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A big THANK YOU to all of our supporters… we’ve just crossed the 1,000 followers mark on our Twitter account! You too can follow Games Job Blog / Interactive News / Recruiterblog on Twitter. Our Twitter name is “DavidSmithUK”. Twitterers can subscribe by going to http://twitter.com/davidsmithuk 
Full article is at http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/money/4271557/Job-No-thanks.html
The new Guide also suggests ways of encouraging the best candidates to apply for jobs, looking at examples of modern practices from mentoring to flexible working to career break schemes. Exploring methods of motivation and retention, the Guide is essential reading for developers and digital publishers looking to keep employees motivated and to attract the best talent. It has been written by David Smith, the managing director of London-based global games recruiter Interactive Selection, who also founded the not-for-profit network Women in Games Jobs. He has been assisted by Laura Hare, the head of human resources at Jagex, Geraldine Cross, head of human resources at Blitz Games and Mark Webley, the CEO of Lionhead Studios, all of whom contributed to the Guide. Laura Hare, Geraldine Cross and Mark Webley give expert tips on planning recruitment, the interview process, investigating work permits and visas, preparing company information packs, writing job descriptions and advertising for staff. There is a heavy emphasis on equal opportunities law with input from Osborne Clarke, including a comprehensive recruitment and selection checklist, and an in-depth look at using outside agencies. TIGA CEO Dr Richard Wilson said: Kevin Green, Chief Executive of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, said: The Guide is free to TIGA members and clients of Interactive Selection. Please contact Interactive Selection if you would like a copy. David Smith, MD of Interactive Selection and Founder of Women in Games Jobs talked to Kevin Green, the CEO of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC). Here’s what Kevin said about its 4000 recruiter members doing much more to promote diversity amongst employers, including those in the games industry. “As an industry I think we’ve got a lot to be very proud of. I think one of the opportunities for the recruitment industry is to play a more active role in working with their clients to promote diversity, particularly in industries like the games industry where you have a high preponderance of males in the workforce. I think recruiters can be more proactive in promoting the opportunities of bringing more people from a diverse background into their workforces. But also demonstrating the value and the value comes from making sure workforces are in line with the communities that they serve. And again it has been proven in many situations that the more diverse a workforce, the more it represents the community that it services, the more creative and innovative that it is, and the ability to create great products and services is obviously driven by a fundamental creative process so the more people you have of different views and opinions with different perspectives adding value to organisational success. “
Gemma Thomson A superb idea, and a fabulous night! It was great to meet so many new people, and the atmosphere was really friendly. I am, by nature, quite a shy person, so it felt great to be in such familiar-feeling company. Thank you, everyone. Teresa Ellen Mardel Was a really good night. It was nice to meet like minded individuals and talk about games! Yaiza Varona I had a wonderful time and found the speech very interesting. The event organization was flawless and the people who attendes were so friendly that it was a joy to share some insights. Thanks so much for having organised this, looking forward to the next one. Debbie (Weefz) Timmins Great people. Loved that it was useful and informative without being too “Rah, Rah, Women!” Diane Hutchinson It was really delighful to meet all the new women at the first official meet up in London. It was actually really great to walk into a room filled with ambitious women, who have been working within the video games industry or those striving to make their first career footsteps into the world of video games, whether it be in the development, PR, or journalism side of things. Usually I spent so much time going to events, where there is not even a woman within 2 feet of a video game console, so it was delightful seeing a room filled with women who shared the same interests. It was lovely to exchange news, from game’s women had been playing or university courses women had enroled in. It was very interesting. Enough said. Next event 11th July during the Develop conference in Brighton,
