£Neg+ Benefits
Hungary
Established in 1989 - Aardvark Swift has since evolved to become Europe's leading specialist recruitment agency for the games, mobile entertainment and toy industries.
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How do I prepare my CV so it has maximum effect?
When I send you my CV is there any additional information that you need?
What happens when you have received my application?
What companies will you be approaching on my behalf?
Your CV and its presentation is the single most influential factor when searching for a job. It will be initially assessed in a matter of seconds, and if the potential employer doesn’t see what they wish to almost instantaneously, your details will rapidly hit the “unsuccessful” pile. Despite being crucial many people rush their CV in the misguided notion they can expand on it at an interview - if you don’t spend time on your CV now you don’t ordinarily get that chance.
Your resume should contain the following:-
Objective
Always head your CV with a ‘career objective’ tailored to the company/vacancy you are applying for. The employer will therefore immediately read something of relevance.
Introductory paragraph
Set the scene … summarise your key skills, relevant experience, why you want to get into games and what you are most interested in. This provides the employer with a summary of everything that they need to know within the first few lines, and will motivate them to read on. If this information is not in your CV, it is very appropriate content for a covering letter to accompany it.
Employment History
If you have prior industry experience insert this before your educational background as it is more relevant at this stage in your career. This should include dates of employment, role and key responsibilities, and the games that you have worked on or software used. If you are a recent graduate it is not necessary to include vast descriptions of summer jobs etc unless they are truly relevant. Far better to describe why you wish to become part of the industry and what you feel you can contribute. Mention games at every opportunity and really project your enthusiasm.
Educational Background / Qualifications
For those candidates with games experience this will supplement your practical experience. Include qualifications gained, as well as grades achieved. This is particularly relevant if you are applying for vacancies abroad. If you are a recent graduate then you should also include details of course content, skills acquired and software learned (if applicable).
Hobbies and Interests
In this industry reading, watching TV and socialising just doesn’t cut the ice! Write about what you REALLY do in your spare time - what games you play, what consoles you own, your genres preferences, sporting activities etc. All these things help to build a picture of you. An employer will know about your skills from the first 3 sections - they now wish to know about the person. For graduates and those without games industry experience, this section is a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate just how keen you are. Use it thoughtfully to compensate for your lack of specific experience.
Location preferences - Where do you want to work? Are you willing to relocate? Are you willing to consider Scotland? If you are looking ideally for abroad, which countries are of interest? Would you still be willing to consider UK opportunities? Etc.…
Salary - What is your salary at present? How is it comprised? How flexible are you? Bear in mind that a good package is not salary alone - you may be offered a lower salary with pension/ bonus / health care / share options. Salary should not be your sole motivation for a move - consider the other benefits e.g. - better working environment, promotional prospects, high profile project, more favourable location, training options, more creative freedom etc.
Other applications - It is in your best interests to be honest with us about any other applications that you have made, whether it is a direct application to a company or via another agency. If you inform us of other applications we can be sure not to duplicate efforts, which can look very unprofessional if your CV arrives at the same company from several different sources. Similarly it can be very deflating for us to enthusiastically call companies on your behalf only to find that they are already in receipt of your CV. However, be aware that we deal with numerous clients on an exclusive basis and therefore you will only obtain a position with one of these companies via ourselves.
Roles - the actual role that you are applying for is very important to us. If for example, you are currently working in QA but want to progress to Assistant Producer we don’t know this unless you advise us accordingly. Also try to tailor your CV to a specific role and make it very apparent which positions are of interest. Include a career objective at the start of your CV to “set the scene” for what is to follow. (See "CV Writing FAQ").
Demos - Sending examples of your work in the form of either files attached to an e-mail (preferably no bigger than 6Mb per e-mail), a CD, DVD or Showreel will also speed-up the process as we will be able to send them through to clients as soon as they are requested. Always send your best work, and something that reflects the skills discussed in your CV and your versatility. (Artists) A CV can at best often only generate initial interest. Demos are invariably needed to obtain an interview. (See submitting examples).
Your details will be entered onto our system and we will immediately search our database for appropriate positions and either e-mail or talk through appropriate opportunities with you. From this we will assess your suitability for these roles and determine your requirements in terms of role, company, location and salary etc. Once we have spoken to you about a role and gained your authorisation to forward your c.v. to be considered for a position, we will confidentially forward this to our client and discuss the reasons for your suitability for the position with our client. We will endeavour to obtain a commitment from the client to interview you and if successful will make contact to arrange your first meeting at a time convenient to you.
At Aardvark we will NOT send your CV ANYWHERE without your express permission. You have the final decision about whether to allow us to approach specific companies. This way we can ensure we are not wasting time sending your details to companies you might already be in contact with or by approaching companies you are not interested in. Turning down interviews or applying to places you don't have any intention of considering looks unprofessional - beware of agencies that put you forward for roles without telling you which companies the roles are with.
