The issue of employment is very important for novice specialists. Svetlana, the author of the GeekBrains educational IT portal blog, spoke with HR managers of various companies and collected recommendations on how to please the employer.

Don't get infected with the myth that it's impossible to get into a cool corporation. Companies are constantly on the hunt for smart and intelligent employees. They run paid internships and hackathons with cash prizes. GeekUniversity, an online university of IT professions partners, have shared their tips to help you get a job in your dream company Hope you find them useful.

Stay connected to reality

Understand right away that you will have to start from the position of an intern or a junior assistant, even if you have 10 years of experience in sales behind you, but you are getting a job as a developer for the first time. Prepare a financial cushion for the first time to support yourself and your family while it lasts probation... If you are offered a starting position, but with a growth perspective, go for it. The corporation quickly promotes employees who show good results and take responsibility. It is better to take the junior position and grow to the middle in six months than to look for an employer for these six months who will immediately take to this level.

Make a portfolio

Even if you have not completed a single order. The employer wants to see what you already know and what you are capable of. Build a portfolio right away, starting with your first tutorial project. To do this, create a profile on GitHub. Include only completed work. If there are few projects, create one large portfolio specifically for the portfolio and complex project... Sort so that best works were at the top. Perhaps the recruiter will only open the first 2-3 links.

In addition to projects, start a blog on your own website or on Habré. Write about your studies, new features, problems you face, or talk about creating a project.

Olga Romanova, Head of IT Selection, Alfa-Bank

“For starters, you need to be free to make mistakes in the interview. Many people believe that there are correct answers to everything, and they are judged for them. But more important for us is how a person comes to the solution of the problem. He can come up completely outside the box, and it will be much better than the right decision. Only the one who does nothing is not mistaken.

Don't worry about the dress code. Sometimes they say: "But you are a bank." Within our IT department, everything is loyal. Some even ride hoverboards around the office. Developers work in whatever is convenient for them, therefore, come to the interview in clothes that are comfortable for you.

I also advise you to contact the guys from the IT department directly. Communication here will be slightly different. They can tell you more about the work, and you look at the team. Our developers are very open minded. They communicate with business, speak at conferences, and are our ambassadors. Often candidates contact us with a request, I want to contact you, because you have a cool team and interesting technologies. And that's cool! "

Perform digital hygiene

Recruiters and HR-s look at social media profiles to assess the candidate's activity and adequacy. If the entire feed is full of cats or rotten memes, they will wonder if the candidate is suitable for corporate culture... Clean the page and delete the "drunken" photos from graduation, going out to the lake with kebabs and postcards with obscenities. Bring the page to a level where you are not ashamed to show it to parents.

Check your address Email... Perhaps you were super creative in 5th grade and called the “box” “hellofromzombie”. Then it's time to create new mail with a neutral name [email protected]

Write a good resume

Take advantage of ready-made templates in Word or Google.Docs so you don't miss important points. It happens that inexperienced candidates forget to leave contacts for communication or indicate their full name. The situation is funny, but not uncommon.

While you have no work experience, please tell us more about your studies and additional projects. Indicate the topic of the diploma and term papers to show the areas of interest that interest you. If there were part-time jobs, one-time orders, freelance - write about it, this is also an experience.

Check the text for errors. If in doubt about the spelling of a word, replace it with something else. Show your resume to a parent, friend, or teacher to get valuable advice and remove the missing "bloopers".

Contact directly

Large companies have a large flow of applicants, so it's hard to attract attention. Look for recruiters' contacts on social networks or messengers and write to them directly. This will help you stand out from the crowd and get the job done faster.

Write a short introduction letter. Write who you are, what position you are applying for and why you want to work in this particular company. Add a link to your resume. If you are not answered within two to three business days, write again. Don't bother - two unanswered letters are enough. Try again after a couple of months.

Olga Ryazantseva, IT HR at TASS news agency

“In my experience, it’s most effective to get to know the HR of this company. HR people are most often public, and they always have a full set of social networks where you can find them, make friends and strike up a conversation. HR will be able to tell you more about vacancies for beginners and internships. Don't be discouraged if there are no opportunities for you right now, keep in touch with HR and update the information every three months. Fear not, we are not annoyed by this. This is a normal working moment.

