How do you recruit the best people possible for different teams? And is recruitment in the games industry different from other industries? In this article, our Talent Acquisition Manager Elena Popescu shares her key learnings from her time in the industry, as well as the story of how she came to Massive.
Working with recruitment is much more than you can imagine. It’s a job fueled by passion, creativity, and the possibility of making a real impact on people’s lives.
But what’s so special about working with recruitment in the games industry?
For me, it’s all about the people.
Being in an environment with such a mix of creatives and passionate people creates an inclusive community, which becomes like a family.
I truly believe that working with people who are passionate – and get to be themselves – is not just a job. It’s about helping to deliver the best experience possible for our players by making sure our teams are the best they can be. We all play a part in that, and as recruiters, this is very exciting.
I truly believe that working with people who are passionate – and get to be themselves – is not just a job.
But how did I find my way to Ubisoft and Massive, and what’s so special about working as a recruiter in the games industry?
There and back again: A recruiter’s tale
When I started working with talent acquisition at Ubisoft in Bucharest in 2008, it was basically my first job. I immediately fell in love with not only the job, but also the international vibe of the workplace, as my team was spread all over the world. There, I started my journey in working with international recruitment, helping Ubisoft studios all over the world finding the top talents for their different teams.
One of the studios I was working with during this time was Massive, and as time went on, I learnt more and more about the studio. When I visited for the first time, I found myself really liking Massive, but at that time, I never thought I would actually work at Massive and live in Malmö.
In 2013, I made the decision to leave Ubisoft, as I wanted to explore other industries. Or so I thought. I realized very quickly that I missed being a part of the Ubisoft family as well as the games industry. It felt so important to me to be part of this amazing community that I started looking at jobs at Ubisoft again, and – luckily – Massive was hiring for exactly the role I was interested in.
In one year, I had left Ubisoft and come back again – and I haven’t regretted it since.
How to recruit the best people
When I joined Massive in 2013, we were 300 people. Today we’re more than the double. It’s been hard work, and never without challenges. To build the best game experiences possible, the teams must have the best support they can, which means having the most talented and passionate people joining. This is the end goal that we in recruitment are always working towards.
So, the first step in moving towards this goal is to design a selection process with several stakeholders involved, making it a common effort to find the best people for our teams. And it’s not just about talent. It’s also about finding the people with the right skills and the right cultural fit. Only then can we create teams which deliver the best work.
And it’s not just about talent. It’s also about finding the people with the right skills and the right cultural fit. Only then can we create teams which deliver the best work.
Of course, there are challenges in recruiting in the game industry – the main one being that it’s (still) a relatively small industry with a limited number of possible employees. However, this challenge has an unexpected benefit to it, in that we have to look for people all over the world, which in turn helps us create diverse and inclusive teams.
Another challenge is directly linked to international recruitment, and that is relocation – especially for recruits with families.
Moving to another country is a big decision, not just for one person, but for the whole family. A part of our is to guide recruits through this process and give them the support they need. We have a great support system at Massive when it comes to relocation, with a team who helps out in the process. If your company wants to pursue international recruitment, it’s super important to remember that it’s vital to have this support system in place – not just for the company, but for your recruits as well.
We have a great support system at Massive when it comes to relocation, with a team who helps out in the process.
A number that really shows our success in this area is that we are more than 50 % expats at Massive right now, with more than 50 nationalities represented – something I think makes our studio a unique and fun place to be!
How recruitment can change lives
One of the most rewarding aspects of working with recruitment in the games industry is the type of people we interact with. You might have the same super creative and passionate people in other industries too, but in the games industry, those traits are so deeply connected to the sense of belonging that you can’t really compare it with anything else.
Recruitment is always a process, and it’s important to remember that a big part of that process for us is to build relationships with people – long term. Instead of focusing on the present all the time, it’s vital that we as recruiters also can look towards the future. Maybe it’s not the right time for a potential recruit to join, but in the future, they might be the perfect fit. So, that why it´s so important to maintain good relationships with candidates and never close any doors.
Nothing can ever beat the excitement of finding the right person for a team. Only then you truly understand that you are making a real impact in people’s lives.
You can change someone’s life – literally. And that is by far the best part of working as a recruiter.
3 things I’ve learnt from working as a recruiter in the games industry
- The importance of being passionate about people!
- Know that you will face challenges and some hard work, but that it will all lead to…
- …rewarding results. You will make a real impact on people’s lives and having a huge impact on the organization’s success.