These meetups are the opportunity for anyone interested in gaming to meet leading, female video game professionals and an opportunity for you to network with other women in the industry over a drink. Men are welcome too. Meets ups are planned quarterly, normally from 6.00 – 8.00 pm on a Wednesday evening near Liverpool Street, London, UK. Each meetup will include a talk from a prominent speaker from the games industry giving personal, practicable career tips and advice. We are delighted to have as our first speaker Alison Cressey, former European MD for Activision. Alison’s talk is titled “So you know you have the professional X factor – why personal branding is so important to success.” Alison Cressey is a senior executive and consultant advising leading companies on brand and content strategy and digital to build for future success. She has extensive experience in brand and digital strategy having worked on some of the world’s largest brands. She has also run multimillion $ P&L’s for global organizations. Prior to becoming a consultant Alison’s most recent roles included running the Lucas Arts and Activision Blizzard licensed/casual video games business across Europe. Whilst there Alison grew the Lucas Arts business from $20 to $150m. Alison was responsible for some of the world’s best known entertainment brands including Star Wars, Transformers and James Bond. Prior to that Alison oversaw marketing for Warner Bros. Entertainment including Theatrical, DVD, TV, licensed products, consumer products and mobile where she increased revenues by $10m+ and changed the way Warner Bros did marketing. This is an informal, free event where you can turn up on the night but we would like to get a good idea of numbers, so please register your interest at our dedicated Meetup Group at http://www.meetup.com/WIGJMeetup/
This has all changed with the recently published Government’s response to Next Gen. Transforming the UK into the world’s leading talent hub for the video games and visual effects industries. Firstly the Government has not just taken notice, officially,of a research paper and its recommendations prepared by the games ( and the visual effects sectors) but it has also responded publicly and in 85 paragraphs of detail. Yes this is great fillip for those s in the games industry that think the government never listen but most of all, the response sets out clearly its view on how the games industry should be interacting with the other players in the playground. This means that the other institutions like the Sector Skills sectors have to play ball and work closely with the games industry if they are to keep in with central government masters. Institutions like e-skills UK, The Computer Clubs for Girls, STEM Clubs, STEMNET, NESTA, The Department of Education, Skillset, The National Skills Academy for IT now have the Governments recommendations to study as does the games industry. It is now expected that these bodies will work together for the good of transforming the UK into the world’s leading talent hub for the games and VFX industries. The games industry is now playing with the big boys.
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Job? No thanks. Thousands of posts are snubbed for 6 months or more, says the headline in The Sun. Journalist Jane Hamilton uncovers the fact that thousands of jobs in the UK have been advertised with no takers. In fact 2443 different vacancies in of which 319 were open for 2 years in South Derbyshire, Cherwell, coast Suffolk, Basingstoke, Manchester, Liverpool and Cannock Chase , Staffs. Experts were quoted as was a Building boss. The last word was left to recruiter David Smith, of Interactive Selection, who said: “If no one is applying after several months then the salary is too low or the local skills don’t match up.”
55 attended. A big thanks to Alison Cressey for speaking and to our sponsors.
The games industry has historically suffered the problem that all new industries face which is being taken seriously by national and local government and quasi government institutions that have been built up to serve the existing, long standing industries. The games industry does not fit in nicely to established structures. Yes it is a new industry in the Media sector but it also has a strong technology bias. This is well illustrated by a look at the UK governments Skill Councils. One exists for the creative industries sector: Skillset and one exists for information technology: E-skills. Skillset looks at games as just another of its 10 creative industries. E-skills looked on games as just another subset of the information technology sector.
A non executive directorship is an appointment to the board of a company on a part time basis. The work of a non executive director (NED) generally involves making buiness introductions and attending board meetings, with the aim of jump starting the company’s success through the provision of experienced, intelligent advice to the company board, the chairman or management. NED’s are rare in the games sector unless the games company has venture capital funding but they are sorely needed. Why pay £25000 a year for a junior programmer when you can pay 1/2 this to have one of the most experienced, former games publisher European MD’s on your team. The very first board meeting may pay back 10 times the cost of the NED board fees. Interactive Selection have sought out and welcomed through personal recommendation 6 of the most talented, most experienced, former MD’s who have ran mega teams for the likes of EA, Microsoft, Sony and THQ with the very best of door opening contacts in all the high places. Please contact 
Interactive Selection was the first non US recruiter to be invited to join the trade association of 