If you can't find HR on social media, use the company's career sites, if there are any. They usually have a shared mailbox for recommendations and CVs of external candidates. Write beautiful motivation letters about your interest and desire to work and develop, over which the entire HR department will sob.

If you manage to get an interview with the company, then be prepared for test tasks and questions about the dream company and future functionality. "

Create the right mental attitude

Recruiters no longer look at the hard skills, but at the soft skills of candidates with no work experience.

Large corporations are looking for positive and proactive job seekers, so leave complaining, nagging, and negativity a thing of the past. Come for an interview in good mood... Be polite and friendly. Please respect the accepted dress code. If there are people around you in suits, do not wear shorts and a Hawaiian shirt.

Companies are looking for people who will share its values ​​and join the corporate environment. Therefore, find out more about the dream company in advance and go only to the one whose spirit suits you. You can acquire the necessary skills and knowledge during your work. But if at heart you are a "free artist", then you hardly want to work for many years in a corporation with a strict hierarchy.

Tatiana Shiryaeva, Head of HR Department, Vulkan Scientific and Technical Center

“When recruiting, we talk with the applicant, try to understand his qualifications, motivation, how comfortable he will be in the existing team. To interview candidates for technical jobs, where skill levels are fairly easy to measure and test, we start with tests.

Do not be confused by the tests and the offer to pass them. Often, it is not the result that matters, but how you think, how you reflect on the problem, what steps you take in solving, how you cope with the situation of stress and uncertainty. Your psychological qualities are sometimes no less important than professional ones.

Even if you are not ready as a specialist, but you have potential, and you see the desire for development and knowledge, you will open the entrances to the company. Feel free to ask questions. From the interview, you can take not only an invitation to work, but also an equally valuable understanding of what employers are interested in, where is your zone of proximal development and what you need to master on the way to the profession. Good luck on your career path! "

Take an internship

This is a surefire way to get into the company. Track internship vacancies on the corporation website or subscribe to specialized channels, for example, @newdirections, @brain_drain_ru and @studyqa on Telegram. Prepare your resume in advance and clean up social networks so that you can immediately apply for a newly opened vacancy. Keep in mind that there will be many applicants for an internship, so don't hesitate.

Anna Ivanova, Managing Consultant of IT & Telecoms Practice at Hays Recruiting Company

“Virtually all high-tech companies have well-designed internship programs that are often paid for. Therefore, we advise all children - both those who are still studying and those who are looking for work - to go on internships. This is a great way to continue your career in the dream company in the future. There are a lot of internships, so just Google them according to your chosen profile. This is especially true in the summer months.

Absolutely all companies thundering on the market have their own internal universities, which you can enter for study or advanced training. During the training, students solve cases, including specifically for this company, and the organizers select employees. For example, Yandex Academy.

Also, participate in popular hackathons, to which everyone is invited, regardless of age, work experience and general level. If you have ideas, ideas, projects, if you are a beginner developer, you simply have to participate. Such events, for example, are held by Megafon, Alfa Bank. Very often there is a very substantial prize fund, as well as the opportunity, if successful, to defend your project before the management of the organizing company. "

Crib

• Agree to the minimum position. Your task now is not to knock out Better conditions, but "hook" on a good place.
• Prepare a portfolio. Include successful educational projects... If there are not enough projects, create them on purpose.
• Do your social media hygiene beforehand.
• Make up competent resume, tell us about your studies, experience and personal qualities. Check it for errors. Attach a letter of motivation.
• Find HR contacts and write directly.
• Meet the development team of the dream company.
• Be open and friendly during the interview. Observe the dress code.
• Get an internship.
• Study in courses or at the University of the employing company.
• Participate in hackathons.

Do you dream of working in a large IT company, but do not know how to get the coveted place? The story of Austin Belcake from Microsoft will show you how to get in for an interview.

Decide on a vacancy (and find it)

The first step is to have a solid understanding of the specific job you are looking for, down to the company and title, if possible.

