Daria Wlasniak

News: Hiring Market Update - June 24 (Games & Tech) I pick up where we left off in March and cover off the rise in solo game devs along with the latest tech funding news and implications for the wider job market. You can also get the latest on the projects I'm working on. Studio Vision Podcast

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🤯 So this happened? I WAS NOT ready to see my name along those brilliant people! I've been shortlisted for Diversity Star at the Develop:Brighton Star Awards! And I don't even know where to start??? ➡️ The industry has broken my heart more times than I can count in the past 6 months (year really), and I would be lying if I said this hasn't affected my mental health. Recruiters & Talent Acquisition are in the front line when it comes to layoffs and hiring. We hear people's stories, we connect, and then we have to inform them of decisions we have no power over. It hasn't been a fun job lately. ⚓ What has been giving me strength is all the little things I do to make this industry a tiny bit less gatekept to groups that have been HISTORICALLY under recognised. I live by Desmond Tutu quotes, (especially considering the state of the world atm) and this is the one that underlines all of my work: ✨Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.✨ ✍️This is why I write content even if no one sees it 👥 This is why I worked my heart out during the kickstart scheme 📝This is why I put together a report reviewing hiring practices in game dev 🛠️This is why I created the Entry Level Skills Hub 🌍This is why I founded Bird's Eye View ➡️ I don't do it for the awards, but this one got me crying today. So if I may ask you for just one more thing, please check out the nominees and cast your vote! You have until the 31st of May. THANK YOU! Ps.: You must be registered to attend Develop Brighton this year, or have attended in the past 3 years to vote. Find a link on your inbox. For more information: https://lnkd.in/eyuqQjGM --- 📣 Follow #RethinkRecruitment and ring the 🔔 to read about: 📙 #GameDev Recruitment Best Practices 🔎 #JobHunting, #CareerAdvice & #RecruiterTips 👁️ Bird's Eye View & the #ELSH ⏩ https://entrylevel.games/ 🌟 Opinions are very much my own™️

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Last day of April and last day of Stress Awareness Month. 🗓️ LinkedIn's algorithm has been weird lately (I'm sure you've noticed) so here's an article I shared earlier this month that you might have missed. If you feel stressed you may find some useful advice. 🧡 https://lnkd.in/eJnD_Deb #stressawerenessmonth #stress #gamesindustry

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It has happened 😔 I'm one of the many Sumo peeps affected by layoffs. I had a fantastic time at Sumo Digital Ltd. I met incredible people that will be lifelong friends, I represented my company at many international events, and, super recently, I've been nominated for Diversity Star at the Develop:Brighton Star Awards. I also got to build teams for the really cool titles below: 🗃️ A Little to the Left 🪓 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 🏎️ Stampede: Racing Royale 🛢️ Still Wakes The Deep But, now, it's time to say goodbye 👋🏼 So, to all the incredible people I had the honor of hiring & working with, I just want to thank you for enriching my experience 💖. I can't wait to play all the future games you'll make. --- 🚨 I am now on the lookout for a new team I can complement with my skillset! 🚨 I have 5+ years of experience recruiting for all main core development teams, as well as senior leadership and operational roles, via many different ATS & CRMs. Exclusively in the Game Development Industry. However, THAT'S NOT ALL! I also have extensive experience 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 & 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠: ✨DEIB programs, ✨Reports and analysis, ✨Career support initiatives, ✨Early career processes, and ✨Recruiting & hiring training materials. ➡️ So if you are looking for a recruiter, a #DEIB specialist or a generalist who can support multiple areas & teams, make sure to message! ➡️ If you aren't hiring but want to help, leave a comment below or repost to increase my reach! --- 📣 Follow #RethinkRecruitment and ring the 🔔 to stay updated! ⏩ https://entrylevel.games/ 🌟 Opinions are very much my own™️ #Layoffs #Redundancies #JobHunting #GameDev

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Can you believe that: ❌The current global gender pay gap in the games industry is 22% ❌Western Europe has a smaller gender pay gap than the UK and Eastern Europe, with the USA and Eastern Europe having the largest disparities Don't believe me? Here's our 2024 Games Industry Guide To The Gender Pay Gap: https://lnkd.in/dHiRZS6Z This report from Skillsearch uses data from our annual Games and Interactive Salary and Satisfaction Survey to investigate the current state of gender pay disparity in our industry – it sheds light on important issues and our hope is that it will pave the way for positive change. #WomenInGames #GamesIndustry #GenderPayGap

