Danreb Victorio

So sorry to hear about layoffs at Modern Wolf, with 6 staff members being affected. The news broke last night, with my former CA colleague George Willard posting the news, as well as providing information about those also laid off to support re-hiring as quickly as possible. You can find that here: https://lnkd.in/eEXWSgNQ To those impacted by these layoffs, please find a comprehensive list of resources, below: 🥇First, Discipline Games Jobs Resources: Over the past weeks I have created 9 (at time of writing) Games Jobs Resources to find jobs in a wide range of disciplines: 🎨 Art, Animation, VFX and UI: This resource contains around 1,200 jobs worldwide across all links. Link: https://lnkd.in/eu2bjadW ⚙ Engineering and Programming This resource lists just over 1,900 jobs worldwide across all links. It also talks about interview tips and questions to practice. Link: https://lnkd.in/etPj22BE 🕹 Quality Assurance: This resource lists over 450 QA jobs worldwide. This post also talks about the craft of QA and contains tips and interview practice. Link: https://lnkd.in/dwwVjZuc 📑 Game Production: This resource lists around 400 jobs worldwide. It also contains info about game production as a whole and GDC talks. Link: https://lnkd.in/gxDvFM-Z 📢 Marketing & Community: This resource lists around 400 jobs worldwide. It also gives an intro into game marketing and community management. Link: https://lnkd.in/e5MuViug 🎶 Audio and Sound Design: This resource lists around 190 jobs worldwide. Link: https://lnkd.in/eSkPSsWf 📠 Studio Support, HR, Recruitment and BizDev: This resource lists around 290 jobs worldwide. Link: https://lnkd.in/ePG57_7v ⚙ IT, Helpdesk and DevOps: This resource lists around 140 jobs worldwide. Link: https://lnkd.in/e8ZsuiZh 🎮 Game Design: This resource lists around 480 jobs worldwide. https://lnkd.in/dCv_hQXv 🥈 Second, the Ultimate list of Video Games Career Resources: This should be your one-stop shop for all information. My dear friend Amir Satvat maintains these documents, he is a legend for doing this - please check them out: https://amirsatvat.com/ 🥉 Third, If you have worked in publishing, please message me. I am looking for quite a few roles right now! ⬅ 🎖 Finally, do not give up. Ever. No matter how dark things may look right now, I KNOW you will get through this, you have got this! 👊 Remember you are not alone. If you need help, advice, or even an ear to listen, we're here for you. Always! ➡ A request to my community, please can I ask you to repost this post to your colleagues and friends, so that we can get as many into jobs as possible! And please comment if you or your studio are currently hiring - let's help each other! Much love ❤️ #layoffs #gamesindustry #jobsingames #modernwolf

28

1 Comment

Happy Wednesday all, or at least it would be if not for yesterday's news. Let's get into the round-up, then. 1. Microsoft shutdown four studios, including BAFTA-award winning Tango Gameworks who recently released "Hi-Fi Rush" and Arkane Austin. The loss of these studios is huge, make no mistake. I've not written on it yet as it was my news partner-in-crime who grabbed it for PSU but I've plenty of thoughts brewing, and you might see something from me soon. https://lnkd.in/gGy7MzyG 2. I covered a couple of the events regarding the Helldivers 2 PSN account linking controversy, but then I thought it would be worth putting everything together in one, clear explainer piece of what happened and what's still going on - so I did! https://lnkd.in/gMdJcfT8 3. More news regarding poor decisions made by games industry executives, Activision reportedly rejected a pitch from Vicarious Visions prior to merging the team entirely into Blizzard for a Tony Hawks Pro Skater 3+4 Remake. Activision instead wanted VV to focus efforts on supporting Call Of Duty & Diablo, which I don't think I can find to be anything less than depressing. Not because I'm a huge THPS fan, but because I find it so short-sighted to go from publishing a diverse string of games to only publishing a few behemoths that have shown they have chips in their 'forever-game' armour. Perhaps I've got more to say on this as well. https://lnkd.in/gYGPFiWH 4. This one's for me, because I've put 1000+ hours into Apex Legends, and the now current season is once again changing the game forever. I've had peaks and valleys with Apex over my time with it, and I'm glad that Respawn is continually trying to keep things fresh with these last two seasons of large, sweeping changes and new modes. https://lnkd.in/g9w5xBhj 5. Lastly, Ubisoft's guitar-learning game turned subscription service Rocksmith+ will arrive on PS5 and Steam in June. I was a big Guitar Hero/Rock Band-head back in the day, and Rocksmith played a key role in my journey to start playing guitar. I'm not sure I'll jump in right away, but I'm glad to see it finally make a console debut, I think tools like Rocksmith+ are great and easy ways to get people into playing and making music. https://lnkd.in/geUTveUd That's all for now, though I do want to leave you with a question to DM me about or answer in the comments: who do you think won the rap beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake? I see a clear winner, and I want to know if LinkedIn is on the ball when it comes to these big issues. Until next time!

