Job interview update

[danaeris]

LL lent me a bunch of back issues of Game Developer Magazine to study before my interview. Hopefully that will give me enough context for now.

Interview is Wednesday 9-11 a.m., then lunch and then work from 1-9 p.m. (ick)

The office is at Harrison and 2nd (reasonably close to here! w00t!).

I will be taking a Wonderlik personality test and then interviewing with the Editor in chief among others. Anyone ever take any of these tests?

I feel much better knowing that it is a personality test. I was worried they'd test me on my knowledge of programming, gaming industry stuff, or AP stylebook.

CNET is also hiring an entry-level position that I'm going to apply for. They run PC World.

Everyone please wish me luck! If you have any advice to offer, now is the time.

Comments

[neuroptik78.livejournal.com]

Sample Wonderlic Test Questions (http://www.wonderlic.com/products/sample_tests.asp?prod_id=4)
Nothing to be nervous about (this coming from
a girl who loves to take tests like this). I'm
sure you've had much more difficult tests in
the past.

[feyandstrange.livejournal.com]

Back in the late nineties I had four different positions I interviewed for at c/net, some getting to second or third interviews, before I found out that the position/supervisor/entire department/type of job had ceased to exist during the span of interviews. Hopefully things are more stable now.

[ianhess.livejournal.com]

Some of the writers who regularly turn out articles for Game Developer Magazine also participate in a game design forum called Mud-Dev at kanga.nu. Anyone can join, and they document a number of the current projects in development within the gaming industry, as well as the theory behind some of those projects. This material might be of use as background in the interview, then again, might not. Some of the articles/names that might be of specific interest are Amy Bruckman (who does virtual learning environment research), Raph Koster (who worked as a designer on UO, and is on the Star Wars Galaxy team), and some of the posting about gender bias and its effects on the design teams of Creatures, Sims, and Rollercoaster Tycoon, among others.

I'd also recommend looking up Dr. Richard Bartle's papers on gamer psychology, and measurement of catharsis (i.e. what they derive enjoyment from in games). Its not overly dense reading, and there are some, at least to me, interesting tests and sociology concepts.

I bring up a number of these points because I think GDC covers as much design theory as application, and having a vocabulary of those concepts might be helpful in the interview.

Sorry it took me a while to get back to you... been out of town.