Then you need to make sure it is available. For now, let's assume you want to be a B2B technology account manager at Google. Looks like there is a place open in New York:

Then you will find someone who not only knows about the job, but has the potential to influence hiring. LinkedIn launch time.

In the search bar, add the company name + all the information I highlighted above (name, vertical / industry, preferred city). However, before we hit Search, we must remember that you are looking for someone who can influence the hiring process.

With this in mind, I usually use a heading that is one level higher than the position I'm looking for.
If you are unfamiliar with naming hierarchy structures in the corporate world, here is quick guide(if you are already familiar with how headers are structured, you can skip this section):

Note: a quick guide to organizational structures company by name

Each company has a hierarchy from the top with the CEO / founder all the way down to entry-level employees. When you research companies, especially the people you need to talk to in those companies, it helps to find out the specific headlines that make up the company's food chain. This way you can make sure you are communicating with the right person.

Here is a general list of names that will suit just about any company, starting at the top:

• C-Level ( general director(CEO), Technical Director(CTO), CFO(CFO), Chief Chief Operating Officer(COO) etc.)
• Vice President (VP)
• Director
• Senior manager (Senior)
• Manager
• Coordinator (beginner level)

Associate, Executive and Senior

In many companies, the aforementioned headings have some sort of variation that allows for higher segmentation at this level. The most common forms of this are Associate, Executive, and Senior. Here's what it means:

Associate: this title is usually given to someone who, for some reason, is halfway between positions (perhaps there is usually a gap of 4 years between levels, and they only work 2). A person with an Associate in their name is usually one step below the person with the original name. For example, the Associate Account Manager is likely to be one level below the Account Manager.

Senior: this title is the more experienced version of Associate. People with senior in their name are usually one notch higher than the original name. For example, Senior Account Manager will be one step higher than Account Manager.

Executive: this title is usually given to people who are very senior, or at the vice president level. The two most common cases are Executive Sales / Account Executive (synonymous with senior salesman) or an executive vice president who is two steps above the vice president and one step above the senior vice president.

This should be all the information you need to make an informed decision about where people are in the company you are studying.

Now that you are familiar with the structure of the company, let's get back to finding that insider who can help you get this job.
Since we're looking for an account manager, the next step up is a Senior Account Manager, so your LinkedIn search would look like this:

Our first result? Senior Account Manager who works in B2B at Google:

Getting contact information

We are now going to arrange a meeting. It is better to do this in person, but you can also do it over the phone if you dream of working in another state or country.
To get in touch with our influencer, we need him Contact Information... Here are three strategies you can use to find almost any corporate email address:

LinkedIn

It's obvious, but it is a huge time-saver and it certainly costs 10 seconds to check.
In a person's profile, right below the photo, there may be a button labeled “Contact information” (I say “maybe” because people have the ability to delete it). Sometimes people will have their own email address listed here - voila!
If not, let's move forward ...

Reverse lookup

Format negotiation

If that doesn't work, you can try looking for someone else's email at the company and use this format to determine your target email address.

For example, using Larry Page's page again, if I know that my friend John Smith's email is john google.com, then I can assume that Larry's email is larry google.com.
The easiest way to get a company email address is to reach out to someone on sales or media, because both of these departments usually have login forms, and people on the other end are ready to pounce on them.
We can also use our LinkedIn method here and target sellers.

Sellers almost always have their corporate email listed on their LinkedIn because it benefits them. If someone searches for their product and then finds it on LinkedIn, boom - they just got a new customer.
Once you have the format, you can use MailTester to verify the email address.

Explore, Explore, Explore

Now that you have a potential “counselor”, it's time to do some research so you can effectively build that relationship.
Start with the usual suspects - LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., and try to find common interests. To be honest, a lot of people are better at this than me, so back to the point.

I will only say one thing - do not be lazy. The more you learn about a person in advance, the better your chances of getting a recommendation from them.

Some have asked me, “Austin, doesn't this sound a little weird? I feel like I am intrusive. " I understand everything clearly. However, this information is critical to building strong relationships quickly and getting a recommendation, and in my experience, people tend to expect you to do some research. The point is to understand what to take and what not.

