Little things that irk you.. (no swearing please)

[egparadigm]

It is annoying with education ? they always seem to organise things in the way that is most convenient for them. Then, if you complain, they say you're lazy or words to that effect.

[Decider-VT]

Well, sort of. A lot of the lecturers almost seem surprised when you make it clear that you want to learn, so maybe there's a broad assumption that the majority of us are going through the motions and trying to satisfy our parents. Or something. I understand that many of them have very busy schedules and are often out of university but little things (like taking three months to publish test results) cause people to question whether or not they regard teaching as nothing more than a necessary irritation.

Uni degree.

Oh dear, this bodes well. What did you study?

[noobish hat]

Professors work at unis so they don't have to get a job. They finish their PHD (still not working), and then they go "****, I no longer have anything to do. I could get a real job, and be useful to the world, or I could continue 'researching'. Thing is, researching isn't a job. The only way I can do research is by taking a job at a uni, and then I'll have to give a couple of lectures a week, and maybe put in half an hour of office time. Well, I'll just half-ass it, it'll be fine, nobody will notice. So long as I can still devote the majority of my time to reading this one specific topic that interests ME."

Shoot the lot of them.

[Rossco]

Computer Animation. Trying to get into games as environment artist. But the old catch 22 situation arises where you can't get a job without experience and can't get experience without a job.

[noobish hat]

The advice everyone gives is volunteer to work at a company for free. THAT'S AN APPRENTICESHIP YOU'RE THINKING OF. I DID A DEGREE.

[Flabio]

Trying to get into games as environment artist ... can't get experience without a job.

So you're not doing your own thing, building a portfolio to demonstrate your skills? Cause everyone else that's applying will be.

[speedlolita]

How I have absolutely no drive or ambition.

[noobish hat]

You're showing off again.

[Brad]

The advice everyone gives is volunteer to work at a company for free. THAT'S AN APPRENTICESHIP YOU'RE THINKING OF. I DID A DEGREE.

If demand outweighs supply in terms of your skills then you won't have to do this. If it's the other way around though then you have to differentiate yourself from the competition. If you can't make yourself appear better than the competition through a jam packed C.V. then undercutting them might be an option.

How saturated is the CG Animation market? Does demand outstrip supply?

[Fader209]

Computer Animation. Trying to get into games as environment artist. But the old catch 22 situation arises where you can't get a job without experience and can't get experience without a job.

I saw a games related job pop up when I was job searching yesterday, think it was in Cambridge if that's any help (probably not). I'm in the same boat too looking for jobs and needing more experience. I freelance when I can but a lot of freelance sites work via a bidding system and there are are people out there who undercut like crazy.
Best thing is to build up that portfolio when you can and develop your own ideas and improve on what you do.

Typical example of how the job world is at the moment - I saw a vacancy for a car washer in the village and thought may as well go for it as there is nothing else about and I need the cash in the short run. I handed in my CV to the guy in charge there and he said he would prefer take on someone with experience.
I repeat, experience washing cars.
Sorry, I didn't get my degree in Automobile Cleaning...

[toythatkills]

Computer Animation. Trying to get into games as environment artist. But the old catch 22 situation arises where you can't get a job without experience and can't get experience without a job.

Why not find a programmer and release an XBLIG? You won't make any money, but it'd be an excellent thing to show prospective employers. Animation is surely one of the fields where you can get experience without needing a job in animation to get it.

[randombs]

@ Rossco: Following on from what ttk said, pm chopemon and get involved with Wonton 52

@ Fader209: All it takes is for one berk to not know how to lift up windscreen wipers or perform other such tomfoolery in the name of cleaning a car and he'd be in trouble

[Decider-VT]

Professors work at unis so they don't have to get a job. They finish their PHD (still not working), and then they go "****, I no longer have anything to do. I could get a real job, and be useful to the world, or I could continue 'researching'. Thing is, researching isn't a job. The only way I can do research is by taking a job at a uni, and then I'll have to give a couple of lectures a week, and maybe put in half an hour of office time. Well, I'll just half-ass it, it'll be fine, nobody will notice. So long as I can still devote the majority of my time to reading this one specific topic that interests ME."

Shoot the lot of them.

On the money here. (Well, apart from shooting them. Maybe.) One of my first year lecturers freely admitted that he stayed in academia because it was easier than getting a job in his industry (databases/SQL in his case). He had four degrees, largely gained from studying on the side while he wrote books and taught. Not really a good role model for those of us studying his subject and wanting to progress into a career at the end of it. I had to put in a complaint about one of his colleagues last year, after she kept turning up over an hour late for a two hour lab and spending the rest of it planning her raids on the WoW forums. She'd completely lost touch with why she was even there.

Computer Animation. Trying to get into games as environment artist. But the old catch 22 situation arises where you can't get a job without experience and can't get experience without a job.

Flabio's right about the portfolio- are you continuing to produce work after university? Beware of volunteering for unpaid work, as you'll no doubt be fully taken advantage of, with experience being the only real benefit. My wife works in fashion and kept losing jobs to less skilled and less experienced graduates because they were willing to work for free. Hopefully the games industry doesn't rely on lots of unpaid labour.

How I have absolutely no drive or ambition.

Are you still working in retail?

[eastyy]

thing that irks me is when magazines every now and then go through redesigns ...happened with CVG when it had the high 5 and free play and after the redesign never bought it again

[toythatkills]

Is CVG still a magazine?