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Day 2 of Develop:Brighton! 😁 Come say hello if you see me! Maybe I'll even let you have a go on the fan.....! 😬 #developbrighton #opportunity #gamingindustry #gamejobs #gaming #artist #haptic #recruitment #gamingcommunity #gamedevelopment #gamedev #brighton #events #venues #developbrighton2024

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🎮 Exciting News from My First Day at Recruitment Heroes | Games Division! 🚀 I wanted to share an update after my first day and give an insight into how it went and what's to come! First off, the support, congratulations, and outreach from so many of you have been incredible. Working with Hannah Wright ⚡️🎮 to brainstorm and get up to speed with the amazing tools we'll be using has been mega! One thing I've always noticed in the gaming industry is the amazing sense of community and camaraderie! It's like finding an Estus Flask when you need one. 🙏✨ (Sorry Elden Ring, but the Flask of Crimson Tears will always be an Estus Flask to me!) 😅 But in true Dark Souls fashion, then comes the fog wall - I dove straight into the action and began talking with some fantastic, experienced professionals. 💬👥 Many reached out with the same question: "Can you help me find my next role?" 🎯 Looking at their CVs, I was amazed by their talent - years of experience, countless AAA titles shipped, and many impressive projects. Yet, they’re still actively searching for their next opportunity. This really hit home for me and highlighted the responsibility I have in this role. 🎮📋 As my list of candidates grows, my main focus now is to support these talented individuals in finding the best roles at the best studios so they can continue making amazing games. 🕹️🏆 If you have vacancies that need filling or want to learn more about what we do, let’s chat! I’d love to see how we can work together to help these awesome candidates land their next big gig! 🤝💼 #RecruitmentHeroes #GamesDivision #GameIndustry #JobOpportunity #GameDev #TalentAcquisition

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Another games jobs cut situation today at CI Games as reported by Game Developer's Christopher Kerr and confirmed by the company, saying "This restructure affects approximately 30 roles across production" https://lnkd.in/eHmMFztw Here's where this puts us. I will start exposing these statistics regularly as a reminder of the human cost of these decisions: 100+ games layoffs in 2024 One games layoff situation on average every 1.3 days in 2024 (apologies for getting this inverted in the picture) Over 10,000 games layoffs in 2024 YTD Within 500 cuts of hitting 2023's games layoff number...in May If you were in fact affected by these cuts, I have no words to express my feelings. However, our community has three resource "homes" built to help you: HOME 1 - 🔗 AMIRSATVAT.COM: Our hub offering 15 resources to help you find work, including a fully updated design. - 🔗 Games Org Support Posts: Find a template at AMIRSATVAT.COM (Category 4, Resource 10). If you can provide information from your team (with their consent), I’ll help edit and disseminate the final product, reaching 100,000+ people. These posts are highly effective in increasing visibility and we have done 96 of them. HOME 2 - 🔗 Please visit discord.gg/amirsatvat to join our Discord, a live extension of our community resources. With over 2,700 members, we are in an open-join phase. HOME 3 - 🔗 LinkedIn: Our community here includes over 86,000 members, with 1-3 daily posts offering support and career assistance in the games industry. To our broader community, your involvement makes a difference. Here’s how you can help: - Spread the word: Reshares and comments on this post amplify the visibility of these resources. - Offer support: Utilize the 13 ways listed on AMIRSATVAT.COM under "How You Can Help" to assist, or simply lend an ear or advice on our Discord server. - Join our movement: Volunteer with us at AMIRSATVAT.COM to support our colleagues in the games industry. Our network has facilitated over 1,800 jobs and 33,000 coaching conversations to date and has been visited by over 3,000,000 gamers lifetime. We're committed to providing daily encouragement and support during these challenging times. We will never stop fighting for you!

