How long have you been unemployed? + Rant
polycounter lvl 8
Hi everyone, I feel like venting a bit 
So I have been unemployed for a bit more than a year now and after sending more applications than I can bear to count and a bunch of interviews I'm still in the same situation. I have tried to improve my portfolio over the years but I think I've reached a point where it's not going to improve my chances that much and it's more about networking than anything now. I spend most days in a trance updating job sites (Artstation, Linkedin, Gamejobs, Ingamejob, Glassdoor, etc) and hoping for something to appear but there's absolutely nothing. Sometimes I see a vaguely related job offer in Linkedin I see it get +200 applications in just a couple of hours and it's like seeing a bunch of pidgeons throwing themselves at a piece of bread haha. It was difficult before but now I really think that trying to get into anything 3D art related is masochistic (excluding maybe arch viz and other things like that).
I see lots of people "freelancing" nowadays but I really wonder how many of them really manage to make a living because unless you're some well known name with plenty of connections I don't see how it's viable, the internet is too big of a place to compete with so many people with already established careers and so many years of experience. And then there are plenty of outsourcing studios from places like India, Philippines or Malasysia that only hire people from those countries and work for probably a lot less compared to western companies (not blaming anyone, but I think that plays a role too). Then there's AI, the layoffs, absurd requisites like week long art tests + years of professional experience working in increasingly niche roles (vegetation artist, lighting artist, vehicle artist...), constant relocation for short term stuff, etc. I feel like I'm just playing the lottery and hoping to win someday so I get to work for a couple of months.
Any rational person would have tried to find a different career at this point but this is the only thing I enjoy. I guess I could find some small part-time job for a while and hope for things to improve a bit but I don't think they are going to and it wouldn't solve much, at least in my case. And this is where I ask for a bit of advice because I'm getting burned out like so many others. Do you think I should try a different career path? I'm mostly a character artist and animator though I guess I could try VFX or something like that, even if I think those choices aren't that much better for finding a job but I just like anything 3D art related. How many of you have been / are in this type of situation and how are you handling it? Feel free to vent and blogpost with me.
So I have been unemployed for a bit more than a year now and after sending more applications than I can bear to count and a bunch of interviews I'm still in the same situation. I have tried to improve my portfolio over the years but I think I've reached a point where it's not going to improve my chances that much and it's more about networking than anything now. I spend most days in a trance updating job sites (Artstation, Linkedin, Gamejobs, Ingamejob, Glassdoor, etc) and hoping for something to appear but there's absolutely nothing. Sometimes I see a vaguely related job offer in Linkedin I see it get +200 applications in just a couple of hours and it's like seeing a bunch of pidgeons throwing themselves at a piece of bread haha. It was difficult before but now I really think that trying to get into anything 3D art related is masochistic (excluding maybe arch viz and other things like that).
I see lots of people "freelancing" nowadays but I really wonder how many of them really manage to make a living because unless you're some well known name with plenty of connections I don't see how it's viable, the internet is too big of a place to compete with so many people with already established careers and so many years of experience. And then there are plenty of outsourcing studios from places like India, Philippines or Malasysia that only hire people from those countries and work for probably a lot less compared to western companies (not blaming anyone, but I think that plays a role too). Then there's AI, the layoffs, absurd requisites like week long art tests + years of professional experience working in increasingly niche roles (vegetation artist, lighting artist, vehicle artist...), constant relocation for short term stuff, etc. I feel like I'm just playing the lottery and hoping to win someday so I get to work for a couple of months.
Any rational person would have tried to find a different career at this point but this is the only thing I enjoy. I guess I could find some small part-time job for a while and hope for things to improve a bit but I don't think they are going to and it wouldn't solve much, at least in my case. And this is where I ask for a bit of advice because I'm getting burned out like so many others. Do you think I should try a different career path? I'm mostly a character artist and animator though I guess I could try VFX or something like that, even if I think those choices aren't that much better for finding a job but I just like anything 3D art related. How many of you have been / are in this type of situation and how are you handling it? Feel free to vent and blogpost with me.
Replies
Its going to be even tougher for those trying to get their first gig in the industry, competing against out of work seniors.
Though some companies are prioritising internships over hiring mid level so its possible that this is a way for newcomers to join the industry.
Its a good time for people to make their own games and use 3D in other applications to more directly reach their market.
Pretty much any job you look at will have hundreds of people applying within hours of the job ad being posted so you wont be getting away from that even if you change careers. AI is threatening all fields so there's no getting away from that either unless you want to go into a trade like plumbing. As far as the layoffs go, thats hitting a number of different fields including tech as a whole. And I mean what would you really switch to?
And then there is the issue of starting over with low pay until you can work your way up, which could be a problem depending on where your currently at in life. Your probably better off staying in 3D IMO.
This is your brain on CG. This is how psychotic you get when your craft of choice has no work unions and you end up 30yo dude stuck doing gigs that barely cover rent.
And the fulfillment? I don't know anymore. I look at modern studios that I'd want to be a part of and can't name any. Mechner, Ljungstedt, the old Blizzard crowd - every idol that inspired me has either quit, or got tossed away through some subtle corpo shite. Bloddy Christ they even fucked over Mick Gordon.
I avoided venting on this for a long while. Folks like the ones like who give solutions, not complaints. But by the Gods that IT bubble situation is getting to me. I don't remember when I was happy for a game release rather then seeing big-budjet slop fail (ok maybye the Erdtree and that Remnant 2 DLC). Since for normies dissatisfied = toxic, this is the best place to finally some let off some steam and keep my LinkedIn nicey.
The only thing that keeps me going is occasional personal work, the weekend trees, and that side indie endavour that may or may not get me a team for the dream project. That part is good. Makes me feel like 16 again. Didn't have to pay rent at 16 though, and my collaborators neither.
It's okay, I bailed on having a home, a family and a future loong time ago. I just want a semi-decent income for long enough I could release that comic series and off myself. Fuck this server. Stay positive.
Companies like Blizzard didn't start from nowhere, and they aren't a fluke. Their success is reproducible, just takes time and hard work, and not being Kotick's little bitch. That's what I'm doing right now.
Good luck with Indie @VinceOrcis
Thank you, Sheng. Dunno how you manage to stay so vocal and productive at the same time but you're a bloody good inspiration.
Once you're in the door and working at a studio, you can talk to your lead(s) and they might well work with you to switch career tracks.
I'm at my wits end, the industry has been decimated by the absolute fucking idiots in executive-class positions and shortsighted financial greed. A once bustling and vibrant industry is now choking on its own blood, there's nothing in the middle any more, there's no room for anyone but there's 1000s of applicants to just ONE position.
I'm close to quitting entirely and training into blue collar work or some shit, fuck this.
I hope we all find some fellow 3D artists while working at McDonald's so we can at least be miserable together