GDC Survival Guide

• Set up meetings via email if possible
• Reach out to people you’d like to meet with. Remember, you’re not asking for a job, just getting their advice on how to proceed in your career (this takes a lot of pressure off of them, and may make them more likely to meet with you).
• Believe it or not, a lot of people are just getting their GDC schedules together now, so you’re not too late.

Research some of the companies you’re interested in before you go.

• Find out what games they make so you can talk about it with some degree of knowledge (but don’t come off like a know-it-all)
• Find out where they’re going to be at the job fair. Go there early to drop off your resume. Make good eye contact with the HR people
  • You should walk away knowing the color of their eyes (that’s how you know you’ve made good eye-contact).
  • The best swag is gone early

Get business cards

• Simple, professional, lots of white space (on the back is fine) for others to write.
• Get good quality card stock (not thin). Matte, not glossy.
• Use vistaprint, overnight prints, or similar.

Make sure your LinkedIn listing and your portfolio are in good shape.

Refine and practice your elevator pitch – brief, high-level intro

• For yourself: who are you, what do you do, what are you looking for?
• For your game (“your game in a tweet”)

If you’re looking for a job, print off resumes (10+/day). Remember: 1 page per 10 years’ experience.

Mike Sellers 

Make sure to check out the full article here.