Need help! Job Interview tips from a games company.

[bum]

Awesome, I currently work for Jagex, although I'm in the investigations department. Not sure how much help I'll be able to be for the role you are applying for but feel free to email me (In trust) any questions you may have about the company in general

Great! Never thought I'd met an employer on ocuk forum.

I'm going to have to relocate should I get the job, is it far from the train station?

Really hope I could get this job now, I've waited for months for this opportunity to come up. And I thank for all of you who posted in here

 

[Spuds]

Unfortunatly both offices are just off the A14 on the other side of town from the train station. There is a park and ride about a five minute walk away from the building you will be in but I don't know what the times are and if they go to the station, I assume they would though.

If you haven't played RuneScape before I would highly recommend creating an account and having a look at both the software rendered low detail version and OpenGL high detail version to get an idea of the sorts of things you will be working with.

 

[bum]

Unfortunatly both offices are just off the A14 on the other side of town from the train station. There is a park and ride about a five minute walk away from the building you will be in but I don't know what the times are and if they go to the station, I assume they would though.

If you haven't played RuneScape before I would highly recommend creating an account and having a look at both the software rendered low detail version and OpenGL high detail version to get an idea of the sorts of things you will be working with.

I just registered for an account on RuneScape. Looks like it will be the thing I'm going to work on.

The company's benefit package looks great, do you guys get a gym on site as well? I have a LA Fitness membership, but it seems to be on the otherside of the town

 

[PCDave]

one minor tip friends of mine have found useful is not to sit down in a comfy seat but to stand and walk around the room as your talking. if your too relaxed the interviewer will be able to tell by the tone in which you speak.

 

[Spuds]

I just registered for an account on RuneScape. Looks like it will be the thing I'm going to work on.

The company's benefit package looks great, do you guys get a gym on site as well? I have a LA Fitness membership, but it seems to be on the otherside of the town

There is a gym about five minutes walk away from the office, but you can register at pretty much any gym you want, which is handy if you end up living outside of Cambridge itself.

 

[spydermixx]

Awesome, I currently work for Jagex, although I'm in the investigations department. Not sure how much help I'll be able to be for the role you are applying for but feel free to email me (In trust) any questions you may have about the company in general

Small world!

 

[bum]

The interview went really well and I'm heading over to Cambridge next week for two trial days

Thanks for all your guy's help

Unfortunatly both offices are just off the A14 on the other side of town from the train station. There is a park and ride about a five minute walk away from the building you will be in but I don't know what the times are and if they go to the station, I assume they would though.

If you haven't played RuneScape before I would highly recommend creating an account and having a look at both the software rendered low detail version and OpenGL high detail version to get an idea of the sorts of things you will be working with.

I'll be there from tuesday night till thursday mate

 

[Ucof]

Good luck

 

[gord]

Good news, hope it all goes well.

 

[Psypher5]

wooo nice one!

 

[Tomdun]

I have always thought that most bigger game companies have better working environment, such as better production studio spaces, game/relax room and cafeteria compared to film production companies in London, where mostly the studio space is too small and it's located in the basement of the building.

By the way, thanks for all of those who contributed in this thread. Fingers crossed!

I work for a small independent games company, its super relaxed, I mean SUPER. Theres no clocking in or anything like that, the core working hours are 10 till 4, how you make up your hours outside of that is up to you.
We are also free to use our computers/the internet how we want. No restrictions on programs or internet use. We also get lots of free stuff like company payed trips to theme parks or nights out/meals. The kitchen is stocked up with sweets, snacks, hot and cold drinks. and downstairs we have a games room with a pool table, darts and pub quiz machine . The company wants people to look forward to coming to work every day, which I do.

I know two of my friends work for much larger games companys and they have a way more strict setup. They have limited net access, strict controls on getting in on time etc. One of them doesnt even get free tea and coffee which would be a deal breaker for me lol!

