I’m now on week 9 of my journey (but my fifth column, hence the title!), so I thought it might be good to cover some of the things I have learnt and give where I am now and what I see my future to be like
Firstly how I got here:
Early September the company I was working for, as a Head of Operations, let me go. I totally understand why and we have indeed stayed friends.
This landed me at a time when the video games industry is a car crash. There are layoffs left, right and centre with very few roles being safe, and even fewer new roles being available for those people to move into.
From the day I received the bad news, I have been searching for a new role. That’s not all though!
In that time I have taken on 3 gamedev mentees, one of which told me just yesterday that they have found a new role. He also told me that it was my encouragement that gave him the drive to get to where he is.
Spending a lot of time looking for a new role
I have taken on the role of mentor to a startup video game studio, which is building on my skills and experience in business generally, but in video games specifically. That studio has already received its first contract for co-dev work.
Spending more time looking for a new role
All of that, though, is building upon what I was doing prior to the beginning of September. What is different is that I’m doing more in the mental wellness space, particularly with regards to job searchers and identity.
Spending still more time looking for a new role
It all started with a LinkedIn post, where in stated that companies can’t make you redundant, it’s really important to remember that it’s the role that is being made redundant. This lead onto Andy Coley and myself doing a LinkedIn audio event around that subject. Unfortunately LinkedIn doesn’t allow you to record these events, but a summary of it is posted here, thanks to Jamie Sefton and the team at Game Republic: You are NOT redundant: Rising from Redundancy – Game Republic. since then we have been asked to reprise the talk, with some added content and this time it will be recorded.
Off the back of those two things I have had really positive feedback from people who are going through the tough times of having their identity reduced by their role being made redundant.
Yes, still more time looking for a new role
I picked up some seasonal, part time work in the kitchen of a local bar. That is mainly to get me out of the house and keep me used to having a routine. Routine is good, for me anyway!
Guess what? Yup, more job searching!
I have, during all this time, had lots of conversations with people that I trust (CxOs, Heads of etc) about their view on the market, what they think I should do and when the market might return.
Which leads me to where I am at, which is not necessarily where I initially wanted to be but I believe it is where I need to be: I find myself setting up a consultancy for game dev startups and scale ups. Those that don’t have the brain space, nor the experience, to do those things that are important (and sometimes are a legal requirement) they just want to make video games. I am going to expand my mentee base too, possibly to 7 so that I have enough time each month to devote to helping them properly.
How do I make that pay? Well I want to keep the individual mentee fee-free as they are the future of the industry. However the company consultancy will be chargeable, depending on the complexity of the company.
I suppose the takeaway here is make the time your own, some of it will be boring and tedious but there is scope to end up doing good!
