Job Interview Issue: Experience

[spinkitten]

To sum it up, a sample library company are offering a 'QA/Sound-Design/Technical Assistance' position in London, they're quite a big company - the vacancy requirement is for 5 years in the industry, or at serious hobbyist level. Now while I have far more than 5 hobbyist years in me, I have only 6 months pro-industry experience. Normally, these job offers seem only to apply to 3 years pro-experience. I queried them on this and this is there reply:

"You've got it pretty much right - we'd much rather employ someone who's been a serious hobbyist for five years and has never earned a single cent in music technology, than someone who started a one year course as a total newcomer and has since worked for six months in a paid environment. What we are looking for is someone with broad knowledge and a reasonable understanding of the industry as a whole, rather than just one or two apps."

Basically, what is the best way of putting my case forward as having little experience in the industry, I have a strong portfolio and making friends in the mod community, so I feel I'm defintely heading in the right direction.

Only from their perspective they need experience, so they can only really afford to employ experienced people, yet how can someone in my position, with very small experience in the industry present myself well against what they are looking for. Typical Chicken and Egg quandry, I guess.

 

[spinkitten]

that's a post I so dearly needed to hear, thanks Pendragon. A friend told me it's worse in computing. If you look, you'll see stupid stuff like 'requires 3 years of C++' the year after the language was announced.

 

[spinkitten]

Nope, don't worry - I've had enough close-call rejections to balance me out a little. Every new audio purchase I make seems to get me one stage further interview wise, I'd say while I'm not super s**t-hot property, I can certainly hold my own on a pro level. I think all that's left is to get a few mods under my belt, to showcase my abilities.

 

[spinkitten]

well I am planning HL2 mods, which will obviously take some time, but my ultimate goal is in the games industry, which will obviously gain from mod participation, I don't this job as a QA it will really matter about mod development, as it's a different element of the industry. Though thanks for the gentle reminder about the time it takes for mods.

 

[spinkitten]

I'm on board for the DOTD mod and Gundam Operations, zombies and bloody great big robots...continuity is a great skill to possess, I wish I had it

 

[spinkitten]

BTW, what mod's are you on - going from your movie link page, I take it that martial arts is an interest (those spinning kicks are mind boggling).

 

[Javert]

Out of curiosity, have you lost your right-side up avatar Pen? ^_^

And don't sweat the interviews. Chances are, they're just nervous as you are because THEY have superiors to please. Just act professional, and show that you won't be a "mishire" in the short or long run.

 

[Yuri]

Thanks for boosting my self-confidence! Heh. I've been working at level design for a couple of years, and I keep thinking "this'll never get me any damn job." I'm only 17, and use it as a hobby, but I would love to go into the gaming industry.

So I guess it would be good to keep on going, right?

 

[Yuri]

Naturallly - KFS just got a job at Raven, and he's one of many.

Awesome! Raven is a pretty damn big name. But who is KFS? Heh...

 

[merc]

thats awesome... so they most likely will want someone who has been working with the stuff longer, rather than someone who hasnt.. just as long as your work aint crap right?

-merc

 

[Yuri]

I have a new role model...

I wanted to get Nightwatch, too... hehe.