Job Suggestions?

[petrarch]

I should have done this type of searching a long time ago... I see an opening for EA Sports (1 hour drive from here) for a programming intern (paid). No bachelor's needed- just skills in C++. It says that prior experience making your own games on the side will be considered highly... ugh- haven't done much of that. But- forget everything else- I'm going to work on frantically modding Quake so I have something to show them! Maybe I'll even set up a simple game engine so I have something to show.

Modding Quake qualifies as "making your own games"? C++ was the first "serious" language I learned and I got my first job because of it. But, to be brutally honest, it took me 2 or 3 years of actively learning it on my own before I was ready to pursue it professionally. It is a difficult beast to grasp, but once you do, especially how it works internally, no other language along the same paradigm(s) will be tough to get into.

[ibanezmonster]

Modding Quake qualifies as "making your own games"? C++ was the first "serious" language I learned and I got my first job because of it. But, to be brutally honest, it took me 2 or 3 years of actively learning it on my own before I was ready to pursue it professionally. It is a difficult beast to grasp, but once you do, especially how it works internally, no other language along the same paradigm(s) will be tough to get into.

Not really.  But it's good practice.
I think I will work on writing my own game demo instead.

[Szykneij]

Greg, I don't know anything about computer programming, but I do know a bit about interviewing for jobs, so there are a couple of things you need to keep in mind.
No matter how great you are at what you do, an employer wants to hire someone who is a good fit with the rest of his staff. The ability to get along with and interact with others is critical, so avoid mentioning you'd prefer a job that lets you work alone. You might want to say you're good at working independently, instead.
  Also, no matter how menial a job is and how much you hate it, you always want to perform the best you can and leave on a positive note. The most important recommendations you can have are those from previous employers, even if the former jobs are completely unrelated to the type of work you want to get into.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

  Also, no matter how menial a job is and how much you hate it, you always want to perform the best you can and leave on a positive note. The most important recommendations you can have are those from previous employers, even if the former jobs are completely unrelated to the type of work you want to get into.

Further to this point, this is why you don't want to stay unemployed or on the dole for very long, even if you can survive that way. Because when you come to your next interview, you want to be able to say "I did this and that, I learned this skill, got this experience, etc." rather than "I lay on the couch for 2 years drinking beer, playing video games and feeling sorry for myself."

[karlhenning]

. . . or, "I read the collected works of Rod McKuen . . . ."

[Szykneij]

. . . or, "I read the collected works of Rod McKuen . . . ."

... while listening to the warm.

[ibanezmonster]

Greg, I don't know anything about computer programming, but I do know a bit about interviewing for jobs, so there are a couple of things you need to keep in mind.
No matter how great you are at what you do, an employer wants to hire someone who is a good fit with the rest of his staff. The ability to get along with and interact with others is critical, so avoid mentioning you'd prefer a job that lets you work alone. You might want to say you're good at working independently, instead.
  Also, no matter how menial a job is and how much you hate it, you always want to perform the best you can and leave on a positive note. The most important recommendations you can have are those from previous employers, even if the former jobs are completely unrelated to the type of work you want to get into.

Thanks for the advice.
The only problem I have with working with people is customers- not people I work with. I have had close to no trouble getting along with anyone my entire life, and have never had any major problems with coworkers. I actually prefer working with others to an extent so I have someone to talk to. Sometimes, while in technical school, I had to be careful that I didn't waste half of the day talking to my friend and goofing off, because I easily could. The problem I have is dealing with the general public- there is no fun in that at all, minus the rare exception of seeing someone you know or being able to get to know a customer who comes back all the time.

Further to this point, this is why you don't want to stay unemployed or on the dole for very long, even if you can survive that way. Because when you come to your next interview, you want to be able to say "I did this and that, I learned this skill, got this experience, etc." rather than "I lay on the couch for 2 years drinking beer, playing video games and feeling sorry for myself."

Well, I have never drank a beer in my life and I've played hardly any games at all the past few years, so I don't qualify for that. 


I'm going to drive over to EA Sports in Orlando and ask for more information about the internship they are offering. I figured it would be best to be honest... I can say that I have a technical certificate in programming and that I have done contract work for a company to help build on a major program. I can then say that I'm interested in game programming, and that's why I have an interest in the internship. If they say they really need someone who already has some type of portfolio of games, I could say that I've been trying to start out making my own games and thought that an internship would be the best way to learn and then if I get the impression that my interest and qualifications just aren't enough for them to consider me, then I'll ask them how often they have programming internships, so I'll know if it is a good idea to spend my free time making games or not (portfolio-building).

[Henk]

Well, I have never drank a beer in my life and I've played hardly any games at all the past few years, so I don't qualify for that. 

But you listened to classical music, didn't you? The most grave form of escapism. LOL.