People are okay with seeing their LinkedIn profile, but if you mention that you saw their Facebook photo in a bar on Saturday, it would be weird.

My rule of thumb is that if you find your LinkedIn profile, you're fine. If you find it elsewhere: facebook, twitter, etc., use a different method.
For example, if I see that the "advisor" is a ski fanatic, then I will ski in advance.

Sending a letter

Now that you have a potential "advisor" and his contact information, it's time to get in touch. This is not only the most frightening part, but also the most important.
In order to get past this milestone, I added a letter script that I used myself. In it, I write to Tim, who works at Google.

Subject: Quick Question
Hello Tim,
My name is Austin and I am currently working at Cultivated Culture. I was browsing LinkedIn and came across your profile - I hope you don’t mind that I am suddenly here.
I realized that you have a lot of experience working at Google in the B2B vertical and I would like to know more about what is there and how. I would like to be able to ask you a few questions, or get some advice based on your experience in the industry.
I understand that your time is extremely valuable, so please do not feel like you need to answer in detail. If you have 5 minutes to chat, I would really appreciate it.
Best wishes,
Austin.

There are several key points in the letter above:

• Contact the person you write by name
• Indicate who you are and introduce yourself
• Show that you treat the person like an expert

As for the subject line, Fast Company conducted a study in which they sent 1,000 emails to their CEO. top echelon Fortune and Inc. They found that the "Quick Question" topic accounted for 66.7% of the the total answers. I got similar results.
This letter is just a sample, you will most likely need to customize it to fit your needs.
I recommend using the cold mail guide from Sam Parr. I also used it to design my letters.
Now you can send.

Preparing for the meeting

To do this, we must know what to prepare for. The purpose of the meeting is to position the “advisor” as an expert, make him feel special and build a relationship.
You shouldn't mention anything about vacancies at their company. People intuitively enjoy helping others and if you follow the instructions, things will go naturally.
You will want to prepare a list of questions that will help him open up and tell about himself and the company. I like to ask a few opening questions, and then a few that they will surely remember.
Here is a list that helped me a lot (I think the last question is very memorable):

1. I saw that you used to work for (Previous Company Name). How and why did you decide to move to (Current Company)?
2. You hear a lot of news about (Current Company), why do you like working here? What's your favorite?
3. What was the most unexpected lesson you learned while working for (Current Company)?

The million dollar question

Regardless of which questions you choose, there is one in which you should be sure:
What is your team's biggest challenge right now?
The answer to this question is to make them be specific. This information will be critical in helping you get the right direction and then the job offer.

Your homework: Round the value (up)

You met with the "advisor", everything went well and you identified the main pain points. Now let's focus on the last part.
During the next week you will have to study all the impurities of this problem. Then you need to find a solution and suggest it. It should include:

• A brief statement of the problem (to show that you understand their pain)
• Step-by-step plan for solving it
• A brief outline of how your skillset will help bring this decision to life

This process deserves a separate article to be honest, but it will give you a good idea of ​​what you need to do.
Once you have all the information you need, put it in Word, head over to Upwork and hire a designer to make your proposal look amazing.

Let's continue with your job offer

Now we go back to our advisor with our solution. Here's the template I used:

Hi [Counselor Name],
Thanks again for taking the time to chat this past week.
I spent a lot of time thinking about what you said about [the team's biggest problem]. Actually, I have come up with something that should help you solve this problem. You can find it in the attachment to the letter.
If you have a little time, I could talk about this in more detail.
Please let me know if you have any questions, I look forward to hearing what you think about it!
Best wishes,
Austin.

It is very important not to speak openly about your vacancy in letters or an offer. Be patient and wait for an answer. When they come back to you, they will not only be ready to offer a job, they will ask you to do it.
Accept this. You are accepted!