 

[iKettles]

Start the interview by saying 'hai'
If they crack any jokes a simple 'roflmao' is in order
Exit with 'kthxbai'

 

[big_white_dog84]

It's essential that you find somewhere silent that you won't be interrupted.
As said before, make sure you're standing up. I've even heard some people advise that you should dress up as if you were going for an interview - a bit OTT IMO but I guess it would probably get you a bit more in the interview mode of thinking.
If you're using a mobile make sure it's got enough battery and signal.

 

[Pish]

i think making some small notes of your skills and what you could do so if you get caught a little by surprise may help. Like Gord said you dont need to answer straight away take a little time think before you speak. Sound inthusiastic (spelling en?) and willing to adapt and learn

Best of luck, and congrats

 

[Psypher5]

I work for a small independent games company, its super relaxed, I mean SUPER. Theres no clocking in or anything like that, the core working hours are 10 till 4, how you make up your hours outside of that is up to you.
We are also free to use our computers/the internet how we want. No restrictions on programs or internet use. We also get lots of free stuff like company payed trips to theme parks or nights out/meals. The kitchen is stocked up with sweets, snacks, hot and cold drinks. and downstairs we have a games room with a pool table, darts and pub quiz machine . The company wants people to look forward to coming to work every day, which I do.

I know two of my friends work for much larger games companys and they have a way more strict setup. They have limited net access, strict controls on getting in on time etc. One of them doesnt even get free tea and coffee which would be a deal breaker for me lol!

which company ?

Looking to write to a load of companies over summer and ask what they look for personally. both as small companies and big companies. Hopefully itll give me a much better idea of what to look for at the end of my third year @ uni.

 

[Smit]

Congratulations
I hope all goes well for you.

 

[Tomdun]

which company ?

Looking to write to a load of companies over summer and ask what they look for personally. both as small companies and big companies. Hopefully itll give me a much better idea of what to look for at the end of my third year @ uni.

http://www.stainlessgames.com/home/go/

 

[CaptainComedy]

well... my friends from the animation and games degree made their own games company... I guess that would be better because there are so many animators out there and definately not enough games companies recruiting.

 

[Burt]

I went through the interview process for a Games Content Developer at Jagex last October. Ultimately it went well - but while they wanted to offer me the position they suddenly changed their project plans and it was no longer available (or so they told me - could be a roundabout way of saying 'no')!

I'm not going to go into too much detail here lest I give you an unfair advantage but this sums up my experience.

When you get to Cambridge train station you'll probably want to get a taxi to your accomodation - the Lovell Lodge I think it was called. It's a pretty standard little B&B (the breakfast is unpleasant!). The Jagex offices themselves are in the science park along the road which isn't more than a 10 minute walk but I'd take 20 just to be sure.

The building is pretty cool - especially the break room, which has a small LAN area, hockey tables, and every games console known to man. Definitely a sweet place to work. Jagex will provide you with lunch (sandwich/roll and a cake or something) which is delivered by some geezers in a van...no joke. By the way - be aware that Jagex days seem to be 9-6 (I had to ask them to leave early on day two because I'd booked my train for 6 and I live in Edinburgh). Also note that you get paid for your time!

For me the first day was technical based. They did some brief interviews then trained me on the in house scripting language - after which I was given an assignment to design a simple quest. There was some other stuff as well but that made up the majority of the day.

The second day (if you make it past the first day) was a series of creative tests where they asked you to analyse a game and describe a design document for it which offered constructive changes - then you had to pitch it. There was again, a task to design a quest using certain key components - albeit this time from a creative perspective.

At the end of each day you'll go over what you did and how you performed with the relevant members of staff. This is good as you get some immediate feedback on how things are going. Note that you won't be informed at this stage if you have the job - it took me a few weeks before I didn't get it, although as I mentioned that could be a unique circumstance.

If there's anything else you want to know just ask - be aware that our roles are pretty disparate though!

 

[Andr3w]

Best of luck, well done on the phone interview!