Breaking into the game industry: A conversation with Leo Yaik

Before I go into the skill set or requirements, I think personality plays a very important part. If I'm hiring someone, I look for their motivation. So, as a candidate for a position, you should always find out what the company culture is (does it align with your values?) and what kind of person they want to hire, and then determine if you can see yourself fitting in there.

Most importantly, it's essential to distinguish yourself from other candidates. Your degree or transcript only tells a potential employer where you placed within your cohort based on what your school has taught you. But there are hundreds or even thousands of other graduates from other schools, taught differently with various grades. The question is: how do you distinguish yourself among all these other people?

There are many different ways to do that: by building your own portfolio, doing your own passion projects, working on internships, or with your final year project or thesis. Work on something that showcases what is unique about you; this is how you show your potential employers that you are different from the rest.

For example, I had a student who was not exceptional when it came to grades, but was highly motivated. Back in school, he would put in the extra effort to build his own portfolio and post his art on websites like Deviant Art to get feedback. By building on his interests and setting himself apart, he found new opportunities and kept growing. Today, he's the CEO of a live-streaming company.

My other tip for new graduates is to start networking. Consider joining the local International Game Developers Association (IGDA) or student chapters. You should also consider getting active in the community, for example on the Unity Forum. There are lots of networking opportunities that can help you get noticed and enter the industry.