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Truly awful news this evening about Perfect World Co., Ltd. having laid off as much as 1,000 employees in China, according to multiple reports. The company is said to have laid off hundreds of staff (some reports say a thousand) across its R&D departments, with its games operations mostly impacted. One report noted that job losses impacted staff in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and other cities. To those impacted by this, please find a comprehensive list of resources, below: 🥇First, reach out to us at People Can Fly Studio, we have many roles open right now in Canada, the UK, Ireland and Europe, please check them out here: https://lnkd.in/eWpV5PbA 🥈Next, 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 1,350 jobs worldwide across all links. Link: https://lnkd.in/eXgEEUAA ⚙ Engineering and Programming This resource lists just over 2,100 jobs worldwide across all links. Link: https://lnkd.in/eAufG7q4 🕹 Quality Assurance This resource lists over 400 QA jobs worldwide. Link: https://lnkd.in/e6YwwJeS 📑 Game Production This resource lists around 380 jobs worldwide. Link: https://lnkd.in/eE8QgeDq 📢 Marketing & Community This resource lists around 360 jobs worldwide. Link: https://lnkd.in/eW3AZmxd 🎶 Audio and Sound Design This resource lists around 180 jobs worldwide. Link: https://lnkd.in/ehGFXaiH 📠 Studio Support, HR, Recruitment and BizDev This resource lists around 370 jobs worldwide. Link: https://lnkd.in/eDHbZx2w ⚙ IT This resource lists around 100 jobs worldwide. Link: https://lnkd.in/eRYpAtQQ 🎮 Game Design This resource lists around 640 jobs worldwide. Link: https://lnkd.in/ekNSq_Wj 🥉 Third, 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/ 🎖 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 ❤️

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"Thanks for your application, but you're overqualified" What the hell does that even mean? It was hard to believe at first, but nowadays I am regularly speaking with people who have 15-20 years of industry experience and have a hard time landing their next job. I recently had a chat with a fantastic individual who received a couple of "Sorry mate, we would have no idea what to do with you and where to put your skills". So, what the hell does "overqualified" mean? 1) The manager is afraid you're going to get bored quickly. After all, you've done all those tasks a couple of years ago, so how you can find them enticing? 2) The manager is afraid you're going to leave as soon as a better offer will come across. They do have a budget to fill a Senior role, not a Director. 3) They would have to manage someone who is most likely more experienced than them. This is a challenge which requires a lot of self-esteem and believing in your ability. Anything else we should add to the list? 

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Tiffany & Co. talking about a return to normal. The key take away is that we should all look for areas that are employed earlier in the pipeline from our particular skillsets. So, for Animation, look for Pre-Production; storyboard artists, character designers, layout and background, etc. opportunities being posted and hired for. If they are getting hired, that means productions are starting up again - that production ball is starting to roll. I'm seeing studios hire recruiters again - that's a good sign, you don't need to hire the people whose key job metric is souring and hiring other people if you are not planning to move ahead with a production. It's still slow, I won't downplay that - but there are cracks in the ice. And please know that while everyone is saying that this is the Worst it has Ever Been, that phrase gets tossed around quite a bit whenever these "market adjustments" happen. It's kinda like when someone says, "This is the best slice of pizza I have ever had!" - really? Is it, or were you just really hungry and in the mood for pizza? I'm not here to in anyway diminish the struggle, it's very real and it's very hard on those affected and those who love and care for them, but there is hope - as everything, including this market downturn, is temporary.

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Games Jobs Workbook v14.1 Is Here (Please Help Repost) https://lnkd.in/d6x5NHMZ - Resource 8 We now have: - 2,760 games employers (+632) - 982 games employers who are actively hiring (+101) - 13,359 games jobs (+368) In terms of secondary statistics (when I say "ever," I mean since I started tracking data in November 2022): - Jobs are the least concentrated by employer ever. The top 10 employers have 4,993 jobs, or 37%. The top 27 employers have 6,706 jobs, or 50%. - Jobs are the least concentrated by function ever, although still fairly concentrated. The top three functions have 61% of all jobs, and the top four have 70%. Engineering, Programming, Tech Design, Tech Writing = 29% Art, Tech Art, Animation, Cinematics & Video = 21% Game Design = 11% Production, Project Management, Business + Communication Ops, Performance = 9% - The average number of jobs per employer is 14. - The median number of jobs per employer is 4. - Of the 982 games employers currently hiring: 264 are fully remote (27%) 118 have some remote jobs (12%), so 40% of games employers have some remote jobs. 600 are all hybrid or onsite (61%). - Of the 982 games employers currently hiring: 1,322 jobs are fully remote (10%). 2,686 jobs are at employers who have some remote jobs (20%), so 30% of jobs are at games employers who have some remote jobs. 9,351 jobs are at employers who are all hybrid or onsite (70%). - You can expect 939 additional games companies in v14.2. I am breaking this large update into v14.1 and v14.2 after all, just because I need a bit more time for testing on the second installment. Thanks, as always, to my dear friend Eva Tucker for feeding me this list of new adds, to which I have added URLs and locations where they were missing, eliminated companies that are defunct or without sites, and added the full functional level of detail in the games jobs workbook. All these new companies are now also 99% semi-automated through my standard approach. Please enjoy this even bigger, largest directory of games jobs in the world!

