What kind of industry has nearly one third of its employees’ tenure under 2 years? Nearly three fourths no longer than 6 years, and a greater portion of employees that have worked less than 1 year than over 10? The fast-food industry would be my guess, if I had read this out of the context of reading it here: Study: Game Developers Increasingly Newcomers To Business .
The reasons the author and readers gave for having such an inexperienced work pool were many.
All of these in varying degrees make sense. But when we get past the numbers, what does this really mean to us? How and what do they illuminate about the conditions we are creating for the individuals making games?
I was wrong.
In a recent email exchange with him, I found out that this veteran of many shipped games was not retired at all. All that time in Austin he was looking for a job and living off his savings. I had to drag this out of him over several emails. He had always been warm when I talked to him; in our most recent exchange he was warm as usual but depressed. I asked him, “What about Zynga – they just open an office in Austin?”. He said that he has been trying for years to get jobs in the industry and was sure that it would be the same with Zynga. I said we would hire him, but have no money at this point. He said “I’m very cheap nowadays. Hell, for you, I would do it for free. I’m tired of telling my cat my ideas, and I think she is too.” I told him I could not accept work for free when work for money is what he needs. I cannot take up his time and prevent him from getting a job. Then I saw this on his Facebook page:
A quadruple bypass, defibrillator inserted, femoral bypass, renal and carotid work done, nerve damage from surgery in the foot, and anemia would drain anyone’s pocket, much less someone looking for a job for years in an industry that values (what?) over award-winning proven experience. Do I work in the fast food industry, where the bottom line is that employees are expendable laborers? Do years of experience price you out of this industry?
The Heart of Wes JenkinsIt has been requested by some kind friends that I keep the site up longer...
It's like this:
I'm unemployed with no prospects and uninsured. I have had quadruple bypass, defibrillator insert, femoral bypass, renal and carotid work done, nerve damage from surgery in the foot anemia and depression...Screw the whales -- save my heart!
The generosity of some friends have made getting up to date meds, mortgage up to date, a few blood tests and the ability to make an appointment to discuss the approaching next surgery schedule possible. These friends have saved my life. Surgery is in the $hundred thousands these days when uninsured -- I am trying to get on a program to ease the payments but it won't happen in time...
Will anyone give this man an interview? Will he lose everything he has worked for?
It is up to us: what are we?
B.T.W. Before I posted this I asked Wes if he would be O.K with it. Leaving out the personal stuff he said to me -- He concluded that it might help the industry mature.