Contracting in the games industry: The next step for you?
Boss Lady
- Meet the team
Many of us have dreamed of becoming our own boss at some stage in our career, and the transition from permanent worker to freelance contractor is an exciting journey to make.
Our Contracts Manager, Simon Pittam, spoke to us about moving into the contracting world of the games industry.
The industry is increasingly seeking out contractors to help fill skills gaps and meet deadlines ahead of new releases. The games industry is very project-driven and more companies than ever are coming to us and asking for freelancers to cover specific work for periods where they’re short-staffed or to help meet an urgent milestone. They typically want to add a skilled resource for a specific period of time - which can be anything from a day to up to 12 months - without adding them to the permanent headcount.
Getting started
To break through in the contracting world, you need some experience, skills, a strong CV and an even better portfolio. Whether you’re an artist, animator or a coder, you need to be able to showcase your best work to clients in order to stand out and show what you can bring.
There’s nothing to hold you back from becoming a contractor in games. If you’re already experienced and working in a permanent position then you can certainly move into a contracting role where there is market demand. It’s all about finding the right opportunity, so shop around for something that really appeals.
What to expect
Contractors are informed of the start and end date of a project before taking on the work but we do find some companies extend contracts beyond this. As with any job application your agency with speak to you about your skills, what you are looking for and give you information about the role and studio before submitting your CV to the client. Don’t be surprised if after a couple of Skype interviews you are asked to start on Monday! The turnaround from application to starting can be very fast.
Let's talk about money
The pay rate is typically daily for contractors as opposed to an annual salary so you’ll want to do some maths around what you need. Also bear in mind as a contractor you won’t get paid for holidays, so some of this higher rate is to reflect this.
As you’re not on the payroll of the employer directly you can choose to operate as your own limited company or be paid via an umbrella company. Here at Amiqus we can talk to you about how this works.
The work you do is submitted via a timesheet on a weekly basis and the hours and days soon add up.
What makes contracting so attractive?
From a client perspective, contractors are brilliant for creating a flexible team, meeting short-term hiring needs, staying agile as a business and of course experienced contractors can often come in and hit the ground running with minimal training. For candidates, contracting is a great career-option for many within the industry offering huge flexibility in roles and allowing you to pick and choose the projects you work on. It can give you exposure to a large number of companies and games and allows you to really take charge of where your career heads. It’s also brilliant for picking up new skills across different platforms or emerging tech such as virtual reality. If you’re looking for variety, contracting could be a perfect fit.
How can Amiqus help?
Amiqus began supplying contractors to the games industry back in 2007 and since then we’ve seen significant growth in this business model. We work closely with studios to help them appreciate the benefits of hiring contractors, and the processes we have in place to make things as simple as possible for everyone involved from interview to getting paid.
We’re on-hand for advice throughout your contract too, getting to know many of our contractors well and placing them time after time into new opportunities throughout their careers.
We’re always looking for talented contractors to place in some of the world’s leading games companies. If you’re ready to make the move or simply want to speak more about the opportunities available, get in touch with us.
Read more...
Teaser
Amiqus NewsContent Type
News
05/03/2024
Summary
by
Liz Prince
Teaser
Amiqus NewsContent Type
Blog
23/01/2024
Summary
If you’ve been reading some of the commentary about the games industry of late, you’ll be forgiven for thinking that we’re in a downwards spiral of doom and gloom.It’s true: times are tougher
by
Liz Prince
Teaser
Amiqus NewsContent Type
News
22/11/2023
Summary
Today (November 22nd) is the day when, because of the gender pay gap, women overall in the UK stop being paid compared to men. This means:At the current rate of change, the gender pay gap won'
by
Liz Prince
Teaser
Amiqus NewsContent Type
News
21/11/2023
Summary
The whole team at Amiqus is absolutely delighted and honoured to have received another award, this time the accolade of Best Recruitment Agency at the TIGA Games Industry Awards 2023.Awards li
Teaser
BlogsContent Type
News
17/10/2023
Summary
The Value of Working with a Games Recruitment Agency There has been a lot of sad news recently about redundancies and restructuring within the industry, and our thoughts go out to
by
Liz Prince
Teaser
BlogsContent Type
News
05/09/2023
Summary
Facing redundancy can be daunting. I'll cut to the chase with my top tips to help you navigate this situation: Take Your Time to Reflect and Regroup: In the midst of a career trans
