Getting a Game Industry Job Has Never Been Easier!

In a sentence, Get in the Game is a book about the strategies you can use to get a job and make a career in the game industry. The focus is on those who are just starting out and have not taken much time to research the industry, but the book itself is far from useless to the informed job-seeker or the reader who has been in the industry for a few years.

When considering a book of this nature, it's natural to wonder about the author's experience. Writers by nature are pretty good at pulling information out of various orifices. It's how I managed fair grades on essays for which I did little actual work. So believe me when I say, it's worth knowing what kind of experience an author has before buying a book that's supposed to teach you something as important as getting a job. Rest assured, with ten years industry experience, as well as additional time spent as a recruiter, Marc Mencher is more than qualified to give advice on getting a job in one of the most competitive job markets.

Like most books of this type, Get in the Game is a step by step guide at its heart, but there's a great deal more to it than a shoddy outline. From start to finish, Mencher is thorough in his advice and recommendations, even providing examples and relevant feedback from industry professionals. Throughout the chapters of this near 300 page book, he discusses the process of researching employers and positions, finding unadvertised jobs through networking, writing queries to companies and individuals, assembling a resume, building a strong portfolio and demo reel, interviewing, salary negotiation, keeping a job, and rising through the ranks - in a nutshell, an overview of everything you need to know about obtaining (and maintaining) a career in the industry.

But this book is more than just a how-to guide. Along with the tips and tricks presented in Mencher's own enthusiastic style, Get in the Game also includes a lengthy description of the different departments in the game industry and various jobs found within, as well as the qualifications for such jobs and the expectations of employers. While you should spend a great deal of additional time researching individual job opportunities in the game industry, Get in the Game provides a great starting point.

Perhaps what I enjoyed most about this book, though, is the down-to-earth nature of it. Mencher describes things just as they are, with no hype or glamour, and the industry is no exception. He makes it very clear that if you are looking for that dream job in which you get paid big bucks to sit around and play video games all day, this industry is just not for you. He also doesn't attempt to hide the fact that not only is the salary of the average industry professional far less than people assume, but the work hours tend to be far longer, especially during crunch time. A risky thing to publish? Certainly, but I wouldn't be recommending a book that took any other approach when taking potential careers into its hands.

But like any published material, Get in the Game is not without its faults, minor as they may be. The book could have done with some extra proofing, and the writing is a bit redundant at times, yet it's far from unreadable. Some have criticized Mencher's methods as being far too aggressive, citing references such as his proposed one-minute 'sell yourself' speech and bold salary negotiations. Personally, I view Get in the Game as I would any how-to book - as the author's personal way of solving a problem and reaching a goal. Their way is best for them, and Marc Mencher's way is best for him. Take from it what you can, and develop your own way that's best for you.

There's enough industry information packed into this book that even if you disagree with the particular methods, it's still worth the purchase and the read. While I would recommend this book to the person who is just starting to consider a career in the game industry, it is still a good buy for those with a few years of experience looking to move up, as well as those in another entertainment industry looking to move laterally.