6

Horrible news today about layoffs at Traega Entertainment, with 19 employees being laid off. Game Director Tony Mann shared their details here, if you are in the market for some amazing talent: https://lnkd.in/eJDgas_5 To those affected, please find a comprehensive list of resources, below: 🥇First, Discipline Games Jobs Resources: Over the past weeks I have created 8 (at time of writing) Games Jobs Resources to find jobs in a wide range of disciplines: 🎨 Art, Animation, VFX and UI: This resource contains around 1,200 jobs worldwide across all links. Link: https://lnkd.in/eu2bjadW ⚙ Engineering and Programming This resource lists just over 1,800 jobs worldwide across all links. It also talks about interview tips and questions to practice. Link: https://lnkd.in/eYdxANFM 🕹 Quality Assurance: This resource lists over 450 QA jobs worldwide. This post also talks about the craft of QA and contains tips and interview practice. Link: https://lnkd.in/dwwVjZuc 📑 Game Production: This resource lists around 400 jobs worldwide. It also contains info about game production as a whole and GDC talks. Link: https://lnkd.in/gxDvFM-Z 📢 Marketing & Community: This resource lists around 400 jobs worldwide. It also gives an intro into game marketing and community management. Link: https://lnkd.in/e5MuViug 🎶 Audio and Sound Design: This resource lists around 190 jobs worldwide. Link: https://lnkd.in/eSkPSsWf 📠 Studio Support, HR, Recruitment and BizDev: This resource lists around 290 jobs worldwide. Link: https://lnkd.in/ePG57_7v ⚙ IT, Helpdesk and DevOps: This resource lists around 140 jobs worldwide. Link: https://lnkd.in/e8ZsuiZh 🥈 Second, the Ultimate list of Video Games Career Resources: This should be your one-stop shop for all information. My dear friend Amir Satvat maintains these documents, he is a legend for doing this - please check them out: https://amirsatvat.com/ 🥉 Third, If you have worked in publishing, please message me. I am looking for quite a few roles right now! ⬅ 🎖 Finally, do not give up. Ever. No matter how dark things may look right now, I KNOW you will get through this, you have got this! 👊 Remember you are not alone. If you need help, advice, or even an ear to listen, we're here for you. Always! ➡ A request to my community, please can I ask you to repost this post to your colleagues and friends, so that we can get as many into jobs as possible! And please comment if you or your studio are currently hiring - let's help each other! Much love ❤️ #layoffs #gamesindustry #jobsingames #traega