For ease of reading, the article has been divided into the following parts:

Youthful passion for computer games sometimes comes to naught, like youth itself, along with acne, adolescent maximalism and the obligatory attendance of the average educational institution... Former gaming activity boils down to the usual get-together on gaming forums, where "oldies" spoil environment gamerological flatulence - “ before the games were completely hits”. But for some, the hobby does not go away over the years. Moreover, passion flows smoothly into a desire to make games. However, the prospect of getting a job in a well-known game company seems like a pipe dream to many. But is it really that complicated? We inquired about the rules for recruiting the legendary "K-D LAB".

By the way, about cockroaches
“Of course, a handsome young specialist without bad habits and with an excellent sense of humor and work experience behind him is an ideal option. But you need to remember that developers are creative people. Sometimes even slightly eccentric. In our team, as they say, everyone has their own jokes. Someone likes to go to work in a tracksuit. Someone, fleeing the flu, prefers Coldrex "at the garlic (be it wrong). Someone is crazy about mobile phones and is able to talk anyone to death. Everyone has their own cockroaches ... The ability to live and work in such an environment, not to get annoyed on trifles, getting along with people - we call it sociability. But the main thing is that a person is good - skillful, responsible, energetic, in a word - a Professional with a capital letter. " Elena Khudenko aka Penguin.
Selected material
As it turned out, the cadavers are in the process of restructuring. Formed new company - KDV Games, which has already managed to conclude a contract with a British company Codemasters to develop new game... In general, life is already in full swing, and here we are with our questions ... But journalists - they, like bath leaves, fall off and stick when necessary, at any time of the year, regardless of the place of adhesion. To this natural phenomenon in "K-D LAB" are sympathetic. It takes a long time to persuade Elena Khudenko aka Penguin(The company's PR manager) didn't have to.
“Gambling addiction” [I]: Have you had to hire people without work experience in other gaming companies? How should such a candidate be amazed in order for his desire to work in “KD LAB” to have some chances of success?
Elena Khudenko [EX]:I had to, of course. Moreover, most of our employees have no previous experience in other gaming companies! Getting into our team is quite real, there is nothing supernatural about it. It is not at all necessary to “hit” us, but here high level knowledge and professionalism is essential. That is, in order to get a place in our company, of course, you need to represent something professionally. We need specialists all the time. But we no longer have the opportunity to train people from scratch. Therefore, if a person wants to work with us, for example, a 3D-modeler, then (at least) graphic packages should know “perfectly well”. Nobody will explain how to use 3DS Max here.
Recently, some 10-15 years ago, the desire to create was enough to get a place in a gaming company. Many were already learning “in progress”. This was the case in the West when a young industry was learning to walk. So it was with US. In a new business, the lack of skill is often compensated for by fanaticism in the eyes. However, times are changing. Our companies have gained experience. Including negative. It is unprofitable to bother with staff training, to spend money and time on it without a guarantee, ultimately, to get a specialist of the required qualifications. Therefore, recruits must educate themselves. And you can start right now, by studying materials from the sections of the "Igrostroy" section.
[And]: Do you require any recommendations from applicants? If a person you know “puts in a good word” for the candidate, will it matter? Or the main thing is, what exactly will the applicant show and tell you?
[EX]:Recommendations are extremely unreliable, so we do not require them from candidates. But in the process of searching for employees, all channels are used - including the search among acquaintances. So if a team member knows a specialist who is looking for a job, why not get to know him better? It happens that after such an acquaintance, we take a person for a trial period. And if in the process of testing he shows the presence of the necessary skills, then - welcome! But if it is clear that a person is not pulling, no recommendations will save him.
The probationary period has its pitfalls, but in relation to the candidates themselves. For example, sometimes they offer high-paying content production jobs (usually 2D / 3D artists are required). What is important - remotely (finished materials are sent by mail). However, you need to go through a trial period, during which they pay a meager amount and, allegedly, study the suitability of the candidate. Of course, no one passes the test. Not because they are unsuitable, but because permanent workers are not really needed by the scammers. In this case, all materials remain the property of the scammers. This is often the fault of unnamed shareware game makers. There is only one way out - to deal only with well-known companies.
