Art Test done- month on and no word
polycounter lvl 11
So I applied to an AAA company here in the UK. Got an email saying I was on to the next stage and would I do an art test. So I worked on the art test for 3-4weeks, a few late nights, until the dead line and handed it in. Now its been a month since I sent it off and I still haven't heard anything. I have emailed them 3 times, but had no reply what so ever, not even to confirm they received the files (which I thought was a bit rude).
Does that seem normal to anyone else? I've not worked in the games industry, just been a maya generalist, and usually companies reply to my emails. I could understand being ignored if I was sending a speculative CV, but they asked me to do an art test, which I put some effort into.
Any advice? Is no news good news (by this stage I'm giving up hope). I obviously want the job, so don't want to annoy them by pestering them. I do have an interview at another company next week, but the company is not so good.
Does that seem normal to anyone else? I've not worked in the games industry, just been a maya generalist, and usually companies reply to my emails. I could understand being ignored if I was sending a speculative CV, but they asked me to do an art test, which I put some effort into.
Any advice? Is no news good news (by this stage I'm giving up hope). I obviously want the job, so don't want to annoy them by pestering them. I do have an interview at another company next week, but the company is not so good.
Replies
I'm not sure if that's bad etiquette or not but when I applied to a bunch of studios last year and a few weeks had passed then I just picked up the phone. I know some people aren't comfortable with that but I find if you can present yourself well on the phone then the person on the other end is usually very accommodating and will usually explain the delay or just let you know that you've been unsuccessful.
Maybe you shouldn't use the phone... I'm not sure, I don't want to give you bad advice here but that's what I did and the guys/girls I spoke to always seemed totally cool.
Now this is purely speculative and in no way an indication of what goes on behind closed doors but I liked to picture it this way (which was probably just me being overly optimistic and keeping positive); if they're looking through applications, and you call up and speak to HR and you sound like a nice, personable and friendly dude, then maybe that HR person will go to the dept. lead and say 'Oh, so and so just called, he was asking if you'd had a chance to review his art test, he was very polite and sounded like a nice guy'. Then that's a +1 in the positive box for you. Of course, if your work is still not up to scratch then being friendly isn't gonna help much, but if they're on the fence about you and a few others based solely on a work level, then it may just swing it in your favour.
As I said, purely speculative, and probably not at all how it happens but hey.
I still see the telephone as the first point of communication for this kind of thing but I guess email is quicker and far less 'personal'.
We have some more threads and resources about art tests, and about the hiring process in general.
http://wiki.polycount.com/CategoryGameIndustry
I've read all of these before adding them to the wiki. Each link has solid relevant advice for aspiring game developers. Hope it helps.
Just move on, there is no point waiting.
In that email state that you have other companies interested and would like to see if they are still interested in moving forward, etc whatever.
Sometimes companies need to see that you are in demand and that you could be off the market. That makes them want you more.
I'd consider this more a hail mary tactic but at this point what have you to lose?
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If there's no reply after such a period, you most probably didn't make the cut, and it's time to move on.
Try to find out if your art-test can be made public (I know ours can be), and get some feedback on it!
I guess I feel a tad annoyed that they didn't even respond to the emails I sent. Just to let me know they received the files, or just to say I didn't make it this time. (the HR dept asked me to do the test and sent me the files, so thats why I've been contacting them).
I may give them a ring next week. I used to ring companies, but was told by someone its easier to send an email, then they can respond in their own time.
The last email I sent was on Tues, and thats only been the third email in total (the first I sent with my art test. Second a couple of weeks in).
Parnell- I did tell them in the last email that I have a job interview lined up and would like to know if they are still interested in me (I thought I didnt have much to lose as well!).
Xoliul- one of my questions in my emails was to ask if my art test could be put online (I had to agree not to discuss it while doing the test... not clear if I can have it in portfolio after or not. If dont hear soon I think I might put it in anyway- nothing to lose
I applied to Splash Damage in Feb, was told they liked my work (my watermill env especially) but didn't have enough hard surface modelling in my portfolio. I have started the splash damage art test (I saw it uploaded just as I started doing the other art test). Do you think if I do this I could re-apply? (some companies tell you to wait 6 months).
Also, is it just me or are there not many jobs about in the UK? I check job boards, and agencies, but they don't have a lot on them. That and people being laid off last year seems to mean theres a lot of competition?
Also to give you an idea on art test level/reqs, Myles got hired, Roel soon i think.
Don't go and copy any though, they really look for your own touch added to it.
Unfortunately in this situation your outlook isn't good. I've had friends experience this several times, and it could be any number of things. They've found someone else, there was a hiring freeze laid down, the hr person left the company, is on vacation, maternity leave, or is just really bad at returning email, they are trying to hit a deadline and hiring is a really low priority at the moment, etc. I agree that it is really rude to not let applicants who are going through the hiring process know what is going, but unfortunately that's the way it is sometimes. Personally I remember the bad hr stories, and I'm less likely to apply to companies if people I know have had bad experiences with them.
What it typically takes to find out what is going on is to know someone at the company who can find out what is going on for you. That's when you find out all those reasons I stated.
