"Dan Bernardo - Co-Founder, CEO and mean baker.". This is what you find about about Dan Bernardo from the website of Playtra Game Company. He claims "I’ve always loved people. Talk to them, laugh with them and build things together." and that is obvious from the way he talks about people and how he wants to create more opportunities in the game industry for diversity.
His talk was very reassuring- I was very curious to see the thought process of someone in charge of a game studio-and I was met with a warm understanding, person.
He went over his expectations of the employees, the process of hiring new people and how interviews take place.
What I learned
Interviews are a complex process both for the employer and the employee. It is equally hard to hire somebody as it is to get hired. It slows people down and the company is taking a risk by spending time teaching you.
There can be multiple interviews for just one candidate: it might take a few questions, you might have to study a bit for the interview, you will also get a practical test where you will have to iterate on a game that's already been made and you will also have a trial period to see how you work and how you get along with the team.
Dan also gave us an insight into what he is thinking when he is interviewing a candidate. I have noted down some of it:
Usually hire people who have a goal/mission
Looking for people who are diverse and bring something new to the team
You have to know stuff about games
Energy and personality are different but you have to match the energy of the team.
It’s important not to show entitlement, but excitement.
Questions on how you would iterate some of your work. You must be willing to engage and take something further
They want to see how you interact with the team. If you’re an introvert that's ok, they will try to accomodate you as long as you seem willing to participate in discussions
Dan also recalls the time he hired Noemi: during her interview, she asked him a lot of questions, and he was convinced by the interest she had in the company and the tipe of work they did. He learned a lot about her through the questions she was asking him and saw she was eager to understand the kind of games that Playtra was doing.
Team dynamic
I was reassured to see that the team tries to accomodate a diverse number of people. When asked how he deals with an employee that has a condition he never dealt with before, he claims that he will be honest about his lack of experience and will try find solutions to create the work environment that the new person needs.
My take on this is- as long as you are willing to cooperate and work alongside the team, changes will be made in order for you to have a safe space where you can give your best efforts. I am sure this is a very optimistic thought for most students.
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