[And]: The phrase “Requires a sociable person who knows how to work in a team” is present in literally every job advertisement. But how can you discern this quality if you see a person (and even more so - read his letter) for the first time in your life? Maybe you invite a psychologist for an interview, and a sorcerer checks your mail?
[EX]:The communication skills of applicants are quite important for us. Their ability to work in a team. You need to be able to share responsibilities and jointly solve problems. Do not “pull the blanket over yourself”. And do not hesitate to find out all the controversial circumstances. The productivity of the team as a whole depends on this. Of course, it is not possible to reveal the presence of the necessary qualities by one letter without developed telepathic abilities. During the interview, you have to do discount for excitement. Therefore, we are looking at a new employee for the first week or two. During this period, the beginner should already get used to it, crawl out of the shell and show us his soft body. If, after this period, he is still constrained (and this can be seen without a sorcerer), then you should think about his sociability. Although, if stiffness doesn't hurt completing tasks, then this is not a reason to refuse an employee. After all, everyone is different, and there is room for exceptions in any rule.
Indeed, the psychologist at the interview will add unnecessary worries to the candidate. And where is the guarantee that he will "see through" the interlocutor? What if the applicant tells a lie? In this regard, there are well-proven folk remedies- hot iron, hot soldering iron, good office vice. But within the framework of universal human values, gaming companies are forced to behave humanely.
[And]: At the interview, do you only touch on narrow professional topics or are you trying to assess the general level of outlook? How important is the versatile development of the future employee (in terms of possible growth) to you? If you have to choose between an excellent specialist who is fixated on a certain area, or who knows a lot, but with an average level of quality, who would you prefer?
[EX]:At the interview questions like “What? Where? When?" we do not ask and do not force IQ tests to pass. Usually everything takes place in a calm atmosphere. We talk with the person. First of all, we find out what he can do, what he would like to do, in what direction he will move on. It is very important for us that the area that is assigned to a new employee arouses his keen interest. However, this is not always the case. However, we do not refuse a person if the vacancy for which he is applying is already occupied. We will look for options if it suits us in general terms. Good worker can strengthen any team in any direction.
Of course, the interest in games, and most importantly, in their production, is very important quality... We consider it among the most important.
[And]: Our readers have more than enough interest in games ...
[EX]:Who would doubt that!
And it turns out great: if you choose for yourself computer games as future profession, then reading game magazines can be considered professional training entry level! Of course, there are less pleasant, but obligatory moments - studying 3D Max, C ++ etc. Otherwise, reading for future use will not work.
[And]: Should you rely on a resume? You can write anything you want. Quite often completely different people write the “correct” resume for a candidate (he wrote it himself). Has it ever happened that after hiring your opinion about the newcomer changed dramatically? After all, an inexperienced person can imagine the process of developing a game in a completely different way than it actually is. Frustrations happen?
[EX]:No one is immune from disappointment. It happens that the applicant's resume is excellent and the examples of work are good, but as soon as he starts working, it turns out that he does not really know the right tool. Fortunately, such cases are rare. Murder will out. As a result, such a “specialist” is immediately sent to his historical homeland, and the vacancy remains open. From our side, we try to provide all conditions even for an inexperienced person. A beginner always has a “curator” - the leading specialist in charge of it. He is always there: he determines the scope of work, answers questions, helps with emerging difficulties.
Here the cadavers are serious - “ Not sure, don't come”! A curator has been placed on the way for those wishing to make an entertaining trip. Since he is always there, it will be difficult to grab something from the office as a souvenir. And what a tour without souvenirs? And do not rush to check out from your historical homeland. What if the vacancy will remain open, and there will be nowhere to return?