When I send you my CV is there any additional information that you need?
What happens when you have received my application?
What companies will you be approaching on my behalf?
How do I prepare my CV so it has maximum effect?
Your CV and its presentation is the single most influential factor when searching for a job. It will be initially assessed in a matter of seconds, and if the potential employer doesn’t see what they wish to almost instantaneously, your details will rapidly hit the “unsuccessful” pile. Despite being crucial many people rush their CV in the misguided notion they can expand on it at an interview - if you don’t spend time on your CV now you don’t ordinarily get that chance.
Your resume should contain the following:-
Objective
Always head your CV with a ‘career objective’ tailored to the company/vacancy you are applying for. The employer will therefore immediately read something of relevance.
Introductory paragraph
Set the scene … summarise your key skills, relevant experience, why you want to get into games and what you are most interested in. This provides the employer with a summary of everything that they need to know within the first few lines, and will motivate them to read on. If this information is not in your CV, it is very appropriate content for a covering letter to accompany it.
Employment History
If you have prior industry experience insert this before your educational background as it is more relevant at this stage in your career. This should include dates of employment, role and key responsibilities, and the games that you have worked on or software used. If you are a recent graduate it is not necessary to include vast descriptions of summer jobs etc unless they are truly relevant. Far better to describe why you wish to become part of the industry and what you feel you can contribute. Mention games at every opportunity and really project your enthusiasm.
Educational Background / Qualifications
For those candidates with games experience this will supplement your practical experience. Include qualifications gained, as well as grades achieved. This is particularly relevant if you are applying for vacancies abroad. If you are a recent graduate then you should also include details of course content, skills acquired and software learned (if applicable).
Hobbies and Interests
In this industry reading, watching TV and socialising just doesn’t cut the ice! Write about what you REALLY do in your spare time - what games you play, what consoles you own, your genres preferences, sporting activities etc. All these things help to build a picture of you. An employer will know about your skills from the first 3 sections - they now wish to know about the person. For graduates and those without games industry experience, this section is a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate just how keen you are. Use it thoughtfully to compensate for your lack of specific experience.
When I send you my CV is there any additional information that you need?
Location preferences - Where do you want to work? Are you willing to relocate? Are you willing to consider Scotland? If you are looking ideally for abroad, which countries are of interest? Would you still be willing to consider UK opportunities? Etc.…
Salary - What is your salary at present? How is it comprised? How flexible are you? Bear in mind that a good package is not salary alone - you may be offered a lower salary with pension/ bonus / health care / share options. Salary should not be your sole motivation for a move - consider the other benefits e.g. - better working environment, promotional prospects, high profile project, more favourable location, training options, more creative freedom etc.
Other applications - It is in your best interests to be honest with us about any other applications that you have made, whether it is a direct application to a company or via another agency. If you inform us of other applications we can be sure not to duplicate efforts, which can look very unprofessional if your CV arrives at the same company from several different sources. Similarly it can be very deflating for us to enthusiastically call companies on your behalf only to find that they are already in receipt of your CV. However, be aware that we deal with numerous clients on an exclusive basis and therefore you will only obtain a position with one of these companies via ourselves.
Roles - the actual role that you are applying for is very important to us. If for example, you are currently working in QA but want to progress to Assistant Producer we don’t know this unless you advise us accordingly. Also try to tailor your CV to a specific role and make it very apparent which positions are of interest. Include a career objective at the start of your CV to “set the scene” for what is to follow. (See "CV Writing FAQ").
Demos - Sending examples of your work in the form of either files attached to an e-mail (preferably no bigger than 6Mb per e-mail), a CD, DVD or Showreel will also speed-up the process as we will be able to send them through to clients as soon as they are requested. Always send your best work, and something that reflects the skills discussed in your CV and your versatility. (Artists) A CV can at best often only generate initial interest. Demos are invariably needed to obtain an interview. (See submitting examples).
What happens when you have received my application?
Your details will be entered onto our system and we will immediately search our database for appropriate positions and either e-mail or talk through appropriate opportunities with you. From this we will assess your suitability for these roles and determine your requirements in terms of role, company, location and salary etc. Once we have spoken to you about a role and gained your authorisation to forward your c.v. to be considered for a position, we will confidentially forward this to our client and discuss the reasons for your suitability for the position with our client. We will endeavour to obtain a commitment from the client to interview you and if successful will make contact to arrange your first meeting at a time convenient to you.
What companies will you be approaching on my behalf?
At Aardvark we will NOT send your CV ANYWHERE without your express permission. You have the final decision about whether to allow us to approach specific companies. This way we can ensure we are not wasting time sending your details to companies you might already be in contact with or by approaching companies you are not interested in. Turning down interviews or applying to places you don't have any intention of considering looks unprofessional - beware of agencies that put you forward for roles without telling you which companies the roles are with.