29

1 Comment

I just had a funny chat with a dear friend of mine & I pose the question: When there are "too many experts," is there really an "expert?" 🤔 So much information on this / that & the other flying around on this platform. I'm curious, what are your thoughts? I love having the tag / not about to complain, I've worked hard in my career to get ANY recognition & I still fight like hell to continue climbing the mountain (& while it is all about helping people, I'm not about to say I'm not going to take the dap when it comes along 😝), but when there are too many cooks in the kitchen with varying ideas / thoughts / views, who is the expert & who do you trust? Full disclosure: I still question myself & get into my own head. But I know that I've done this long enough & been successful enough to where, I at least "know what I am doing," might not always be aces / lead to a one-&-done fill, but hey, I can at least pick myself up & know that it's a roller coaster & it isn't always perfect / things rarely go your way; you KEEP FIGHTING & NEVER GIVE UP... "expert or no expert," LOL! #RecruiterLife I help people & I am transparent + honest. I know the Technology, I know the disciplines & the nuances, I know the Industry, & I always try to help where I can. That's what I hang my hat on. I'm not the expert to train you on how to interview (but I'll give you any tips / points to help you setup for success vs. flop). I am not the expert on tailoring your resume (but I'll give you my free opinion if you want it). I'm not a Social Media expert, I am a Recruiter (I just enjoy the content that I create & people seem to like it, hehehe 🤣 ). But I fight like hell & I never quit. THIS, this is what I am an expert on! Thanks Val Maun for funny Thursday text in our FFB text chain, I needed that today after the week I've had! 😍 🙏🏻 🙌🏻 🤘🏻 #'s for the #'s #TheMattBarney #VideoGames #HaveAGreatDay #Experts #KeepFightingTheGoodFight

39

48 Comments

I never thought I would be writing this but... like everyone else at Sumo, I might be at risk of being #LaidOff. We don't know much yet, and there's a chance I won't be affected, but what kind of doomsday prepper would I be if I didn't prepare. Especially when the industry has considerably slowed down. Not that the timing could ever be great for something like this, but it's particularly tricky as there are VERY FEW recruitment jobs in #GameDev. The only silver lining is that I have quite the generalist background and skillset, so please allow me to Sell My Fish™️⬇️ 🔎 Recruitment (In-House, Agency, and Embedded): •Extensive experience sourcing for all core disciplines and operational roles within game development. •Successful recruitment across the UK, Canada, France, Sweden, and the United States. •Proven success in hiring talent from graduates to studio leadership positions. •Represented companies at WASD, Develop Brighton, Unwrap Festival, Digital Dragons, EGX, and numerous university career fairs and student showcases over the past 5 years. •Delivered presentations on "Rethinking Recruitment" at major game dev conferences. 🗃️ Project Management: •Led the development of the entry-levels skills hub detailing 12 junior roles based on the UK Apprenticeship Standard, including designing surveys, analyzing data, and presenting findings. •Managed the UKIE & Into Games Kickstart Scheme, responsible for all aspects of the project, successfully hiring over 130 young people on Universal Credit. •Managed the creation of the largest-ever Recruitment Report in Games, overseeing all aspects except graphic design. 📑 Data Analysis and Reporting: •Wrote internal reports on DEIB insights and best practices, enhancing recruitment processes. •Analysed data from over 600 respondents, contributing 190 hours of input, to create a comprehensive recruitment report. •Designed and analysed two surveys targeting junior employees and senior hiring managers, grouping findings to create the hub. 📢 Marketing & Public Speaking: •Developed and executed the marketing strategy for the Entry-Level Skills Surveys and Hub, and the Hitmarker Recruitment Report •Represented companies at WASD, Develop Brighton, Unwrap Festival, Digital Dragons, EGX, and numerous university career fairs and student showcases over the past 5 years. •Content creation on LinkedIn, staying up-to-date with algorithm updates and best practices. --- So if you are looking for a Sara of all trades, master of inclusive hiring, do reach out, I'm happy to chat about future roles as well! ➡️For links and my CV go to: https://lnkd.in/e2SdSnR4 ➡️ Community, now it's my turn to need help, can I count on you liking, commenting and reposting this? --- 📣 Follow #RethinkRecruitment and ring the 🔔 to read about: ⏩ https://entrylevel.games/ 🌟 Opinions are very much my own™️ #layoffs

201

35 Comments

The great joy of my career is that I get the privilege of talking to Artists at various stages of their careers. While I enjoy speaking to mature and experienced talent, I love speaking with emerging Artists; those at the beginning of their journey. Of late, those conversations have been the equivalent of hand holding and trying to give some sense of comfort. It's no secret that the various creative industries that many are looking to join are in a period of re-evaluating their headcount expectations. TBH I cannot remember a time when creative industries were not in a period of re-evaluating their headcount expectations. Is this the most challenging I have seen? No, it's close, but there have been more challenging times. Here's the deal though - at some point in your career you will look back at these challenging times and think of them as "The good old days". The distance time provides will expose the lessons you are learning now. You may hate feeling the way you may be feeling, but you're building muscle. You're building resilience, and you'll be needing that later in your career. Your career path is not going to get any easier, but you are going to get a lot stronger.

