CV / Resume Review

Show, don't tell.

2009 – 2012 Bsc (Hons) Computer Game Development (Software Engineering) 2:1
Glasgow Caledonian University
Course modules:
Object Orientated Programming, Computer Game Artificial Intelligence, Game Design, Serious Game Design, Computer Game Programming.

Great. What did you do? Did you have any projects to showcase? What programming languages did you use? What tools did you use? What results did you get? Show me evidence that you can do the job of game programmer.

Holovis – Lutterworth
Software Engineering August 2012 – Present

A nine month job. That is suspect. Be prepared to explain why you are leaving after so short a time.

Skipping ahead because it will make things easier...

Technical Skill Base
Unity3D
Microsoft Winform
C#
TCP/IP
C++

Personal Skill Base
Working Under Pressure
Working to a deadline
Working as part of a team
Working individually
Ability and Willingness to lean new technologies

This is useless to an employer. Show, don't tell.

You say you have skills in C#, TCP/IP, C++, and "Microsoft Winform" and yet have no evidence for it anywhere else. You give no evidence.

Similarly, "working under pressure" and "working to a deadline" don't have context. What kind of pressure? The academic pressure of possibly not getting a perfect score? Or the real-world pressure that you absolutely must make a project work in fourteen days or lose a multi-million dollar contract and your job? The two are very different kinds of stress. Omit these sections entirely.

You claim to have a skill base in Unity, yet the only place you mention it is that you have "seen Unity3D be able to run" and "made it possible for Unity to connect". At least that is something concrete.

Now jumping back up to the top.

My tasks at Holovis differ from day to day. My main duties involve the creation and development of new I.P and helping improve upon any old software that we still use. This could involve the creation of a new tool sets to help users who buy our products, to restructuring old code to help it run more effectively.

Everybody's tasks differ from day to day. Everybody is creating new stuff all the time and improving on old stuff. It "could" do a lot of things. Nothing in this paragraph says "I am a game programmer, hire me."

In-mo (still in development and name subject to change)
In-mo was the culmination of months of testing and research that has seen Unity3D be able to run in the following environments; cave automatic virtual environment (Caves), Domes and powerwalls. We also made it possible for Unity to connect with many different VR input devices through VRPN protocols. I was solely responsible for creating a tool that would help users set up In-Mo on the environment the end user would choose.

So after reading this, somebody (probably not you) wrote some scripts to Unity using an unspecified language. Your responsibility was to make a simple UI picker, again using unspecified tools and languages.

If you wrote some of the VRPN code, state that you did it, what languages you used, what tools you used, and how long it took. If you configured it to work on a specific hardware, again specify what you did and how you did it. Otherwise it is unnecessary and will get your application thrown in the trash.

Flick (still in development with name subject to change)
Flick is media share application that would run on iOS that would allow users to share their photos and videos found on their device and on an accessible server the user would connect to. My role on this was to create the Windows side of this application that will show the media the iOS user has decided to show. The windows side of this application had to allow real time communication between the iOS device and be possible to show both pictures and videos through VLC.

So somebody else wrote the app, you wrote a slide-show viewer on Windows. What languages and tools did you use? I assume this is where your networking skills were applied? Left to a guess, you created a simple C# app, dropped an image control on the form, used a single socket to connect to a device, and simply pumped the data from the network over to the viewer.

Show, don't tell. So far I don't see anything exciting, nor do I see anything transferable to games.

Rewrite the whole thing, stating what you did, how you did it, and the results you achieved. Exclude everything that other people did.

I am keen gamer in all of its shapes and forms. I regularly take part in table top RPG session with friends, to playing table top war-games with them as well. When I have no real life opponents to face off against, I also spend some of my time playing computer games as well. Ranging from the latest AAA release, to competitive online games like League of Legends and DOTA2.

You play games. Just like everybody else.

As my real passion is for developing games, I often spend time analyzing the games I am playing trying workout how certain effects were implemented. And how the developers would have gone about it.

Wait, what was that?! I think I finally see something that mildly suggests that you might have an interest in actually MAKING games.

Tell me specifically some things you analyzed, why you chose them, and what you discovered. You so far haven't shown me that you can actually make anything in a game, but perhaps you might have the potential to have studied something game related at some point.

