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How can I get into software engineer or game design?
What will help me achieve my goal of becoming a software engineer or game designer?
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4 answers
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Rihem’s Answer
Hello Pei Bin!
Getting into software engineering or game design can be a rewarding career choice, but it requires dedication, education, and practical experience. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to pursue these careers:
1. Develop Your Skills:
Software Engineering:
Start by learning programming languages such as Python, Java, C++, or JavaScript. You can use online resources like Codecademy, Coursera, edX, or freeCodeCamp.
Gain proficiency in data structures and algorithms, which are fundamental to software development.
Practice problem-solving through coding challenges on platforms like LeetCode and HackerRank.
Game Design:
Learn game design principles by studying books, online courses, or even pursuing a formal degree in game design.
Get familiar with game engines like Unity or Unreal Engine.
Gain experience in 2D and 3D art, animation, and sound design if you're interested in the visual and audio aspects of game design.
2. Get a Relevant Education:
For software engineering, a bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field is often recommended. However, it's possible to enter the field with a relevant associate degree or through coding bootcamps.
For game design, consider a degree in game design, computer science, computer engineering, or a related field. While not always required, having a formal education can be an advantage.
3. Build a Portfolio:
Create personal projects to showcase your skills. For software engineering, this can be developing web applications, mobile apps, or contributing to open-source projects. For game design, build small games or design levels.
Share your projects on platforms like GitHub, Bitbucket, or personal websites.
4. Networking:
Attend industry conferences, meetups, and online forums related to software engineering or game design.
Connect with professionals in the field, seek mentorship, and learn from experienced individuals.
5. Internships and Entry-Level Positions:
Look for internships or entry-level positions in software development or game design. These roles provide valuable real-world experience.
Apply to companies in the gaming industry if you're pursuing game design.
6. Continual Learning:
Stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends and technologies by taking online courses or certifications.
Read books and articles related to your field.
7. Tailor Your Resume and Portfolio:
Customize your resume and portfolio for each job application, highlighting the skills and experiences that match the specific job requirements.
8. Prepare for Interviews:
Practice technical interviews if you're pursuing a software engineering role. Sites like LeetCode and HackerRank offer coding challenges.
For game design positions, be ready to discuss your design process, experience with game engines, and any game projects you've worked on.
9. Apply and Network:
Apply to jobs that align with your skills and interests.
Use your network to discover job openings and gain referrals.
10. Be Persistent:
The job search process can be challenging, so stay persistent and keep improving your skills.
Remember, both software engineering and game design are competitive fields, so patience and dedication are crucial. Continually building and refining your skills and networking can increase your chances of landing a job in these industries.
Getting into software engineering or game design can be a rewarding career choice, but it requires dedication, education, and practical experience. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to pursue these careers:
1. Develop Your Skills:
Software Engineering:
Start by learning programming languages such as Python, Java, C++, or JavaScript. You can use online resources like Codecademy, Coursera, edX, or freeCodeCamp.
Gain proficiency in data structures and algorithms, which are fundamental to software development.
Practice problem-solving through coding challenges on platforms like LeetCode and HackerRank.
Game Design:
Learn game design principles by studying books, online courses, or even pursuing a formal degree in game design.
Get familiar with game engines like Unity or Unreal Engine.
Gain experience in 2D and 3D art, animation, and sound design if you're interested in the visual and audio aspects of game design.
2. Get a Relevant Education:
For software engineering, a bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field is often recommended. However, it's possible to enter the field with a relevant associate degree or through coding bootcamps.
For game design, consider a degree in game design, computer science, computer engineering, or a related field. While not always required, having a formal education can be an advantage.
3. Build a Portfolio:
Create personal projects to showcase your skills. For software engineering, this can be developing web applications, mobile apps, or contributing to open-source projects. For game design, build small games or design levels.
Share your projects on platforms like GitHub, Bitbucket, or personal websites.
4. Networking:
Attend industry conferences, meetups, and online forums related to software engineering or game design.
Connect with professionals in the field, seek mentorship, and learn from experienced individuals.
5. Internships and Entry-Level Positions:
Look for internships or entry-level positions in software development or game design. These roles provide valuable real-world experience.
Apply to companies in the gaming industry if you're pursuing game design.
6. Continual Learning:
Stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends and technologies by taking online courses or certifications.
Read books and articles related to your field.
7. Tailor Your Resume and Portfolio:
Customize your resume and portfolio for each job application, highlighting the skills and experiences that match the specific job requirements.
