Monday, March 13, 2006
Effective Networking (Get a Website)
Note: This is part of a series of articles called Effective Networking in the Games Industry. I'm writing these articles in no particular order, so I'm sorry if this seems scattered. I promise I will collect it all and put it on my permanent webspace for future reference.
In order to effectively network, you must have a website.
Allow me to explain this further. In fact, I'll explain by example. Because throwing a bunch of examples at you and allowing you to draw your own inferences is a lot easier than constructing a sound logical argument.
Let's say you're looking for a job. One of my rules of networking is to never ask for a job while networking. If you want to ask someone for a job, you should go through the appropriate channels, usually HR, at whatever company you like. The best you can do is convince somebody you are a really awesome person that they would like to hire, without ever mentioning the "hire" part. This means that, no, you are not handing out resumes to people. Here, let's make this super clear:
Resumes are for job fairs, interviews, and emailing to the HR people at jobs@companyxyz.com. Not networking. Okay? Okay.
So let's go back to the example. Say you're schmoozing up someone at an IGDA chapter meeting. She works at the coolest development studio in the area. This is somewhere you want to work. Instead of giving her our resume, you impress the crap out of her because you are educated. And then you give her your business card. Your business card which contains the URL of your website. This enables her to say a few days after the event, "Hey, that person was really impressive. I wonder what more I can learn about their fascinating life." And then she'll type in your URL, and go to your website, where she'll be astounded by the wonders of...
...of what, exactly? What goes on your website?
Really, the number one most important thing to have on your website is a list of projects that you've worked on. Even if it's spare time stuff, as long as it's remotely relevant. Wrote a few game reviews for your friend's zine? Put it up there. Made a mod that replaced all the gun sounds in Half Life with farting noises? Put it up there. You can look at the projects page on my website for an idea of what I've done with it.
While we're looking at my website, you'll notice it's ugly as crap. Your website does not have to look good. It has to be functional. Unless you're an artist. Then your website's design had better look damned spiffy, because it reflects something about your professional skills.
Actually, if you're an artist, also need a "portfolio" page. For an example, check out Shaddy Safadi's website. He's an old conference buddy of mine, and I really like the way his website is set up. It's minimalistic: resume, contact info, portfolio. And it lets the art speak for itself. Which is a fantastic thing, because it's very good art. (Did I mention that you have to be really good at what you do in order for any of this networking stuff to work? Hm. Maybe I should have covered that earlier.)
Even better, artist Jon Jones wrote an article called Your Portfolio Repels Jobs, describing the things you should and shouldn't do on your portfolio site. The bottom line: make it usable, identify yourself, and give a clear path to the reader so they can hire you on the spot if necessary.
The other things on my website are a reading list, a woefully incomplete list of writing I've had published, and a page with some bad songs that I wrote. This is merely flavor to show people that I'm a fairly well-rounded individual, which is especially important if you are into design or prodcution. I also include a resume, just for the hell of it, but I'm seriously thinking of taking that down and replacing it with a few paragraphs of prose biography.
Another benefit of having a projects page on your website is that it allows you to fit a lot more stuff than you normally would on a resume. This is why, in cover letters, I say, "Check out the projects page on my website for more game-related work I've done."
So your website is like a resume that you don't cram down people's throats. That's really the key, because networking is about subtlety, and a resume is about as subtle as, uhm, a bright orange shirt.
In order to effectively network, you must have a website.
Allow me to explain this further. In fact, I'll explain by example. Because throwing a bunch of examples at you and allowing you to draw your own inferences is a lot easier than constructing a sound logical argument.
Let's say you're looking for a job. One of my rules of networking is to never ask for a job while networking. If you want to ask someone for a job, you should go through the appropriate channels, usually HR, at whatever company you like. The best you can do is convince somebody you are a really awesome person that they would like to hire, without ever mentioning the "hire" part. This means that, no, you are not handing out resumes to people. Here, let's make this super clear:
Resumes are for job fairs, interviews, and emailing to the HR people at jobs@companyxyz.com. Not networking. Okay? Okay.