I'm a keen mixed martial arts fan and I train in mixed martial arts fighting, kick boxing and regular boxing to keep fit and healthy.

Irrelevant.

I am a devourer of literature of any genre and often have two or more books on the go at the same time. I am also try to go and see films as often as I am able.

Irrelevant.

I was part of the Edinburgh game dev community and during any spare time I had in my studies, I would try to spend time with the Glasgow game dev community as well. I also try to go to as many IGDA Scotland meetings as I am able to as well.

You tried to occasionally go see the movie-stars of game development. Did you take any pictures while you were there? On a more serious note, did you actually DO ANYTHING related to game development?

References
References are available upon request.

Irrelevant.


It should look like this:

Name and contact info so they can schedule an interview.

Objective ("Entry level gameplay programmer") so HR knows which pile to put it in.

Personal Game Projects.
* Built a side scroller using XNA, See website for downloadable executable, complete source code, and videos: http://example.com/scroller Implemented the entire game from scratch in C# and XNA in three months. Features include scrolling left and right, a score counter, and a main menu with music.
* Built a platformer using Unity, See website for web-playable game, downloadable executable, and complete source code: http://example.com/platformer Mostly this is just cobbled together from other people's Unity scripts, I ended up writing only four real scripts in C#, the rest was just downloaded off the Unity boards. It took two days.
* Built a networked space shooter. See website for downloadable executable (requires Solairs), complete source code, and videos: http://example.com/spaceshooter Implemented the game in six weeks for my networking class. Implemented in C++, OpenGL, and raw TCP/IP sockets. Server supports approximately 1500 simultaneous clients, and includes a lobby with global chat, global high scores, in addition to running the game logic.

Education
Degree from where, when.
Special projects include:
* In Computer Game Artificial Intelligence I wrote a set of nested FSMs that could play pong, in C++. The FSM variables were adjustable by an external script allowing me to adjust pong paddle speeds and ball speeds without recompiling.
* In Computer Networking I wrote a space shooter game and a networked server that could handle approximately 1500 game clients. Additional details above.

Relevant Employment
Employed where, when.
Projects include:
* 3D Terrain Viewer, Server, and Tools. Wrote everything from end to end on a 3D world. The client was written in C++ and OpenGL, would attach to a server using TCP sockets to download 3D terrain heightmaps and texture data for display. The tools involved slicing USGS DOQ and DEM data into a large spatial tree ... blah blah blah...

And so on.

Note that in these few lines I have shown that I can do the job of being a game developer, or at least hopefully piqued the reader's interest to dig deeper.

Each line says what the person did and should demonstrate that they would be a good, productive employee.

Show me details that prove that you are a game developer. Not just a programmer, a game developer.

I have frequently heard that your job application is like seduction. Don't give me every detail, but be revealing and show off a little bit. The purpose at this point is to entice them to invite you to an interview.

Seduce me in sixty lines so that I must interview you today. Currently the text blurb above does not do this.

Thank you for that.

Brutal, but helpful. Following your advice I've reworked the content of my CV and have this. Has it improved any?

Sean O'Brien Software Engineer

141 Murray Road Rugby CV21 4RJ

Mobile: 07415376357 Email: obi_@hotmail.co.uk

Personal Summary

Having graduated from Glasgow Caledonian University in 2012 I have spent the last 10 months working as a Software Engineer for Holovis. This role has seen me take on a variety of roles and tasks than range from creating new pieces of IP technology, creating demo's and tools for these new pieces of IP and showcasing this new technology. Being in this role has improved my programming capability but I feel that I have nothing new to gain from my current role and I'm now actively looking for a new role with new challenges.

Qualifications

2009 – 2012 Bsc (Hons) Computer Game Development (Software Engineering) 2:1

Glasgow Caledonian University

Course modules:

Object Orientated Programming, Computer Game Artificial Intelligence, Game Design, Serious Game Design, Computer Game Programming.

University Projects

Below you will find a list of the completed games I have worked on as a programmer during my time at university. You will find the role I was placed in, along with the list of tasks I was assigned to do. Not included here is the smaller projects I worked for my own personal growth, but a sample selection can be found within my portfolio. These projects were each given a time frame between 3-5 of completion and required that I worked collaboratively with others in my class.

