Working in the video game industry is an incredibly rewarding career, but it can feel impossible to break in without insider knowledge. This book levels the playing field. With industry expert Jason W. Bay as your guide, you'll learn everything you need to start a career making games, including loads of actionable advice and insider info on how to choose a career, learn the skills, start your job search, apply for jobs, ace your interviews, and turn your first game job into a successful career. After reading this book, you'll know exactly how to:

• Choose a high-paying game career that boosts your creativity AND pays a salary your friends will envy
• Get an education that will make game studios eager to hire you - even if you can't afford college
• Escape your soul-crushing day job and make a smooth, controlled landing into your dream career making games
• Build a resume and portfolio that are impossible for hiring managers to ignore - you'll score dozens of interviews
• Discover and apply for the top game jobs and internships, locally and around the world (including the "hidden" jobs that aren't even posted yet )
• Compare offers to accept the job with maximum pay and perks - then use a fast, simple technique to get even more
• Build a powerful network of industry insiders who help you at every step of your career - even if the idea of "networking" makes you queasy
• Become wildly successful in your new game career, wherever it may take you. It's your adventure, and it starts today

Whether you're interested in video game art, design, testing, programming, audio, production, or business, this book is everything you need to launch your career making games. What are you waiting for? Your new career starts today Jason W. Bay has spent more than 15 years in the video game industry. He started as a game tester and worked his way up to become the head of a large game studio, so he knows exactly what hiring managers look for in a job applicant. "Working in the game industry is one of the most engaging and rewarding careers out there," says Bay. "But it's a black box - there's not much information available, and it's hard to break in unless you have inside contacts. I wrote this book to level the playing field. I'm your mentor, and I'll help you understand how to get your first job and grow it into a lifelong career making games."