RECRUITER HOT SEAT We quiz The Creative Assembly’s Emma Cole for tips on how to land a job and an insight into the company’s culture
What makes The Creative Assembly different from other companies? It sounds like an obvious thing to say, but it’s our people. We haven’t manufactured a culture here; it’s evolved by itself and it’s one of great creativity and achievement. We strive for a non-corporate working environment and, while we’re quite focused and structured, people have the freedom within that structure to really develop themselves and use their unique talents to make a big impact on the games we make.
What other benefits are there to working with the studio? There are loads. Location for one – Horsham is within commuting distance of London, Brighton and Guildford, so it’s really well situated. It’s also a lovely town in its own right, with good amenities, and quite a lot of us have ended up moving here, so there’s a really nice CA social scene in Horsham. As we’re owned by Sega, we also benefit from the Sega package which offers pretty competitive benefits and includes some great perks such as gym discounts, season- tickets for parking, massages, free fruit and cereals; plus we regularly organise company social events.
Who is the best interviewee you’ve ever had and what did they do? We once had a hugely skilled Iraqi animator apply. When his story unfolded during the interview, we were gobsmacked. He’d grown up in a village with literally no modern technology at all and the first time he
BIO
Name: Emma Cole Title: Recruitment and HR assistant
www.creative-assembly.co.uk
actually used a computer was in 2005. He’d also spent time in a refugee camp in Afghanistan and had been caught in a roadside bomb-blast. His first experience with animation
came from seeing cartoons for the first time. Having grown up in such a technologically-isolated community, he was blown away – he thought ‘That’s what I want to do with my life’. He found employment at ICE Animations in Pakistan and was soon
GET THAT JOB
We ask recruiters how you can score that promotion or move to a new role
THIS MONTH: POPCAP, DESIGNER
“Look at and play as many games as you can; not just ones you would naturally gravitate towards. “Circulate your thoughts, findings and learnings, especially where you believe
a game breaks new ground and/or does something particularly well – or badly – where lessons can be learnt. “Look for any way to get or be involved in the creative
process – ask to be invited to or included in brainstorm and design review sessions. Do your homework so that you are well placed to contribute in a meaningful and memorable fashion. “If you are already in a design team then offer to
support and review the design work of your peers. “Study design trends and best practices, especially in emerging areas such as social gaming, and position yourself as the company’s expert in one or more of these specific areas of game design.”
David Bishop, Senior Game Designer, PopCap 66 | FEBRUARY 2012
www.asobostudio.com
working 80-hour weeks learning his skills on the fly – living and breathing animation. He was – and is – a person of remarkable passion and talent.
So what was the worst interview? I had one interview where an applicant came in and was rude as soon as he walked through the door. He said: ‘I’d like to know what the studio is like but I don’t suppose you’d know, just being an office girl’.
What advice would you give for a successful interview? Show us what you’re made of, not what you think we want to hear. You can’t manufacture a sense of passion and if you’ve genuinely got that, it shows. Also, do a little research and be aware of what we do. It’s surprising how many people who apply don’t even know what games we make. Be honest about your abilities and don’t be afraid to show your past successes.
SIX-SECOND STUDIO SPOTLIGHT
France-based studio Asobo was founded in 2002
It has developed games such as Wall-E, Toy Story 3 and Fuel for multiple platforms
The studio will be celebrating its tenth anniversary this year.
Its most successful title Ratatouille has sold more than 2.5 million units
Currently working on Kinect title Rush: A Disney Pixar Adventure to be released in March
The studio currently stands at more than 100 employees, and is looking for more senior staff to join its team
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