Zombie Shooter 2D (XNA / C#) Programmer

- Creating the menu & GUI layouts

- Implementing the turret

- Assigning tasks to fellow team members

Quark (XNA/C#) Game Play & Tools Programmer

- Implementing the game state management system

- Creating control system

- Level Progression System

- Allow designers to edit levels through a text file.

- Implemented Farseer Physics Engine

Holy Moly (DiectX 9/C++) Games Play & Tools Programmer

- Craft menu system with Crazy Eddie GUI library

- Implement Xbox 360 controls

- Creating track via text file

- Create Sky box

- Allow objects to be placed via a text file

- Implementing FMOD sound library

Personal Projects

Below is a sample of games I have worked on out with my university projects. These games, and a sample of my other projects, can be found on my personal website.

HardCoreSinkopation ( XNA ) Programmer & Designer

- Designing initial game concept & levels

- Score board

- GUI objects

- Created during the 2010 Scottish Game Jam and

placed 3rd overall

Unending Wave ( Unity3D ) Programmer

- Spawning all of the objects on screen

- Collision Detection and removal

- Game play programming

- Created during the 2011 Scottish Game Jam and placed 8th overall

Taffy's Sweet Bunny Dreams (Unity) Programmer

- Creating a day and night cycle

- Bug fixes

- Main game play

- Created during the 2012 Scottish Game Jan and placed 2^nd in the best art category and 2^nd at that months IGDA meeting in Glasgow.

Employment History Holovis – Lutterworth

Software Engineering August 2012 – Present

During my time at Holovis I have worked on the following projects:

In-mo (still in development and name subject to change)

For In-mo, my role was to implement off centre projection camera calculations in Unity, using C#. I also helped in making In-Mo use TCP/IP messaging so that Unity could run across a cluster of 8 PCs as well as implementing passive stereoscopic rendering in a CAVE environment. I've also created a C# Winform application that will allow end users to set up In-Mo on any CAVE configuration. This tool generates an XML file that is read in via Unity, which I also implemented.

Flick (still in development with name subject to change)

For flick I developed a C# Winform that had to connect, and receive messages from a remote server via TCP/IP messaging. This application was also capable of connecting to an IOS device in real time and acting upon the information it received. I was also responsible for determining how the information would be sent and received between our remote server, the winform application I created and our IOS app,

In House Demos

During the development of the above projects, I also had to create demos inside Unity that could showcase how these systems work to potential clients. Holovis also has an office situated in LA and I was put in charge of all the demos we would show out there. This involved the creation of those demo’s, setting them up remotely through remote desk topping and fixing any bugs that have been flagged by the team that is based out there.

It is somewhat better. I can see that you actually have an interest in making games.

Having graduated from Glasgow Caledonian University in 2012 I have spent the last 10 months working as a Software Engineer for Holovis.

That detail should be obvious. Cut it.

This role has seen me take on a variety of roles and tasks than range from

That is wordy and has a typo. Cut it.

Being in this role has improved my programming capability but I feel that I have nothing new to gain from my current role and I'm now actively looking for a new role with new challenges.

That is both defensive and passive. Be prepared in an interview to explain why you are leaving after nine months. That doesn't mean make the minor detail into a first paragraph statement.

Below you will find a list of the completed games I have worked on as a programmer during my time at university. You will find the role I was placed in, along with the list of tasks I was assigned to do. ... I worked collaboratively with others in my class.

Unnecessary. I can tell you, "below you will find that I continue to reply to your post", or I can simply continue writing.

Zombie Shooter 2D (XNA / C#) Programmer
- Creating the menu & GUI layouts
- Implementing the turret
- Assigning tasks to fellow team members

Improved. I now can figure out basically what you did on your projects.

You have a lot "-ing" in your words. That's the progressive form, and it implies a thing is in process. Are you creating the menus now, or was it a past tense?

During my time at Holovis I have worked on the following projects:

Unnecessary.



Overall it is much better, but still not stellar.

You have three games listed. If you want a game development job those little games are your biggest selling point. Where exactly are they on the Internet? Is there a video somewhere, or an executable, or source code? That addition would help transform it from a bland description into something a bit seductive.

Thank you again. Your feedback is really appreciated.

