Finding a job is easy?

Since childhood, I longed for working on video games. When we move to China with my wife, I thought it was a good time to try to land a job in the industry!

So, 6 months before actually moving to China, I started my new job search. I sent CVs and application letters to tens of companies. I got only got very few responses and all negatives.

By the time, we were actually moving to China, I still had no job. Meaning also not a long-stay visa for me... Time was clocking.

Once in China, I continued to apply daily. I certainly felt hopeless several times and started to reconsider things.

While I was starting to consider alimentary jobs, I scheduled a couple of interviews in Shanghai.

This was somehow the last chance for me. If it was not working out, I would go for a backup plan, I was thinking. Time was clocking after all.

I got a clean haircut, shaved, and we booked a cheap hotel in a Shanghai suburb close to the train station for a week.

The first interviews went ok. But even if it was in the gaming industry, it definitely did not match my ambitions. And what I imagined.

But thankfully, the last one went well. It went great, actually. I made a good impression and the company was fascinating.

I got an offer right away that I accepted in the following hour, the interview, I believe. Ending 8 months of research. And allowing me to stay in China long-term!

But after a month and a half or about so, one morning a company meeting was summoned. The suspense didn’t last long.

The meeting was about the news: The game I was working on was canceled. And the team working on it was being laid off (including me).

But somehow I took the news very neutrally. My career in the gaming industry was just starting. And within this short lapse of time, I felt I proved to myself that I was capable of it.

I didn't want to give up on that career I was longing for and that I know I was capable of.

I resumed my job search with that spirit. But one thing was different, I had a foot in the industry. I had an apartment in Shanghai, a related experience, and a network.

Quickly I have been scheduling 7 to 8 interviews in the following week after the news. I was still very excited and formatted to do job research.

After that week full of interviews, I got a couple of offers. At the same time, I grew my network a lot, and even if I were to be laid off again, I knew I could find something else.

Finding a job is not easy! But to make it easier, here are some tips for you readers if you are currently looking for a job:

Be in the right mindset
To maximize your luck, you need to show self-confidence, extraversion, energy, organization, and such. If you are introverted like me, that requires some work on yourself upfront.
If you are moving to a new location, do research on the local companies
TBH, I lost quite some time just trying to apply to the companies I knew, or I could think of. While I could have tried to look for more local companies and understand the local ecosystem.
Use or grow your network
LinkedIn is great for that, or the internet in general. But also with any interview, you get. You can keep in touch with the company and/or the interviewers. A no is rarely definitive.
Come prepared to interview
You need to be the best of yourself, be full of energy, and ambitions. But also research info on the company and the products you may be working on.
Be patient
Especially if you are trying to join a new industry like the gaming industry, you may have to prove yourself. Get related experience as much as you can and build a portfolio and/or list of references.

Good luck to you in your job research!

Photo by Dylan Gillis on Unsplash

Finding a job is easy?

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