KDV Games instructions
You can get a job with us in just 10 steps:
1. We go to our site in the section "Work" - www.kdvgames.com/company/job.php .
2. We are looking for a suitable vacancy and make sure that we meet the specified requirements.
3. We write a resume in which we colorfully tell about ourselves, about our life path, as well as the experience gained along the way.
4. We select the best available work, pack it with an archiver and attach it to the above CV, or provide a link to the online archive.
5. Crossing our fingers and holding our breath, we send the received dispatches to the address [email protected] .
6. Without unclenching our fingers, we are waiting for an answer.
7. We read the received answer. If the answer is yes, then go to the next level. Residents of the Kaliningrad region - go to step 8. Applicants from other regions - complete the received from КDV Games test tasks, after which step 6 is repeated back.
8. We receive an invitation to pass the probationary period.
9. We arrive / arrive at the office, get to know the team and get to work. We try to show ourselves with better side and demonstrate all skills and abilities.
10. Welcome!
It should be noted that we widely use remote resources, but today this applies only to 3D modelers. It's even easier to work remotely:
1. We send resume with examples of work.
2. If the answer is yes, we get a test task.
3. In the course of the test task, the effectiveness and quality of the applicant's work is determined.
4. After accepting the test task, we negotiate the terms of the contract - and into battle!
Family business
Let's say you passed the test, signed a contract and entered the circle of the chosen minions of fate. You might think that life is a success, the bank is broken and all that remains is to receive dividends, spitting at the ceiling. Nothing like this. It's only the beginning. It is necessary to get along in a team where each person is a person and requires a careful individual approach. Where there are written and unwritten rules. All your "communication skills" will be required. Otherwise, the sky in diamonds may very soon seem like a sheepskin.
[And]: Do you have your own traditions in relation to beginners? For example, it is customary for submariners to kiss a sledgehammer suspended in the cockpit and drink outboard seawater (they even forced VVP). Do you have similar rituals? How does an “infusion” into a family usually go?
[EX]:A very accurate word is “family”. As you know, our team is small - about 30 people, and we try to maintain the warmest family atmosphere. So there is no need for a beginner to perform rituals. But if he wishes, he can always celebrate joining the company by treating everyone with a cake. The whole team gathers: in In an informal atmosphere, we talk, we learn new facts about the newbie. Usually, these gatherings spill over into "industrial" conversations, which is actually quite useful for a new employee (especially if he has no experience in other game companies). In such a casual conversation, you can learn a lot about the process of creating games, and about the industry in general.
[And]: What kind of cake should it be to feed 30 people? And what kind of tea should you drink it so that new facts about the newbie appear? And what are the facts? Like - "fell face down in a salad, not reaching the stage of industrial conversations"?
[EX]:Experience shows that two or three cakes are enough. The main thing is to cut it into smaller pieces. Tea - fragrant, aromatic, pleasant to the taste. Why am I telling this? Come to visit - we will arrange a "ritual" for the full program!
We will not refuse such proposals, but if there is a good informational occasion. We will definitely visit. In the interests of the readers, we are ready to fly to any part of the country to have tea for a brotherhood with famous developers and find out from them the most intimate secrets (without the use of proven folk remedies).
[And]: I see you are in complete order with humor. Newbies everywhere become the object of close attention of jokers and the first victims of collective draws. There are recruits in the Navy and the pasta is blown through (to make it better cooked), and the multi-ton anchors are cleaned to a shine (to keep it tight). How are your recruits?
[EX]:You tell all some horrors .... No, we are categorically against hazing! Of course, a collective is a collective, and we also have jokers. For example, programmers often quarrel and make fun of each other - this is their kind of work environment. Noise, din, bangers. Now, if they suddenly calmed down - then it is worth asking once again what they are doing and whether everyone has enough work. But this only applies to “veterans”. Making fun of newbies is not the case. Such inclinations are ruthlessly suppressed.
[And]: Elena, thanks for the informative conversation!
[EX]:To your health ... And we will remember the "cake" for you ... Jokers!