So let's go back to the example. Say you're schmoozing up someone at an IGDA chapter meeting. She works at the coolest development studio in the area. This is somewhere you want to work. Instead of giving her our resume, you impress the crap out of her because you are educated. And then you give her your business card. Your business card which contains the URL of your website. This enables her to say a few days after the event, "Hey, that person was really impressive. I wonder what more I can learn about their fascinating life." And then she'll type in your URL, and go to your website, where she'll be astounded by the wonders of...
...of what, exactly? What goes on your website?
Really, the number one most important thing to have on your website is a list of projects that you've worked on. Even if it's spare time stuff, as long as it's remotely relevant. Wrote a few game reviews for your friend's zine? Put it up there. Made a mod that replaced all the gun sounds in Half Life with farting noises? Put it up there. You can look at the projects page on my website for an idea of what I've done with it.
While we're looking at my website, you'll notice it's ugly as crap. Your website does not have to look good. It has to be functional. Unless you're an artist. Then your website's design had better look damned spiffy, because it reflects something about your professional skills.
Actually, if you're an artist, also need a "portfolio" page. For an example, check out Shaddy Safadi's website. He's an old conference buddy of mine, and I really like the way his website is set up. It's minimalistic: resume, contact info, portfolio. And it lets the art speak for itself. Which is a fantastic thing, because it's very good art. (Did I mention that you have to be really good at what you do in order for any of this networking stuff to work? Hm. Maybe I should have covered that earlier.)
Even better, artist Jon Jones wrote an article called Your Portfolio Repels Jobs, describing the things you should and shouldn't do on your portfolio site. The bottom line: make it usable, identify yourself, and give a clear path to the reader so they can hire you on the spot if necessary.
The other things on my website are a reading list, a woefully incomplete list of writing I've had published, and a page with some bad songs that I wrote. This is merely flavor to show people that I'm a fairly well-rounded individual, which is especially important if you are into design or prodcution. I also include a resume, just for the hell of it, but I'm seriously thinking of taking that down and replacing it with a few paragraphs of prose biography.
Another benefit of having a projects page on your website is that it allows you to fit a lot more stuff than you normally would on a resume. This is why, in cover letters, I say, "Check out the projects page on my website for more game-related work I've done."
So your website is like a resume that you don't cram down people's throats. That's really the key, because networking is about subtlety, and a resume is about as subtle as, uhm, a bright orange shirt.
Labels: networking
# posted by Darius Kazemi @ 3/13/2006 09:34:00 PM 
Comments:
<< Home
Actually, I don't like Shaddy's page for one simple reason: the pictures don't fit in the central frame, requiring you to scroll up and down to see them.
That is such an incredibly huge bad idea. If you can't fit your art in your page, redesign your page. Pop the art up in a new window. Anything to show the piece full-force on first click!
You don't have to have a pretty web site. But you do need to have a website which showcases your pieces as you wish them showcased.
As a side note: I've always hated your web site. I know you have a "special" sense of color, but your website is almost unreadable due to it. Errrr. No offense. :)
That is such an incredibly huge bad idea. If you can't fit your art in your page, redesign your page. Pop the art up in a new window. Anything to show the piece full-force on first click!
You don't have to have a pretty web site. But you do need to have a website which showcases your pieces as you wish them showcased.
As a side note: I've always hated your web site. I know you have a "special" sense of color, but your website is almost unreadable due to it. Errrr. No offense. :)
This coming from a guy who refuses to be hired on general principle ;)
I'm sort of on a fence, I'm currently paying a guy to do the logo and template for my professional website (whom Mike introduced me to, so thanks once removed) and I'm planning on putting that URL and my blog URL on my biz card for GDC. I could put a simple link to my Gamasutra "Past Articles" page on my blog or on the staff page of the studio site, and I'll have personal info and contact info on both sites, though the studio site will have a more thorough photo/biography deal. Is this kosher, the whole two URL deal? Or should I do the studio URL and nest the blog URL on the staff page?
Post a Comment
I'm sort of on a fence, I'm currently paying a guy to do the logo and template for my professional website (whom Mike introduced me to, so thanks once removed) and I'm planning on putting that URL and my blog URL on my biz card for GDC. I could put a simple link to my Gamasutra "Past Articles" page on my blog or on the staff page of the studio site, and I'll have personal info and contact info on both sites, though the studio site will have a more thorough photo/biography deal. Is this kosher, the whole two URL deal? Or should I do the studio URL and nest the blog URL on the staff page?
<< Home
