. It's a shame, a good friend of mine recently had these issues and had to leave the country.
My company hires non-US residents/citizens all teh time, so send me your resume, we're actively hiring.
-R
also keep in mind that the visa isn't the only thing, when you hire someone from another contry, he has to move, so some companies do pay the moving expenses, but some don't. And it can be really expensive.
3 years of college = a degree
degree = a visa
It's not so cut and dried though, there are other factors
and the main one is that if you are coming from another country you have to be twice as good to wow people into putting in that extra time/financial/legal work on your behalf.
Put more simply, if you are local, then after you are asked when you can start, you say..
Give me a couple weeks to get my stuff packed and get there.
If you are from another country you need to say
Give me a $30k signing bonus and 6months to get there ok?
r.
Companies have never paid for my flights or anything else for that matter. Best not to rely on anyone for support but your hard stowed cash. Which will dissapear the instant you decide to live in an apartment, not a backpackers hotel / friends floor.
Japan has many teachers who don't have to speak Japanese or harmonize with the country, fortunately because of this, artists can slip in through the "back roads" of visa policy. All you need is a sponsor and 3 years work exp in your chosen field / a degree. Teachers come in with a degree, I have work exp to back me up.
This is the second time I've lived here and have always had to wait about 4 or 5 months for the paperwork to go through and the 'ol stamp for my passport.
Previously in the UK I did the hiring and firing on my graphics team at a place where 90% of the staff were from outside the UK. I'd often get about 3 or 4 hundred applications from even small adverts, and often my interviews were based solely on local residents. Some guy from Gurnsey sent me his resume 4 times, but it just wasn't going to work out. I did interview two Indian guys but they were crap at art and no one could understand what they said.
On several occassions I interviewed guys from the EU but they lived in the same city.
My advice: don't rely on companies giving you a lifestle choice. Get to where it is you want to be, then ask them for a job, using whatever is the easiest method; working holiday, spouse visa, degree course and so on.
I know some people who come to Japan, work a week, give the school the vees and spend a year drinking and doing bar work. Then when the visa is about to expire, go get employed somewhere else for the visa, repeat.
phew what a rant!
Is there any worth in making the trek to the country I want to work in, and then shop myself around? I know other artists have done it, but then again those guys are exceptional.
When it comes to acquiring a Visa, I've always had extra avenues open to me (former boss working in Florida happens to be the son of the Philippine ambassador to the US, and he's offered help a couple of times.. family living in the East Coast.. a Filipino guy at Treyarch telling me all I have to do is send in an application..)
But as a matter of principle I had always hoped to get in on skill alone, without any "special" help...or is that just being naive? Whatcha guys think?
And yeah, the first thing I thought when I clicked your link was "DeviantArt...? This guy needs to get his own domain & host"
The website is that important, eh? I always send an e-mail with links to images on Photobucket, and my resume as an attachment. I figure that should be enough to circulate internally, but not enough to get public attention I guess..
I'm trying other ways to get my foot in the door. Mod jobs most recently, but they're mostly run by kids with lofty goals and no idea of the steps to take to get there... I just sent an e-mail to a guy with 1 released indie game, and an established graphics pipeline, so I hope this one goes well.
Or I might just take that paycut and work at Flipside games... www.flipsidegames.net