Calling HR is fine, unless the company specifically says not to. Some good tips here
http://www.jobbankusa.com/interviews/articles_tips/10_follow_up_rules.html
Edit... as Konrad says, do not call any of the developers, unless you know one of them personally. But calling HR is accepted practice. This is their job!
Ok thanks. Yeah I meant call HR, not call and ask to speak to someone in the dev teams, I can see how that would be annoying and intrusive.
I assumed it was ok, as I said, I've called up a number of companies to chase applications that have been in for a few weeks and they've always been really nice.
lol so yeah, I moved on.
Nothing is ever final till you sign the paperwork I guess! I think moving on is the best option for sure. Can't afford to waste any time waiting around. Your time is just as valuable as theirs.
I think it's a case by case thing, if you're good on the phone then go for it! I never leave messages though. Also if you have already been contacted via phone by them and they wont return your emails I don't think it's wrong to give the HR department a call (thats their job right?)
Yeah it's competitive everywhere. 90% of what I apply for I never hear back. Our info sitting in a database for AAA companies has a very small chance of getting noticed :P There are just sooo many artists applying from all over. Sometimes I'll bet you can even get thrown out of the list because the other 5 guys who applied are local. But don't lose heart! Just keep trying and eventually you'll get in. Took me 2 years after I graduated but man was it worth it.
It doesn't hurt to try, but it most likely won't have any effect and in worst case may end up with "oh geez it's the same guy again...".
If you didn't got response, it means you do not fit requirements. And they either found someone else, or keep looking, or something else.
Unless you have something new to show, it's tad pointless.
The case I cloud try is to meet them in person. Yeah. That can show determination.
I personally have a few unanswered applications. Never gave them another thought, just tried again sending later.
At the end. It certainly doesn't hurt to send multiple applications to multiple companies. No one said you have to answer to most of them (if you are lucky).
..anyway..I would send a follow-up...good luck!
I think calling is VERY important because I GOT M FIRST JOB IN THE INDUSTRY BY CALLING! I was in a very similar situation as you, I had done an art test and never heard anything back, not even that they got it. So I called them to make sure that they had received the files probably a week or two after sending them in. They transferred me to the Art Director and he then checked to make sure he got them. Apparently the work had honestly got lost in the shuffle of things and everything pouring in.
We did a phone interview then and there and within the week they were flying me for an interview, after that I got the job. If had never of called I would have never got that job. e-mails get lost, sent to spam, or just glossed over. When someone sees you take the time to call it means you really do want the job, it shows that you aren't just applying to 80 places and that you WANT to work for them. It helped me, don't overlook it as an option
Its all very well to say "take it as a sign you need to improve" that's way too vague, he should be told what exactly needs improving according to their specific standards. I've seen how busy it can get in a HR department but they are just disorganized if they can't find the time to reply to someone who has taken the time to do an art test.
Remember HR's job is not mainly about art tests, that is a small fraction of there job. They are Human Resources for there studio, the employees at there studio come first and for most, ALWAYS. It sucks not even getting a "no thanks" but it is not the HR or art teams job to tell you what you need to improve on, and they have no responsibility to do so. Post your work up where on PC where people have time to crit it and tell you what you need to improve on.
It is pretty shitty that if you submit something they cant just reply "your not what were looking for at this time." But a lot of time, especially with big triple A studios, there are so many people applying they are just sending out the art test to anyone that applies, and if they get one back that is good enough that catches there eye, then they will call you back.
So my co-worker GOT my original email, from THEIR HR attached in the body of his reply. My original email was spammed out to countless other applicants at the bottom of in the 'thank you for applying' email.
Good thing my co-worker was my friend, and didn't report me to any of my former supervisors, or that any of my former employers never caught wind of that. But it's pretty ridiculous when other local character artists told me they received an email for their application in response to my application.
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Yep its a business trend that's growing, not all trends are successful. Most of the industries falling into that habit are industries that have been around for less than an average humans working life span, 3d games even more so.
I just don't buy the idea that all AAA HR departments are that busy that they are literally sitting there on a long shift making their way through a crammed database worth of in-tray, that they don't even have time to make it to the water cooler. All it takes is a bit of organization, a well run operation with a common sense approach to staffing.
But I think a lot of studios stay quiet on an answer because they want to see what else is coming in. They don't want to say NO for sure until they KNOW for sure that someone else has got the job and signed a contract. So they could be hearing you but don't want to give you a definite answer.
It's a hard lesson I learnt early on after being offered a job straight from Uni, then differed for over 6 months, before I was told project budgets were cut and my position was no longer available. The job is never for sure until you've arrived for your first day.
Your portfolio is looking pretty nice though and I would move on. At least with the Splash Damage feedback now you know to maybe get some more hard surface in there.
I think they should only be administered when the applicant doesn't have enough work to show, but perhaps has a potential for good work.
In that regard, I really don't think they should be handed out to every person who applies. If you're not at least 80% sure you want to hire somebody, it's incredibly disingenuous to ask them to spend a week or two of their time working on an art test. It's especially bad form to not even respond after getting a submission. If you're handing out so many tests you can't keep up with them, something is *seriously* wrong with how your art hiring is managed.