You’d Think I Would Have Blogged About It More…
Oct 28th, 2007 by Edward Pollard
I think it is a sign that I’m a terrible blogger that in a time of great personal stress and upheaval I basically shut the hell up and stop writing about anything at all. I know I’ve mentioned that we are Edmonton bound, but I’ve mentioned nothing of the personal trials and tribulations that I’ve undertaken in search of gainful employment. I’ve driven all the way to Edmonton and back for fruitless interviews (they offered me the job, but it was entirely not for me). I’ve done countless resumes and phone interviews and have been driving my wife up the wall by dwelling on the horrible uncertainty of the transition.
Well, I now have a job. And its the job I really wanted. And it is an awesome job. A job with one of the best names in Canadian video game production.
Yes, say hello to the newest Technical Lead of Quality Assurance for Bioware Edmonton, a division of Bioware | Pandemic VGH, soon to be a subsidiary of Electronic Arts. It’s not just a chaotic and transitional time for me personally, but I’m jumping on board with a company involved in the largest (by monetary value) buyout in the history of interactive entertainment!
To say I was tickled pink would be understating the degree that I am tickled to a large degree. For the past year I’ve had two close friends working with Bioware, and I’ve learned a lot about their corporate culture that made me very excited to get an opportunity to join their team. However, while an awesome company their HR process isn’t exactly speedy when you are a nobody looking for his first break into the games industry, and that process being so drawn out really made me go a little crazy. I submitted my resume to them right after PAX this year, and it was only on Friday that I actually landed a job offer.
So now, as a show of solidarity and support, I need everyone who reads this to go out and buy Mass Effect. It is Biowares big RPG for Xbox 360 this Christmas and I promise you it is chock full of totally awesome sauce. Do it for me.
Can you get my copy of KOTOR signed? Just kidding…
Bioware rules, but I don’t have any next gen systems..
Congratulations Apo that’s a pretty nice job. Good to see you’ve landed a good one for your move.
Congrats man!
Congrats man! I might just have to get an X360 and Mass Effect just for that reason.
Proud of ya big guy!
Now maybe I can actually get my kids a tour of the place
Congratulations dude!!!
Awesome news man!
Wooo!
Good luck man!
Congrats, Ed. Hope you enjoy it.
You know what the worst thing is about working for Bioware……..?
Hey. Nice work getting the job. I’m thinking of applying there in 2 years when I’m finished school. Any tips you could give to someone to help get where you are?
Thanks for all the kind words everyone.
Ward: In short, no. Not really. I think I got in through a process you won’t want to get in. Despite my current career not having a thing to do with gaming, I worked by ass off to establish myself in some key areas in my institution: being the “guy” for technical/platform issues, and developing a (somewhat) rigorous approach to project management. These two things (I think) made my resume readable to Bioware.
I then networked with people I knew, especially at PAX, and discovered how my skills could translate into an industry position. I think this really helped.
But I’m starting at Bioware and I’m 30. I assume you don’t want that to be you. (I’m pretty happy it’s me, mind you, don’t mistake all this for emo) If you are coming out of school I can only give you advice from what I’ve seen work for others: whatever projects you start, finish them. The thing that separates programmers with gaming jobs from programmers without gaming jobs is a simple approach to discipline and completeness. You’ll find (or have found) that the last 20% of a project can be 99.9% of the work. Show that you can do that. Thats my best advice, even if its second hand and not from my experience.
And I hear getting a M.Sc. in Computer Science (assuming that is your field) can help get to the top of the resume stack.
I’m actually more into the graphic side of things. Im in a third year program for New Media. So yeah I dont do any programming yet. I want to try to get into some but I hear it helps.
Oh you’re art side?
Well then I have no idea. Er. Build your…er…portfolio! Yes. Portfolio.