NEW YEAR, NEW JOB: Gabe Newell’s best advice for aspiring devs

Across January we’re helping job-hunters with advice and tips from games industry recruiters, HR executives and veteran developers.

Yesterday we brought you Epic Games’ guide to crafting a better CV, and today we shift focus specifically to those who are just starting out in the industry – the numerous self-employed developers who want to build the right reputation and catch the eye of the industry.

We asked Valve managing director, Gabe Newell, to provide one piece of advice for the next generation of game developers. His response:

“Do not focus on anyone but your customers. Your reputation will follow you forever so always be fair to your customers, and certainly one thing you need to always remember is that your customers are not going to be fooled. Some people think they can get away with something and just hope people won’t see through the bullshit. The internet is way smarter than any of us. In terms of business, do not take out huge advances to fund projects, because they are only loans, and have strings attached.”

Our daily ‘New Year, New Jobs’ series of articles are part of the forthcoming February issue of Develop magazine, which boasts an essential compendium of advice, tips and tricks on getting a new job and improving your employment prospects.

The same issue will bring you all the results from our sweeping games industry Salary Survey. Check back with Develop Online every day this month for more.
To find out more about advertising opportunities in February’s Develop, contact Alex.Boucher@intentmedia.co.ukor call him on +44 (0) 1992 535 646.