8. Prepare for Interviews:
Practice technical interviews if you're pursuing a software engineering role. Sites like LeetCode and HackerRank offer coding challenges.
For game design positions, be ready to discuss your design process, experience with game engines, and any game projects you've worked on.
9. Apply and Network:
Apply to jobs that align with your skills and interests.
Use your network to discover job openings and gain referrals.
10. Be Persistent:
The job search process can be challenging, so stay persistent and keep improving your skills.
Remember, both software engineering and game design are competitive fields, so patience and dedication are crucial. Continually building and refining your skills and networking can increase your chances of landing a job in these industries.
Updated
Andrew’s Answer
If you can, getting a degree in CS or game design is the best way. Colleges usually work with you to help create a learning path to figure out where you want to go within that specialty. If youre younger or college isnt an option or even just for added learning there are many online certifications and courses to utilize to build your resume. Along the way in these learning processes youll find ins and outs of specialties, network building, etc to help grow your resume
Thanks for the help.
Pei Bin
Updated
Suad’s Answer
+1 to the comments above regarding schooling. That is the most common path people take to get into software engineering / game design. This plus LeetCode and you will likely land a job in a couple of months after school.
However, from my experience it does not always lead to a fulfilling career. I know too many people that follow this path thinking it is smooth sailing once you land a job, only to later be bored out of their minds (they refuse to even look at a line of code outside of work). Ask yourself this, are you doing it to be a 'software engineer/ game designer', or are you doing it because you have a passion for coding and all the things that come with it?
In my opinion, the best way to get into these fields is to find a problem you'd like to solve in your life and code up a solution for it. It doesn't have to be big. My first one was adding a loading bar to a website for $50 (enough to buy a newly released video game). It was arguably my worst paying job since it took me over 100 hours to figure out how to add 20ish lines of code to a static site. It was also one of the most euphoric moments in my life. I refreshed that website with my newly added loading bar at least a couple hundred times haha.
Anyways the TLDR is:
School will give you a solid foundation of knowledge that can get you a job. Being curious will give you a life long tool to solve any problem that comes your way.
To quote Steve Jobs:
“You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do."
My short career summary:
Degree in Biology -> Educational researcher in neuroscience -> CTO and Co-Founder at a multi million $ startup -> Software engineer at IBM -> Software engineer at Google
In this time I've done dozens of projects outside of work for fun (and profit!).
However, from my experience it does not always lead to a fulfilling career. I know too many people that follow this path thinking it is smooth sailing once you land a job, only to later be bored out of their minds (they refuse to even look at a line of code outside of work). Ask yourself this, are you doing it to be a 'software engineer/ game designer', or are you doing it because you have a passion for coding and all the things that come with it?
In my opinion, the best way to get into these fields is to find a problem you'd like to solve in your life and code up a solution for it. It doesn't have to be big. My first one was adding a loading bar to a website for $50 (enough to buy a newly released video game). It was arguably my worst paying job since it took me over 100 hours to figure out how to add 20ish lines of code to a static site. It was also one of the most euphoric moments in my life. I refreshed that website with my newly added loading bar at least a couple hundred times haha.
Anyways the TLDR is:
School will give you a solid foundation of knowledge that can get you a job. Being curious will give you a life long tool to solve any problem that comes your way.
To quote Steve Jobs:
“You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do."
My short career summary:
Degree in Biology -> Educational researcher in neuroscience -> CTO and Co-Founder at a multi million $ startup -> Software engineer at IBM -> Software engineer at Google
In this time I've done dozens of projects outside of work for fun (and profit!).
Updated
Natalia’s Answer
As was mentioned by Andrew, you might want to start with research (check college courses available to you or online certifications, and engineering forums/communities, build your network and begin following professionals to get some insights into specific topics).
I am listing a few communities where you can create your profile and get tons of information while searching by specific topics: https://github.com/, https://www.gamedeveloper.com/, https://www.gamedev.net/start-game-development/, https://www.linkedin.com, https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/games/community/, https://medium.com/, https://www.pluralsight.com/.
I hope this helps. Good luck!
I am listing a few communities where you can create your profile and get tons of information while searching by specific topics: https://github.com/, https://www.gamedeveloper.com/, https://www.gamedev.net/start-game-development/, https://www.linkedin.com, https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/games/community/, https://medium.com/, https://www.pluralsight.com/.
I hope this helps. Good luck!
Your advice was so helpful!
Pei Bin