112

18 Comments

They say that throwing up the green banner is a sign of desperation. Well, as they also say, desperate times call for desperate measures. And what better time to do it, than on #SocialSaturday? It's no secret that Q1 2024 was brutal for the gaming industry. I found myself out of two of my three steady positions before January's end, and my third position suffered a significant pay cut. Fast-forward to the end of April, and my third job also went south with the geese. And it isn't even winter yet. My job search has proven fruitless so far, and it's been driving me up the same wall I saw the writing on. LinkedIn says these #OpentoWork posts really help jobseekers a lot, so here I am. I am seeking immediate gainful employment. Over the years, I've narrowed my specialties to Narrative Design, Game Design, and Game Testing. After losing a Narrative Lead role in January, I'd love to get back to crafting stellar game narratives. I've filled various other Writing roles, inside and outside the gaming industry, including as Journalist, Copywriter, Content Strategist, and more. I also freelance as a Video Game Industry Consultant. I've consulted on Narrative & Game Design, monetization models, how to better understand and communicate with your game's community/consumer base, and AI implementation in Narrative Design. My greatest asses are my highly analytical mind and obsession with details, which allow me to spot a project's every flaw or problem and devise practical and implementable solutions. Rent in America isn't getting any cheaper, and having the appetite of Jack Reacher costs (A lot). Plans have stalled, goals sit unachieved, and endeavors remain unpursued. As someone who yearns to do many things, it's maddening sitting in front of an unmoving roadblock like this. So, I'll do my best to find work as quickly as possible and drag that green banner down into the depths of the Shadow Realm, never to return. April unemployment showers bloom employment flowers in May. Or so I hope. By the way, LinkedIn, in the immortal words of Philly Leotardo, a couple of three things: 1. Narrative Designer is my most desired position, but it doesn't come up as an available Job Title. We're supposed to tailor our profiles with job-relevant keywords. This makes kinda hard. The Services section is also flawed, as many service options are missing. Is there a way we can request their additions? 2. After noticing Narrative Designer missing in my desired Job Titles section, I closed my "official" #OpenToWork post draft to try to add it.  When I tried to redo my #OpenToWork post, I couldn't. Different browsers, different devices, and nothing. We can easily make an official #Hiring post just using Create a Post. Why isn't it just as easy to make an official #OpenToWork post? 3. With you adding gaming to LinkedIn, how long before we get FarmVille or MapleStory? #linkedin #socialmedia #careers #gaming #networking #socialnetworking #jobinterviews

14

1 Comment

WARNING: 🛑🚩❗ LI appears to consider the inclusion of emojis & messages in one's profile name to be a violation of their TOS requirement to "Use your real name". 🚫 There have been multiple reports of LinkedIn banning/locking accounts for putting emojis or messages in one's name field (e.g.: "🔜 GDC"). Reportedly, reinstating a banned/locked account can be a nightmare! ❗ Prime example of a company failing to recognize the need for a new feature that would improve the service's value proposition for users. Punishing users to enforce the platform's narrow vision is a BAD business strategy. 🛑 #gameindustry, #business, #LinkedIn, #gamedev

