"Your Best Ticket to a Good Life": A Developer's Guide to Networking
The importance of networking within the creative industries.
Let's talk about networking. For many of us, it's a word that can be very nerve-wracking - I say that from my own experience. But I've learned to see it as a beautiful tool for expanding your horizons and possibilities.
The reward for taking that risk is opportunity - the opportunity that you can then develop into your first job offer, a promotion, or a new project.
Why It's Your "Best Ticket" in a Crowded Industry
Networking is crucial for finding a job in the game industry because the competition is currently very high. You need something to stand out from the rest, and your connections are your best ticket to a good life. You truly never know what will come from meeting one person or another.
My Strategy: Show Up and Be Yourself
My strategy consists of a simple idea: you need to attend all the events and game jams you possibly can. More is better. I would probably start with exhibitions, then gradually climb higher and higher, all the way to.
My Toolkit: Online vs. Offline Events
From online platforms, I'd highlight two of the best options. They are equally useful, but in their own way:
Discord Servers: This is a great place to discuss issues live, listen to the opinions of others, and see real experts in your field.
LinkedIn: This gives you a slightly different opportunity: to show your interest and knowledge to others. In essence, it's an online resume with the ability to add friends and message people. LinkedIn. A pretty good opportunity, right?
Of course, you must distinguish between online and offline events. You need to behave with dignity everywhere, but especially at live meetings, where a more formal mood prevails and there isn't as much casual familiarity. You need to be more restrained, but still be who you are. This doesn't mean you should change your inner self for an event. You must, first and foremost, be yourself.
Case Study: How a Game Jam Built a Masterpiece
The Ideal Example: "Team Cherry" (Hollow Knight) A perfect example of successful networking is the story of "Team Cherry", founded by Ari Gibson, Rohan Nort, and William Pellen. They had worked together multiple times at game jams. It was at the Ludum Dare jam (LD27) in 2013 that they created a small game called "Hungry Knight."
They liked the idea so much that they developed it further and created Hollow Knight. They launched a Kickstarter campaign with a modest goal of 35,000 AUD, but the community loved the project so much they managed to raise 57,000 USD. A few years later, they released the game and collected all possible titles and awards. It sold millions of copies and turned three enthusiasts from a game jam into one of the most successful and respected indie studios in the world.
The "Bad" Networking Example Examples of bad networking are easy to find. Many people resort to spamming and begging for a job in the very first message. This is the fastest way to get blocked or ignored.
My Personal Takeaway For me, I will focus more on offline events like gaming exhibitions, TED Talks, and game jams. The "Team Cherry" story proves that collaborating on a small project with other passionate people is the most powerful form of networking there is.
My Final Advice for Shy Developers
The best advice you can give to anyone who is afraid of networking is to just try more and more.
Over time, your shyness will leave you, and you will remember how strange you used to be. Remember that these events are designed for this purpose, for you - for real people. They exist so you can challenge and overcome yourself.