To each according to work! We did not ask the cadavers about the size of the possible material reward. First, the amounts will be different for different cases. Secondly, real applicants will learn this information first-hand, and it will be more complete and accurate. But in general, newcomers receive in large gaming companies from $ 500 to $ 800 (depending on the capabilities of the employer). This starting salary is much higher than the national average. However, it will take a long time to save up for Mercedes. True, there is an opportunity to pull out a lucky ticket. Since computer games are a creative product, they, as an art form, constantly participate in various competitions. IN good contests, in addition to the announcement of the winners, they also give substantial cash prizes. For example, "K-D LAB" in 1996 put on ENIX Internet Entertainment Contest the game Brainy ball... It was invented by Mikhail "ChSnark" Piskunov, and programmed Evgeny "Steeler" Khudenko... The game won the second place in the competition, and the material reward was $ 10,000. In the 98th year, at the same competition, the game MOBL became the winner. “K-D LAB” issued “Grand Prix” and the amount of $ 200,000. Isn't that a good increase in salary? Also, do not forget that many gaming companies are closed joint stock companies... That is, you can buy part of your company's shares and receive a share of the total income. And most importantly, getting additional profit depends only on the success of the game. This means - and on the quality of your work too.

* * *
As you can see, even such a well-known company as "K-D LAB" and her new face, KDV Games are not at all fenced with barbed wire. Games are made by people. And if you strive for it, you have creative potential and ability, then nothing is impossible. As Elena used to say - “there would be a good person”, but there will always be opportunities!

In-demand specialists are often faced with a difficult choice: which company to go to work - in a large, medium or small? According to the Research Center of the recruiting portal site, more than half of Russians (54%), all other things being equal, would choose a large organization. However, is it so easy to build a career in famous company? Does a position in a recognizable company guarantee a high income?

To appreciate all the pros and cons and do right choice, heed the advice.

Career and brand
So, what attracts Russians to work for a well-known and / or large company? There are really many advantages. According to a survey conducted by the Portal Research Center, the site is primarily about opportunities career growth significant for 48% of respondents. A large staff, multi-level hierarchy, employee training programs and the likelihood of opening new branches or directions - all this creates a favorable background for a career. But are there any pitfalls here?

On the one hand, a line in a resume about a job in famous brand and really is able to impress the recruiter. In addition, involvement in success large company can significantly increase your market value, that is, your salary. But this, of course, will be after you, for some reason, decide to leave the company.

As for career advancement within a well-known company, it is not a fact that you will quickly achieve a promotion there: the competition in such organizations is usually very high, and besides, your area of ​​work may be narrow enough to be quickly noticed. That, however, does not exclude excellent opportunities for establishing numerous contacts with colleagues and networking, which, as you know, is in itself very useful for a career.

Stability or high income?
In addition, for 41% of Russians, a job in a large company is attractive because of its stability and confidence in the future. Indeed, a well-promoted company is more resilient than a lesser-known organization, because the brand itself is capital, and often considerable. As the famous business wisdom says, in a crisis the strong get stronger.

Other advantages of large companies include the often extended social package(it is noted by 9% of Russians), professional growth (8%), stable income(7%), prestige and strict adherence to norms labor legislation(6% each).

But count on very high salary Applying for a job in a brand company is probably not worth it. It is very likely that your income will be "white" and stable, but hardly much higher than the market. A simple calculation of the employer is at work here - why pay more if the employees are motivated by the very fact of working for a well-known company? This is exactly the case when a brand benefits by helping to save. However, there are many exceptions.

Study, study and study ... at a corporate university
A significant advantage of working in a large company is good chance professional development... Even if your functionality is rather limited, you will almost certainly get the opportunity to learn. Large companies often invest not only in 1-2-day trainings and seminars, but also in long-term ones (for example, foreign language) and even so-called corporate universities.

Obvious cons
Are there any downsides to working for a large brand? There are not many of them, but still they should be taken into account when deciding on choosing an employer. First, it is very likely that in a large organization you will face a lot of bureaucratic procedures. If at your previous work in a small organization, in order to resolve the issue, for example, about organizing a buffet for journalists after a press conference, you just had to look into the next office and discuss it with your immediate boss and chief accountant, now you will have to write a dozen about this. letters and carry out a lot of approvals.

The second minus is, oddly enough, the division of labor. On the one hand, this is progressive and indicates a well-functioning business process, but will a narrow specialization benefit your career? An accountant who managed several areas of work in a medium-sized company at once has more chances to grow professionally to the chief accountant than his colleague, who was engaged only in calculating salaries in an industrial giant with a big name. An average position in a medium-sized firm implies a significantly wider range of responsibilities than a similar position in a large and well-known company.

When choosing a job, focus not only on the prominence of the company, but also on what role this company can play in your career. It is important not only not to miss your chance, but also to use it correctly.