16

3 Comments

At Consensus in Austin this past week I was both excited and disappointed. Let me explain my experience 👇 In this space to build something truly special you have to believe in something. Something that you can explain to someone like they are 5 yrs old. I didn't see a ton of this but there were a few. I heard a lot of pitches that were uninspiring full of buzzwords but there were some that I knew were the real deal within the first 2 minutes. Many will throw out big numbers or talk a big game but when you go through due diligence they fall flat. Many are pushing the space forward but there's a lot of noise, the space is fragmented with seemingly a million chains, protocols, and dApps that nobody asked for. There is a massive explosion right now, the space is on the upswing and people are excited as they should be. Don't get it twisted though, there's only going to be so many winners in the end and there will be a big contraction. It happens with every tech cycle. So how do you do win? The tech has to be really good At least 2x to 3x better ideally Your story has to be better. Do something different! You need someone that can explain the narrative to get the attention you need consistently and that really understands your audience. Leveraging trusted KOL's in the space also helps. The team needs to be able to execute You can only sustain on hype for so long, If you don't ship others will and you'll lose your window. Remove friction so both mainstream users and crypto natives alike can participate ideally. There's only so many crypto natives to go around, we are still very early but removing friction is key to surviving in a bear and thriving in a bull. You need money and incentives to do it all. Having the right network of investors and having the right monetization strategies makes a big difference. Do what you love with people that you like We've been fortunate at Ex Populus and being a core contributor at Xai Games to work with people that we actually enjoy being around. Here's some rockstar people that I met recently that are worth checking out, some of which we're building with and others that are just doing great things in the space: Max Kaufman ⚡️Nick Greenawalt Franco De Cesare Matt L. Nick Frontera Michael Israel Atif Khan Sam Barberie Chase Allred Vincent Ferretti David S. Maxim S. Rimas Jonušauskas Rodri Fernández Touza Nicole Maffeo Danny Soifer dan burke + a few others If I missed you in Austin or are working on something I should know about feel free to drop me a line! Keep your eyes peeled for exciting partnerships announcements in the near future 😉

62

21 Comments

The laziest thing you can do on LI is purposefully ignore someone's outreach. The easiest thing you can do is be honest and brief: "Thanks for reaching out. I can't help because... I won't be a good resource for you because... That's not my area but you should reach out to..." It takes less than a minute of your time. This is a networking platform.

115

18 Comments

LinkedIn's New Gaming Adventure! LinkedIn has entered the gaming arena with the launch of three intriguing puzzle games – Pinpoint, Queens, and Crossclimb. These games are now available on both desktop and mobile platforms, adding a fun twist to the LinkedIn experience. Each game offers a unique mental challenge, including word association, trivia with wordplay, and a distinctive take on sudoku. This move reflects a broader trend in the digital content industry, as companies leverage gaming content to attract and retain users. Amid the challenges of generating revenue from traditional advertising, offering gaming content is seen as a strategic move to enhance user retention and possibly create new revenue streams in the future. LinkedIn's current strategy primarily focuses on user engagement without monetization. The games are free to play and embrace the social aspect of gaming by allowing users to view their connections' activity and engage in friendly competition through leaderboards. This approach represents a shift towards creating a more interactive and social experience within the professional networking platform. With the gaming landscape evolving across various industries, from digital news organizations to platforms like Netflix, LinkedIn's entry into gaming reflects an effort to adapt to user preferences and behaviors. As the company aims to deepen relationships and inject fun into the professional networking experience, it will be fascinating to see how these gaming features influence user engagement and potentially drive future business opportunities on the platform. https://lnkd.in/dsc7eePJ Play the games here https://lnkd.in/dqM7dBW4