by
Alan Dixon
Teaser
Amiqus NewsContent Type
News
19/07/2023
Summary
The Amiqus team has just about recovered from a super busy and exciting few days in Brighton for the Develop Conference and Awards. The icing on the cake for us was picking up the
by
Liz Prince
Teaser
BlogsContent Type
News
12/06/2023
Summary
We’re often asked by candidates about how they can stand out during the job application process. With over 20 years of experience as a specialist games recruiter, we’ve got an arsenal of killer
by
Liz Prince
Teaser
Amiqus NewsContent Type
News
07/03/2023
Summary
On this International Women’s Day, we’re delighted to reveal that Amiqus has become an official Women in Games Ambassador. An Individual Ambassador herself, Amiqus’ Business Manage
Teaser
Amiqus NewsContent Type
News
23/02/2023
Summary
Results from the world’s largest four-day week trial have been published, with most participating companies deciding to continue with this new way of working, with productivity, business perform
by
Liz Prince
Related Jobs
Salary
£60,000 - £70,000
Location:
North East or Remote
Specialisms
Creative Director
Designer
Level Designer
Technical Designer
Design Director
Location
Remote working
North East
Job type
Permanent
Salary
£50 - 60,000
£60 - 70,000
Description
This is a fantastic opportunity to work with a studio who are working on an amazing range of new titles
Reference
9107
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Will HudsonAuthor
Will HudsonSalary
£70,000 - £79,000
Location:
North East or Remote
Specialisms
Technical Director
Development Director
Gameplay Programmer
Lead Programmer
Programmer
UI Programmer
Location
Remote working
North East
Job type
Permanent
Salary
£60 - 70,000
£70 - 80,000
Description
This is a fantastic opportunity to work with a studio who are creating a range of amazing new titles
Reference
9098
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Will HudsonAuthor
Will HudsonSalary
£45,000 - £60,000
Location:
Hertfordshire (Hybrid)
Specialisms
Gameplay Programmer
Lead Programmer
Programmer
UI Programmer
Unity Programmer
Location
South East
Job type
Permanent
Salary
£40 - 50,000
£50 - 60,000
Description
This is a fantastic opportunity to work for a studio who are developing a range of new games
Reference
9088
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Will HudsonAuthor
Will HudsonSalary
£55,000 - £78,000
Location:
Midlands or Remote
Specialisms
Engine Programmer
Graphics Programmer
Programmer
Location
Remote working
Midlands
Job type
Permanent
Salary
£50 - 60,000
£60 - 70,000
£70 - 80,000
Description
This is fantastic opportunity to build an engine from scratch and work with a team who create amazing games
Reference
9080
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Will HudsonAuthor
Will HudsonSalary
£30,000 - £48,000
Location:
Liverpool or Remote
Specialisms
Gameplay Programmer
Programmer
UI Programmer
Unity Programmer
Location
Remote working
North West
Job type
Permanent
Salary
£20 - 30,000
£30 - 40,000
Description
This is a fantastic opportunity to work with a studio who are making amazing games
Reference
9072
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Will HudsonAuthor
Will HudsonSalary
£55,000 - £78,000
Location:
Midlands or Remote
Specialisms
Engine Programmer
Programmer
Unity Programmer
Location
Remote working
Midlands
Job type
Permanent
Salary
£30 - 40,000
£40 - 50,000
£50 - 60,000
£60 - 70,000
Description
This is a fantastic opportunity to work on an amazing game with a high number of players (11 million a month!)
Reference
9027
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Will HudsonAuthor
Will HudsonSalary
£55,000 - £78,000
Location:
Midlands or Remote
Specialisms
Gameplay Programmer
Programmer
Location
Remote working
Midlands
Job type
Permanent
Salary
£30 - 40,000
£40 - 50,000
£50 - 60,000
£60 - 70,000
Description
This is a fantastic opportunity to join a successful who are working on a whole range of new content
Reference
9026
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Will HudsonAuthor
Will HudsonSalary
85-100k + Benefits
Location:
Remote - London office
Specialisms
CFO
Location
Remote working
Job type
Permanent
Salary
£60 - 70,000
Executive
Description
Brand new Financial Director level hire
Reference
9104
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Stig StrandAuthor
Stig StrandSalary
£60,000 + Benefits + Remote (UK)
Location:
Remote UK
Specialisms
Analytics
Data Analyst
Monetisation
Product Manager
User Acquisition
Location
UK
Job type
Permanent
Salary
£50 - 60,000
Description
Product Manager Remote in UK £60,000
Reference
9103
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Alan DixonAuthor
Alan DixonSalary
45-60k DOE PA + Bens and Remote
Location:
Remote
Specialisms
Production
Location
Remote working
Job type
Permanent
Salary
£30 - 40,000
£60 - 70,000
Description
Brand new Producer hire open - Remote
Reference
9070
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Stig StrandAuthor
Stig StrandLooking to grow your
career in recruitment?
Perhaps you’re already successful in your recruitment career but thinking about a new challenge.
Or maybe you've had some experience of recruitment but are looking for a more supportive, quality-driven environment.
Whatever the case, now’s your chance to take the next step. Come and work for us!