How to Get What You Want – adamtcroft.com

In the past week I’ve seen 3 different Tweets all with the same sort of message. I’ll paraphrase as to spare the innocent:

“If you’re applying for sound designer or senior sound designer position and you list yourself as a composer or don’t include a reel, you’re making it real easy for me not to employ you.”

Wow. That’s a bit surprising, right?

At least to me it was.

A little over a year ago I listened to this podcast featuring Mark Kilborn of Raven Software. Mark makes Call of Duty for a living – not a small-time game. During the podcast he makes a point I’ve heard reiterated countless times since coming into the industry (again, I’m paraphrasing):

“It’s really difficult to get in as a sound designer now. There are so many applicants, and so many of them are extremely high quality – you really have to work to set yourself apart.”

So how do these two (entirely paraphrased) quotes mesh? To me – it seems like they’re vastly different.

I think there’s two things to it:

You need to know what you want
You need to not suck

Know What You Want

Going back to the first quote – why would a composer apply to a senior sound designer role?

Seriously, think for a second about what that actually communicates.

You need a job. Right? You need a job, any job that’s industry-related. Give you a job now.

Either that or you royally screwed up and forgot to remove “composer” from your job title.

While there’s certainly a place for a sound designer/composer in one job – I would argue that it usually isn’t in a senior level role at a large studio. They’re probably looking for just a senior sound designer.

So when you apply to this role as a not senior sound designer, you’re effectively communicating to the company not to employ you. It also may hurt your chances of future employment. Also this sort of thing was tweeted out 3 times in one week. Do you think people might be talking about it privately? I do.

But why does this even happen in the first place?

Well… I think it’s because you don’t actually know what you want, as the applicant. Or, you do, but you won’t admit it and put in the work required.

If you want to be a composer – be a composer. That means composing a lot. That probably means hitting the pavement and meeting lots of game developers and being self-employed. Perhaps that means composing for non-game related media!

What if you don’t know what you want to do at all, and you’re just applying to whatever might stick?

You should probably figure that out first.

If you don’t even know what you do, or what you want to do, why should someone hire you in the first place? Are you professionally indecisive?

You can always learn new things and make career moves later – but first you need to commit to being good at something.

Don’t Suck

The trouble I have with these quotes is mostly Mark’s – because I’ve always believed it to be true. I see a lot of super talented people, and I’m sure there’s not jobs for everybody.

But it doesn’t jive very much with the first quote, at least at first glance. At first glance it tells me there are a lot of people applying for work who aren’t self-aware, or who don’t pay attention.

In thinking about it, however, I think both quotes are true. There’s huge lessons in it for you too.

I think that there are a large number of incredibly talented people applying for audio work today. I think that the competition makes it difficult to find the “right” hire. The “right” hire is then determined mostly by company “fit” (social or personality-driven) and “specialty” (what uniqueness you bring to the table), not necessarily by “chops” because everyone’s abilities are high.

Piled in with that – there are a ton of people who apply that have no business applying. Either they’re applying to a position out of their depth, they don’t know what they want, or they’re not reading the directions and job description.

So what can you take away from this?

Be Great

You do need to be great at what you do. But you should apply when you’re good. Realize though, that your hiring might have nothing to do with how spectacular your design is. It might be more about how what you hear fits with the studio, how you jive with the team, or what unique skills you bring to the table that nobody else does. So when you apply, bring your best.

Know What You Want

Don’t just apply for everything. Do not apply to multiple jobs within the same small company all at one time.

You need to know what you want, get good at that, and then start applying. If you’re applying just because you need a job – you’re not going to get hired. A company hires based on what they need, not what you need. Your job is to fill that need.

Don’t Suck

I had at least one class in school where my teacher got cute. The teacher gave us a test and told us to read all the directions before starting.

If you did that, then the directions told you to write your name and turn the paper over once you had.

I was one of the ones who didn’t read all the directions and got laughed at for it, deservedly.

If you’re submitting applications without all the information – you’re failing the test.

If an application requires a reel – you need to submit a reel. If it requires a cover letter – you need to submit a cover letter.

I’d go so far as to argue that if these things are optional, you need to submit them. I don’t think there’s any such thing as an “optional” requested piece of information.

Take pride in what you do and who you are. Don’t just throw applications out and beg for anything. If you’re looking for just anything with no hope, you’re going to get exactly what you put out – a shitty job for no money.

Don’t do that.

Be awesome, be better, I know you are.