[MishaK]

Yes, driving takes up a ton of money. I have super low car insurance ($70 a month) and I don't drive much to any other place besides work and the gym (both 10-15 minutes away), and gas is about $80 a month right now for my fuel-efficient car. That's $150 a month on the car for me, and it doesn't get any cheaper than that.

$70/month for insurance doesn't sound "super low" to me, unless that's standard for Florida and unless they're screwing you because of your young age. I pay less than that amount *per quarter* here in IL, and that's with my wife named on the policy as well. Maybe you should think of switching your car insurance?

I should have done this type of searching a long time ago...

You're welcome. I find indeed to be a pretty good job search engine, as far as these things go.

[Gurn Blanston]

You can't really know whether that's a good rate or not, with variables like age, gender, ZIP code!, make/model of car, driving record and probably a half dozen other things I'm leaving out. It might be a very competitive rate. My wife and I pay a lot even with good driving records because where we live has high accident rates, and we each drive more than 20,000 mi/year. I'm sure there is a method to their madness, but I have yet to figure out insurance rates.

[ibanezmonster]

Is State Farm generally known for having good rates? I have a 2-door Pontiac Sunfire, so I would imagine being young and having something that isn't a grandma-mobile doesn't help.

[Scarpia]

Is State Farm generally known for having good rates? I have a 2-door Pontiac Sunfire, so I would imagine being young and having something that isn't a grandma-mobile doesn't help.

It is easy to go to GEICO's web site, type in the terms of your current policy and get a quote.

[ibanezmonster]

It is easy to go to GEICO's web site, type in the terms of your current policy and get a quote.

Looks a little bit cheaper ($52 a month), but I'm not sure if I have Bodily Injury Liability or not on mine. If I added that for GEICO, it would move it up to $83 a month.


I wonder where I would an accounts payable receivable job (other than an online search)? What companies have this type of work? Hospitals?

[Scarpia]

Looks a little bit cheaper ($52 a month), but I'm not sure if I have Bodily Injury Liability or not on mine. If I added that for GEICO, it would move it up to $83 a month.


I wonder where I would an accounts payable receivable job (other than an online search)? What companies have this type of work? Hospitals?

Every company of sufficient size that sells or buys something has this job.

[ibanezmonster]

I drove down over to EA Sports (aka "EA Tiburon") in Maitland. Without much traffic, it's actually only a 50 minute drive, but from where I used to live, only a 15 minute drive. 

I couldn't get in the building, because it said it was a private road (I did get to see the employee parking lot, though). I called them on my cell phone and he said that I could either e-mail a resume to them, or if I'm in the area, I can print it out and give it to one of the security officers. I don't feel like driving back if I can't even get to talk to anyone there, so I'll have to e-mail my resume.

Even though I will do that, I have very little hope of getting the internship position. The only personal connection I had to EA Tiburon is a person who is now dead (literally). (Supposedly, his brother worked there). I think the only chance of them calling back would be out of curiosity if somehow the person who looked at the application knew that guy's brother went to the school I went to (very small chance of that even working out that way, too...)

I have my resume ready, and will have to write a cover letter. I will add to my experience that I've done work for Vortex Systems...

then, I will look for other jobs, because there is no way there are going to be calling back. 

[ibanezmonster]

C++ was the first "serious" language I learned and I got my first job because of it.

How did you go about getting a job by knowing C++?

I've spent so many hours searching for stuff, and I found one for a junior programmer without a degree required, but you have to live in Minnesota, because they only accept locals. If you could just learn C++ well and go get a job, I'd have no problem.

[Florestan]

I couldn't get in the building, because it said it was a private road (I did get to see the employee parking lot, though). I called them on my cell phone and he said that I could either e-mail a resume to them, or if I'm in the area, I can print it out and give it to one of the security officers.

Is this some kind of secret military research lab? 

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

I couldn't get in the building, because it said it was a private road (I did get to see the employee parking lot, though).

Is this some kind of secret military research lab? 

Actually, the quoted bit reminds me of the scene in Kafka's The Castle where K. manages to break into the Castle for a brief moment and catches a glimpse of the bureaucrats at work.

I love it when life imitates art. Good luck finding a job in a Kafkaesque nightmare, Greg 

[petrarch]

How did you go about getting a job by knowing C++?

One day I decided to search for job postings on usenet. Found one, sent them my resume, one week later was doing a bunch of interviews with the people at that company, including a technical one where they gauged my proficiency. Got hired a couple of days later.

[ibanezmonster]

Actually, the quoted bit reminds me of the scene in Kafka's The Castle where K. manages to break into the Castle for a brief moment and catches a glimpse of the bureaucrats at work.

I love it when life imitates art. Good luck finding a job in a Kafkaesque nightmare, Greg 

lol, yeah, might as well be a castle:
http://www.tiburon.com/ourStudio.html

One day I decided to search for job postings on usenet. Found one, sent them my resume, one week later was doing a bunch of interviews with the people at that company, including a technical one where they gauged my proficiency. Got hired a couple of days later.

cool