• Games Jobs
  • News
  • GCW
    • GiG Student Conference
    • Grads In Games Career Connector
    • University Open Day
  • Get a Job in Games
    • Games Careers Week
    • Get in the Game Careers Events
    • Get In The Game free video library
    • Search for a Star & Rising Star GameDev Challenges
      • Search For A Star 2021
      • d3t Rising Star 2021
      • 2020 Winners
      • 2019 Winners
      • 2018 Winners
      • Project Spotlight
        • Games Environment Art Projects | SFASX
        • Games Animation Projects | SFASX
        • Games Programming Projects | SFASX
        • Games Character Art Projects | SFASX
        • Games VFX Projects | SFASX
    • Take our Practice C++ Test
    • The Grads In Games Awards
      • 2020 Winners
      • 2019 Winners
      • 2018 Winners
  • About Us
    • Our Industry Partners 2020/21
    • Meet The Team
  • Partnership Opportunities
    • Become a Partner Studio
    • Become a Student Ambassador
    • Our Industry Advocates
    • Get Your University Involved
  • Log In / SignUp
Toggle navigation Grads In Games
  • Games Jobs
  • News
  • GCW
    • GiG Student Conference
    • Grads In Games Career Connector
    • University Open Day
  • Get a Job in Games
    • Games Careers Week
    • Get in the Game Careers Events
    • Get In The Game free video library
    • Search for a Star & Rising Star GameDev Challenges
      • Search For A Star 2021
      • d3t Rising Star 2021
      • 2020 Winners
      • 2019 Winners
      • 2018 Winners
      • Project Spotlight
        • Games Environment Art Projects | SFASX
        • Games Animation Projects | SFASX
        • Games Programming Projects | SFASX
        • Games Character Art Projects | SFASX
        • Games VFX Projects | SFASX
    • Take our Practice C++ Test
    • The Grads In Games Awards
      • 2020 Winners
      • 2019 Winners
      • 2018 Winners
  • About Us
    • Our Industry Partners 2020/21
    • Meet The Team
  • Partnership Opportunities
    • Become a Partner Studio
    • Become a Student Ambassador
    • Our Industry Advocates
    • Get Your University Involved
  • Log In / SignUp

The Affect of COVID-19 on Graduate Recruitment

March 27, 2020March 27, 2020 James Bowers 0
Posted in Newscoronavirus COVID-19 covid19 editorial Game Dev game studios gaming graduate Graduate jobs graduate recruitment Graduates opinion recruitment issues video game studios Video Games

The Affect of COVID-19 on Graduate Recruitment

March 27, 2020March 27, 2020 James Bowers 0

The effects of COVID-19 are being felt everywhere, across many industries. Global workforces and academic institutions have had to adapt their practices to accommodate government guidance and safeguard public wellbeing. We have all had to take our own precautions and sacrifices. Whether that be as simple as social distancing and ensuring hands are regularly washed, to self-isolation and working from home (where possible).

Many students were hoping to graduate this summer to celebration and fanfare, to embark on careers they have worked so hard to achieve.  There is an aura of uncertainty now as a generation of the brightest soon-to-be game devs complete lectures online and have no clarity about when they will graduate.

For those students on games-related courses, now is usually the time of year when they would be exploring graduate opportunities in the video games industry. Does the spread of COVID-19 mean that graduate recruitment will stop?

Well, please let me reassure all those students, parents and academics that have worked hard – graduate recruitment in the games industry has been affected, but it has most definitely not stopped! Whilst a small percentage of companies have indeed placed a hold on further recruitment drives until more is known about our current situation, the majority have not. Most are going ahead with remote hiring processes, which lead to remote working positions until such a time that we can all return to office spaces.

At Aardvark Swift, and Grads in Games, we’ve spent the past two weeks consulting with games studios across the world, discussing their plans for managing recruitment during the next few weeks. I am happy to report that over 77% of studios reported that they are still actively recruiting as normal, just with added flexibility in working. This is hugely promising for the games industry. While many industries are unable to continue with business as normal, game studios are able to be adaptable in this new climate.

The one hurdle for some games studios will be the onboarding process. Conducting interviews is easily done remotely, but getting somebody started in a new role and set up with the right equipment can be an understandable challenge. This problem is more prominent when hiring experienced game dev professionals. This is where graduate recruitment has the upper hand. Many students are likely not going to be available until June (at the very earliest) and can be much more flexible with start dates and hardware requirements. While recruitment of experienced personnel may be delayed, for the time being, there is no reason to hesitate when it comes to making graduate hires.

One thing affected by the current crisis is career events and face-to-face visits. This can’t be helped, but again there are solutions. How do you make sure the very best students are aware of your graduate opportunities? While many games studios will have been planning their university activities for this time of year, we’ve visited over 30 universities and met with over 3000 game dev students this academic year. We’re also running an online Search for a Star Finals Day in the next few weeks.  We’ve been working with this year’s final year students for months, helping them to build their CV and portfolio. These are industry-ready and already securing jobs.  

My message to students, concerned about their future, is simple; the industry is still looking for you!

My message to studios? We have access to the talent pipeline, and we know where to find the graduates you need!

There is no reason this generation of promising games devs should be lost.  

Andy Driver is the Operations Manager for Grads in Games and leads the graduate recruitment team at Aardvark Swift. To discuss your graduate recruitment plans, or if you’d like to send your CV/portfolio to us, email andy@gradsingames.com

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)

If you like this, you may also be interested in the following:

Article By James Bowers

Author Archives Author Website
Posted in Newscoronavirus COVID-19 covid19 editorial Game Dev game studios gaming graduate Graduate jobs graduate recruitment Graduates opinion recruitment issues video game studios Video Games

Post navigation

SFASX | The Finalists
Studio Spotlight #2: Sumo Digital

Recently added games jobs

  • Junior Producer

    • Lytham St Annes, UK
    • Permanent
  • Junior Programmer

    • Farnborough
    • Ballistic Moon
    • Permanent
  • Games Lecturer

    • Farnham, UK
    • University for the Creative Arts
    • Permanent
Tweets by GradsInGames
Grads In Games - Games Jobs & Careers

Grads In Games

Find a job or Post a job

Recent Posts

  • The Grads in Games Awards 2021 – The Higher Education Institution Award Winner is Revealed! March 31, 2021
  • The Grads in Games Awards 2021 – The Graduate Employer Winner is Revealed! March 31, 2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVcrwWNNKOs&t=14s

Featured Jobs

  • Intern C++ Programmer

    • Brighton, UK
    • NaturalMotion Games
    • Internship
  • Junior C++ Programmer

    • Runcorn, UK
    • d3t
    • Permanent

Keep up to date by following Grads In Games on social media

© 2011-2021 FutureDev Initiatives | Grads In Games

  • Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy & Data Usage
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.