1

This is just the 12th installment of OMY@C...and I'm already phoning it in. I mean that literally...this is a scheduled post. Why? I'm camping. Will I return? 🤷‍♂️ Aside from maybe a lack of timeliness this week, it likely won't really matter. My usual process is quite simple: 1) Think something and type it (not always in that order). 2) Spend ~3 minutes editing for typos...try to make sure I didn't say anything that will get me fired or cancelled. 3) Hit post. It's my version of authenticity. If I take too long to compose something, it loses flavor. If I edit it too much, eventually it will be boring. I like to think of it as removing myself from the creative process...if that makes sense. OMY@C 🚶‍♂️ 🏃‍♀️ Spatial Awareness - Possessing a lack of it...might just be my ultimate pet peeve. It's not even a pet...it's a predator peeve. Dudes...what the ever-loving hell is wrong with you? MOVE. Costco, airports, sidewalks, escalators, the coffee machine in the kitchenette at the Amazon office...two words: OTHER FRIKKIN' PEOPLE. We're all in this together...well, I'm in it together. You're oblivious. Shape up. What does this have to do with video games? ...nothing, probably. It's not my fault you chose to commit to reading this nonsense. You've done this to yourself. Moving on... 🍄 🧟‍♀️ The Last of Us (HBO) - Showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann have said that they think the storyline from LoU2 could take 3 seasons to tell. GOOD. My only complaint about Season 1 was that they ripped right through the story. Season 2 is only going to have 7 episodes...inferring 21 total episodes for the Abby arc. Works for me. 🎮 👊 Multiversus Is Back (Player First Games, Warner Bros. Games) - I played it the first go-around, and it was a lot of fun making Velma whoop Batman's ass. It went back into dev for a spell, but the F2P fighter is back. Tom, Jerry...Rick, Morty...It's an IP-splosion in there, kids...have at it. ✍ 👫 Other People - Don't worry, this is not a reprise...I just thought...since I didn't really add much to your feed this week, I'd point you toward 3 folks who put actual thought into what they post: Ben Sarraille - Ben's posts just keep getting better and better. He's a thoughtful writer mostly covering UGC gaming and the creator economy. Always worth clicking "more" on Ben's posts. Sergei Vasiuk - I can't imagine any of Sergei's posts took less than many hours to put together. He's the anti-Bill. Day-jobs as the Director of Live Ops at Wargaming...moonlights as a very insightful LI poster. Slow it down, Sergei. Lizzie Mintus - You should really watch her interviews...just in the last few weeks she's posted talks with Alyssa Padia Walles, Bill Roper, Sarah Anderson, Perrin Kaplan, Jeri Ellsworth, Jen Donahoe...all great. ...Follow'm. I won't see (or as a result, respond, obviously) to any comments until Monday...so have at it. See y'all next week...unless the Squatch gets me.

32

10 Comments

In the past few years there has been a lot of work done to increase representation and build more diverse game development teams, by increasing accountability and protection from discrimination on the workplace, and create opportunities for underserved minorities, but culture is a hard thing to change. We cam a long way, but we still have work to do. #DEI #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion https://lnkd.in/gqmky59x

3

Another big publisher set to fire 600 employees. This post is intended to support those who were recently laid off. Please share it within your community and tag studios and recruiters who are actively hiring. "We'll hear troubling news from the offices of Zynga, Gearbox, 2K, and even Rockstar—a far cry from earlier statements about layoffs from Take-Two's CEO." To combat, I am adding 5 resources below for all impacted professionals : 1) Our flagship Full-stack game programming bootcamp worth $11,000. We're giving course content out on 100% scholarship for anyone who's willing to transition into game programming or upskill in programming. (Mail: community@outscal.com) 2) Join our Discord Community and help professionals who are asking questions related to portfolio building, job seeking, interviews, and broadly their next career step. We have added help roles for programming, Unity, Unreal, DSA, Careers. Pick these roles and only get notified when someone asks questions related to your expertise. 3) Your team is hiring? Here's a list of 900+ professionals who were laid off recently: https://bit.ly/49Ah2vT Do them a favor by sharing this list with your 1st degree connections who're hiring. 4) We now have 14368 gamedev jobs from all over the world. https://lnkd.in/gerWUkc5 5) Become a volunteer: If you're a senior professional, you can mentor these professionals, conduct mock interviews, assess their portfolios and give feedback on what would work for them and what wouldn't. Join by adding your name here: https://lnkd.in/gwPhHen4 Get more out of Game Dev community on LinkedIn 🍄 Amir Satvat is back on LinkedIn with the OG list of resources. 💼 Caitlin Cooke is the fastest source of fresh jobs in the industry (yes, remote jobs too) 🎤 Follow Jordan Mazer for greatest tips and pointers around game jobs & interviews. 🔥 Hailey's feed will keep you updated with everything that's happening in the gaming world. 🔝 Connect with Arin Goldsmith and be part of her amazing #SocialSunday initiative. #games #gamedev #jobs #layoffs

