Importance of a Ninja Skill on your Resume??

Amank679 · Nov 2018

Hi guys,

I've been hearing a lot about including that one ninja skill on resumes is a good extra detail to get hired.
My question is, how important exactly is the ninja skill?

For example, if there are two strong candidates applying for the exact same position at a AAA studio, will they choose the person with the ninja skill over the person who doesn't have one?

Lastly, what are some ninja skills you guys have?

Blond · Nov 2018

this thread.

Alex_J · Nov 2018

Ninja's don't discuss their ninja skills!

If you want to be a ninja, find the work that is hard enough that most people don't even attempt it, and work at it until you are competent. Like maybe VFX or fancy Houdini stuff. Or high level rigging. Or, perhaps the ultimate ninja strategy, figure out who all the competition is, where they sleep at night, and make sure they stop showing up to work. Employers will have no choice but to hire you then.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl37_C0OI0o

Larry · Nov 2018

I think for me is music creation and salsa dancing. But i also need the portfolio to even compete for a job hehe

Brian "Panda" Choi · Nov 2018

I recommend not using "ninja" as a real skill level indicator on resume's since it's still being thrown around way too casually and is not well defined in the hiring sense. Does ninja necessarily mean you're good at itt? What if it means that you're quiet about it, like a ninja? Or surreptitious like a ninja?

Reduce the likelihood of you getting eyerolls by HR professionals who are sometimes not familiar with what you do, especially if you say something like "I am a ninja at UV unwrapping."

Just use advanced.

CrackRockSteady · Nov 2018

Amank679 said:

For example, if there are two strong candidates applying for the exact same position at a AAA studio, will they choose the person with the ninja skill over the person who doesn't have one?

They will choose the person who is able to demonstrate that they are more skilled and/or the person who is a better fit for the team. Saying on your resume "I am a ninja at X" is completely meaningless, anyone can write anything on their resume.

As Brian "Panda" Choi mentioned, putting something like that on your resume is more likely to garner you some major eye-rolling from whoever is reviewing it than anything.

If you have "ninja skills" then prove it in your portfolio work, art test, etc.

Ashervisalis · Nov 2018

My ninja skills list is pretty short;
- Look like log while laying down
- Neck snap while yelling, "AYAAAAAH"
- Using reeds to breath underwater

I don't need a long list of ninja skills anyways. As Bruce Lee once said, "I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times."

Neox · Nov 2018

ninja skills in any application makes me roll my eyes, as well as 4/5 stars on something...
you can certainly point out what you think your strengths are but this scale is just nonsense

sprunghunt · Nov 2018

The resume mostly applies to the first step in recruitment. This is often done just by scanning for keywords with a computer. The ideal resume would have every single skill listed in the job description - including the 'bonus skills'.

During the interview steps you want to have things that demonstrate your skills. If you are rigging characters you want videos or images of your rigs. If you are modeling then have some images of good models. And so on.

Kwramm · Nov 2018

I don't quite get the concept. You're either good or shite at something. If it's art related, I see it in your folio. Otherwise we'll just see how well your answers hold up during the interview. During the interview, you have an edge even over candidates with higher skill if you are motivated, curious and ask the right questions - you give the impression that you're not looking for a job that pays the bills, but that you are genuinely interested and want to be here with us and make awesome games, whatever they may be!

Motivation, desire to do the job, enthusiasm - expressed by behavior, side-projects, the level of knowledge you display, the questions you ask - that's the real ninja skill.

If you want to keep things interesting while I read your resume: skip krav maga, salsa, building Lego sets or whatever - unless I'm happening to be into that, it adds ZERO relevance to your resume and just wastes space. And even if I'm into it, it's just something to use to break the ice during the interview, and nothing else.

Instead add a "professional interests" section. Those are interests and skills related to your field, but which you aren't necessarily using directly all the time. E.g. life drawing, painting, cinematography, usability (UX), game design, accessibility, quality assurance, project management, acting, photography, architecture, costume design. Anything that makes me think "it's nice that this person has those skills - they might come handy sometime, somehow" - that's a bonus!

sacboi · Nov 2018

OP! just curious, what would be your tertiary skillset 'outta tha box'?

For example mine is fairly much dictated via my traditional background i.e.
- Mixed Media Drawing
- Wood Carving
- Oil/Pastel Painting

...also broadening the horizon with a stab at doing some music namely a bit of EDM (...purely novice stuff at this point) looping on the decks.

Importance of a Ninja Skill on your Resume??

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