Finding a job is easy!
Tags: jobsearch
Published: 2022-02-01 07:22:42

 Since childhood, I longed for working on video games. When we move to China with my wife, I thought it was a good time to try to land a job in the industry!

So, 6 months before actually moving to China, I started my new job search. I sent CVs and application letters to tens of companies. I got only got very few responses and all negatives.

By the time, we were actually moving to China, I still had no job. Meaning also not a long-stay visa for me... Time was clocking.

Once in China, I continued to apply daily. I certainly felt hopeless several times and started to reconsider things.

While I was starting to consider alimentary jobs, I scheduled a couple of interviews in Shanghai.

This was somehow the last chance for me. If it was not working out, I would go for a backup plan, I was thinking. Time was clocking after all.

I got a clean haircut, shaved, and we booked a cheap hotel in a Shanghai suburb close to the train station for a week. 

The first interviews went ok. But even if it was in the gaming industry, it definitely did not match my ambitions. And what I imagined.

But thankfully, the last one went well. It went great, actually. I made a good impression and the company was fascinating. 

I got an offer right away that I accepted in the following hour, the interview, I believe. Ending 8 months of research. And allowing me to stay in China long-term!

But after a month and a half or about so, one morning a company meeting was summoned. The suspense didn’t last long. 

The meeting was about the news: The game I was working on was canceled. And the team working on it was being laid off (including me).

But somehow I took the news very neutrally. My career in the gaming industry was just starting. And within this short lapse of time, I felt I proved to myself that I was capable of it. 

I didn't want to give up on that career I was longing for and that I know I was capable of. 

I resumed my job search with that spirit. But one thing was different, I had a foot in the industry. I had an apartment in Shanghai, a related experience, and a network. 

Quickly I have been scheduling 7 to 8 interviews in the following week after the news. I was still very excited and formatted to do job research.

After that week full of interviews, I got a couple of offers. At the same time, I grew my network a lot, and even if I were to be laid off again, I knew I could find something else.

Finding a job is not easy! But to make it easier, here are some tips for you readers if you are currently looking for a job:

- **Be in the right mindset** <br>
  To maximize your luck, you need to show self-confidence, extraversion, energy, organization, and such. If you are introverted like me, that requires some work on yourself upfront.

- **If you are moving to a new location, do research on the local companies** <br> 
  TBH, I lost quite some time just trying to apply to the companies I knew, or I could think of. While I could have tried to look for more local companies and understand the local ecosystem.

- **Use or grow your network** <br>
  LinkedIn is great for that, or the internet in general. But also with any interview, you get. You can keep in touch with the company and/or the interviewers. A no is rarely definitive.

- **Come prepared to interview** <br> 
  You need to be the best of yourself, be full of energy, and ambitions. But also research info on the company and the products you may be working on.

- **Be patient** <br> 
  Especially if you are trying to join a new industry like the gaming industry, you may have to prove yourself. Get related experience as much as you can and build a portfolio and/or list of references.

Good luck to you in your job research!

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