87

5 Comments

So, 6 months ago I was laid off from a Senior Game Designer position, along with multiple other people. It's barely news - the entire gaming industry has gone through a massive change. After constant growth throughout the years, the bubble bursted, and tens of thousands of the gaming industry professionals have been left without jobs. Since I started looking for a new job, I kept my head up high, and I was almost assured that someone would check my profile and call me up - a professional with multiple different experiences, a demonstrated leader, tons of published projects and all that jazz. Combine that with amazing resources great people of LinkedIn community have created, and you can understand why I didn't think finding a new job would be a hustle. After a couple of freelance gigs, a number of projects I tackled, and a bit of help I provided to various teams in these 6 months, I think the time has finally come for me to completely pivot from this industry and start looking for other options. It's not something I decided on lightly - I've invested time, effort, passion, knowledge, emotions - I've invested myself full heartedly hoping I would keep my career on course. With all that's been going on, I now finally accept that the gaming industry landscape is changing, and I'm not sure if I can keep following it. I will always keep an eye out for Game Designer positions and roles, but, with absolute honesty - I fear there's just no way I will be able to stay in the industry. With a little kid, 3 dogs, a number of family members depending on me to be the provider - I have to say good bye to the gaming world I've known, loved and lived from for the last decade. Pivoting in a completely different industry is also a huge challenge and it brings in a lot of stress and a lot of unknowns, but, it's something new, exciting, and most importantly - it's something that will help me provide for the people I love. Hopefully, I'll be back, but if not - working in the gaming industry was amazing. With all of its ups and downs, I would still pick gaming over any other industry, but the current state did the picking for me. Don't lose hope, and don't be afraid of stepping out of the box, even changing careers. If it's something you have to do - do it. No one can tell if you will ever get back, but at least you would know what you would be going back to.

543

61 Comments

10 years ago I was simultaneously having the time of my life and pulling my hair out leading recruiting at GitHub. Here are my top two takeaways growing this company from 100 to 600: ✨ Community is everything. ✨ Everything in the business benefited from the hands-on curation of our community. Our entire marketing team was focused on community events and user-engagement before we ever had a sales team or sought B2B relationships. We even hired a team to teach new developers the benefits of Git + distributed version control. Where have you NOT seen the Octocat sticker? Anyone in the company could send swag for free. There was literally an internal website where we could put someone's address in and they could get piles of stickers or a hoodie at their doorstep. More importantly, anyone in the company could request to sponsor or host events for developers at any time. We deployed employees to conferences all around the world to reach our users. This community-first approach unequivocally benefited all aspects of the organization (including recruiting!) and cemented us as the leading developer-first tool when we were finally ready to sell into businesses. ✨ Find the best, most passionate talent - wherever they are. ✨ We pioneered a remote-first culture. It was grueling as a recruiting leader, but we managed to hire people across the world in 15+ countries at a time when Deel nor any other service existed. We built our own internal Slack before Slack existed (RIP to that never getting launched publicly). Hubot, our own personal chat robot, helped us stay connected to one another through kudos boards, GIFs, silly videos, and other internal memes. Hubot even memorized facts about people and shared them with others! We even set up an actual physical robot who roamed around the office with a camera so remote employees could say hi to folks. We made it easy for people to get together outside of HQ through sponsoring coworking days. Team offsites were regularly planned in worldwide locations where Hubbers were more centralized, and we did a yearly company offsite as well -- flying our employees to one location to bond. As expensive and complicated this was, we were able to scale extremely quickly with the best talent that also allowed for us to easily expand our community strategies across the globe. It was the wild west, but I wouldn't trade it for anything else.

59

8 Comments

🚨 IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT RE: JOB POSTS 🚨 Hey folks -- due to the unknown forces of the LinkedIn universe, my job posts are no longer being shown in your feed. 👉 If you're a job seeker, click that little bell next to my name to be notified of any future job posts. 👈 I'm going to keep trying to push these out at different times / different messages to avoid being locked in LI jail or whatever is happening here. Reshare this to get the word out to job seekers!

303

33 Comments