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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

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Games Jobs Workbook v14.2 Is Here (PLEASE HELP REPOST) https://lnkd.in/d6x5NHMZ - Resource 8 From v14.0 to v14.2 (today, 4/19), we have achieved - 3,616 games employers (+1,488) - 1,078 games employers who are actively hiring (+197) - 13,783 games jobs (+792) Thanks, as always, to my dear friend Eva Tucker for feeding me this list of new adds, to which I have added URLs and locations where they were missing, eliminated companies that are defunct or without sites, and added the full functional level of detail in the games jobs workbook. All these new companies are now also 99% semi-automated through my standard approach. Anything for gamers, Amir

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My latest blog post just went up on the Skillsearch Website This time, looking at how to improve your #3DArt portfolio with three simple tweaks and tips that we have collected from conversations directly with a range of studios and hiring managers. What are your thoughts on this blog? It would be great to hear in the comments below! #3d #gameart #portfolio #games #gamesjobs

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I recently hopped on a call with an individual starting up their own B2B sales company in the games industry - here was my takeaways. 1: They had an absolutely smashing start by running what they and I referred to as an "ethical sales funnel" This is a funnel created to genuinely help potential clients, rather than see them as an asset to be sucked dry. This included doing things like offering multiple packages of the same product, down to the absolute bare bones, so that studios with a range of capital can still be considered if in need. 2: They didn't view the industry as pure competition. Obviously there is competition in any field, but they spoke about how toxic it can be in certain industries. I have seen first hand people at companies say some absolutely vile things about their competitors, and do some absolutely disgusting things to boot as well in some cases. This chap looked at a market as something to be built in collaboration with other businesses, albeit with some healthy competition ;) 3: They genuinely loved the games industry, and you could tell this not only by their breadth of knowledge, but also by the passion by which they spoke this. This comes across to studios. They, in my experience, have a phenomenal bullsh*t rader. I truly believe that out of the wave of start-ups we're seeing in the space at the moment, it is qualities like these that will define the B2B industry leaders of the future. #goodmorningvietnam

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𝐀𝐰𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭 - shares appreciated (they REALLY DO help) - my door is open for casual chats or intros on this role. Recently re-titled so please check out the JD even if you've seen it already. 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐥 𝐕𝐅𝐗 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭. (ignore the link title of Lead, it hasn't pulled through yet). 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨 Spliced Inc. - fully remote role but our 𝐚𝐰𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 studio is located in the heart of Altrincham. Be as hybrid, onsite or remote as you want. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐢𝐠 - You're either already a principal, want to be a principal or you're happy to sidestep from a lead into this role. Regardless, you'll be a part of a small team (+1) that sits in our Tech Art org and have access to some of the best talent the industry has to offer. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 - you thought I was going to spill the beans? 🤣. AAA, stylized, UE5, Houdini/Embergen, Blueprints. That's your lot but, will tell more once you're in process, of course :). 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭? - Either apply or simply message me with your interest. We have 5 steps but don't let that put you off, we can crank through them in a week or so. You'll get a solid feel for our vibe and people and you'll get to meet our founder who will personally take you through the game at the end of the process. Click below for a glimpse of your [potential] future 💚. #vfx #splicedinc #neteasegames #welovejobs

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Great list of companies and resources here -- bookmark this one!

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