Also, re showing the demos. I do have a website that show cases these games in video format as well as a couple of smaller demos I made but didn't put on my CV due to not wanting to turn this 2 page document into 5 pages. Then no one would read it. I was planning on adding a link to my webpage on my CV and also in the cover letter.

My website is located at the following address should you wish to view:

http://tameyourmonster.wordpress.com/

That is both defensive and passive. Be prepared in an interview to explain why you are leaving after nine months. That doesn't mean make the minor detail into a first paragraph statement.

Don't worry. I am fully prepared to answer this question. Thank you for the heads up.

Also, my cv with more amendments thanks to your recommendations:

Personal Summary

My current position has seen me take on a variety of roles and tasks than range from creating new pieces of IP technology, creating demo's and tools for these new pieces of IP and showcasing this new technology. Whilst being in this position I have had the pleasure on working on a variety of projects that has seen my skill base improve drastically, but I feel that I have nothing new to gain from my current role and I'm now actively looking for a new role with new challenges.

Qualifications

2009 – 2012 Bsc (Hons) Computer Game Development (Software Engineering) 2:1

Glasgow Caledonian University

Course modules:

Object Orientated Programming, Computer Game Artificial Intelligence, Game Design, Serious Game Design, Computer Game Programming.

University Projects

These projects were each given a time frame between 3-5 of completion and required that I worked collaboratively with others in my class during my time at University.

Zombie Shooter 2D (XNA / C#) Programmer / Team Leader

- Created the menu & GUI layouts

- Implemented the turret

- Assigned tasks to fellow team members

Quark (XNA/C#) Game Play & Tools Programmer

- Implemented the game state management system

- Creating control system

- Level Progression System

- Allowed designers to edit levels through a text file.

- Implemented Farseer Physics Engine

Holy Moly (DiectX 9/C++) Games Play & Tools Programmer

- Craft menu system with Crazy Eddie GUI library

- Implemented Xbox 360 controls

- Creating track layout via text file

- Created Sky box using cube mapping

- Allowed objects to be placed in the game world via a text file

- Implemented FMOD sound library

Personal Projects

Below is a sample of games I have worked on out with my university projects. These games, and a sample of my other projects, can be found on my personal website.

HardCoreSinkopation ( XNA ) Programmer & Designer

- Designed initial game concept & levels

- Score board

- GUI objects

- Created during the 2010 Scottish Game Jam and

placed 3rd overall

Unending Wave ( Unity3D ) Programmer

- Spawning all of the objects on screen

- Collision Detection and removal

- Game play programming

- Created during the 2011 Scottish Game Jam and placed 8th overall

Taffy's Sweet Bunny Dreams (Unity) Programmer / Game Designer

- Created a day and night cycle

- Bug fixes

- Main game play

- Game Design

- Created during the 2012 Scottish Game Jan and placed 2^nd in the best art category and 2^nd at that months IGDA meeting in Glasgow.

Employment History Holovis – Lutterworth

Software Engineering August 2012 – Present

In-mo (still in development and name subject to change)

For In-mo, my role was to implement off centre projection camera calculations in Unity, using C#. I also helped in making In-Mo use TCP/IP messaging so that Unity could run across a cluster of 8 PCs as well as implementing passive stereoscopic rendering in a CAVE environment. I've also created a C# Winform application that will allow end users to set up In-Mo on any CAVE configuration. This tool generates an XML file that is read in via Unity, which I also implemented.

Flick (still in development with name subject to change)

For flick I developed a C# Winform that had to connect, and receive messages from a remote server via TCP/IP messaging. This application was also capable of connecting to an IOS device in real time and acting upon the information it received. I was also responsible for determining how the information would be sent and received between our remote server, the winform application I created and our IOS app,

In House Demos

During the development of the above projects, I also had to create demos inside Unity that could showcase how these systems work to potential clients. Holovis also has an office situated in LA and I was put in charge of all the demos we would show out there. This involved the creation of those demo’s, setting them up remotely through remote desk topping and fixing any bugs that have been flagged by the team that is based out there.

Sorry for any blatant typos. I've drafted this in open office and its typo catcher isn't very good. Before I send it off anywhere I'm going to format the whole thing in Microsoft word.