Friendlies are abound!

[FilthCrow]

Hey all. I've been poking around the forums and have found some great information but it's rather scattered. What I have noticed during my perusing is that there are a lot of helpful and knowledgeable people posting on here which makes me all the more comfortable to cut to the chase.

My sitrep:

• I have always had two passions in life: public service and games.
• I'm in my first year of school and, up until recently, I wanted to be a teacher.
• Knowing I can never truly be happy as a teacher (forced curriculum, for one thing), I decided to pursue my other interest.
• I have baby and my wife is a full-time student.
• When finished with school, I need to make at least 60k/year if I stay local. More if I relocate.

Given this information, would you recommend a career path leading to "Community Management"? I have always been involved in the communities of games I play and I know (with other stipulations aside) I'd enjoy it immensely.

What I don't know are the details like pay, availability for telecommuting, and what education is desirable from employers.

If somebody could give a quick high-level view of the water temp, that would be very helpful. What I don't want are assumptions from people who don't work in that field. I'm not trying to be rude; I'm just trying to save you time since your input wouldn't be utilized.

Thanks in advance!

[kbaxter]

As far as I know, the only entry level game job that's likely to pay you $60k right out of school is programming. Even then, you could wind up making significantly less than that.

Where do you live currently? Are there lots of game studios near you? If not, you will probably end up needing to relocate.

Your situation is unusual since you have to be making a certain amount of money right after school and won't have time to spend months job hunting and portfolio building after graduation. It might be more realistic to aim for a non-game job at first just to make money, and then improve your skills and start applying for game jobs in your spare time.

[FilthCrow]

Originally Posted by kbaxter

As far as I know, the only entry level game job that's likely to pay you $60k right out of school is programming. Even then, you could wind up making significantly less than that.

I was asking about a Community Management position or even a Community Specialist. According to industry websites, they make and average of 65k and they are entry(ish) level jobs. I'm hoping to hear from one to verify.

Originally Posted by kbaxter

Where do you live currently? Are there lots of game studios near you? If not, you will probably end up needing to relocate.

Why would I need to go to a game studio? I am guessing a bach in social sciences would help. I'm trying to get confirmation on that, too.

Originally Posted by kbaxter

Your situation is unusual since you have to be making a certain amount of money right after school and won't have time to spend months job hunting and portfolio building after graduation. It might be more realistic to aim for a non-game job at first just to make money, and then improve your skills and start applying for game jobs in your spare time.

I'll have time to do all of that. I'm looking for confirmation from somebody currently working in Community Management.

[tsloper]

>>Originally Posted by kbaxter
>>As far as I know, the only entry level game job that's likely to pay you $60k right out of school is programming.

>Filthy Crow replied:
>I was asking about a Community Management position

OK, well, she was saying a community manager isn't likely to make $60K right out of school, now, wasn't she...

>Filthy Crow wrote:
>According to industry websites, they make and average of 65k and they are entry(ish) level jobs.

Check your sources again. Are your sources saying a community manager can make $60K with 0 years of experience? I don't think so.

>>Originally Posted by kbaxter
>>Where do you live currently? Are there lots of game studios near you? If not, you will probably end up needing to relocate.

>Filthy Crow replied:
>Why would I need to go to a game studio?

Well, "studio" may not be the right word exactly. But where do you think community managers work and make $60K?

[FilthCrow]

Originally Posted by tsloper

Check your sources again. Are your sources saying a community manager can make $60K with 0 years of experience? I don't think so.

No, sources are saying it is the average pay for that position. Given the career path is sort of new (at least, newly utilized), I imagine there aren't too many veteran Community Managers out there, anyway. I can take a position less than 60K if it means making 60K down the road. 60K was just a goal.

Originally Posted by tsloper

Well, "studio" may not be the right word exactly. But where do you think community managers work and make $60K?

That's what I'm trying to find out from people who do that kind of work. It is why I'm asking about telecommunication options in the original post.

I'm not trying to sound ungrateful. It's just that I have done some basic research and have discovered just about as much as I (or anybody) can unless they have specific knowledge of that position. Basic information about the industry such as I've gotten so far is still appreciated.

Before I start to bug some Community Managers directly, I was just wanting to see if any of them happen to be on the forum who wanted to actively help people.



edit - ps - Checked out Sloperama. Niiiiice. More than a few of those were staples in my early gaming career as a child. Impressive, man.

[tsloper]

Originally Posted by FilthCrow

>>Originally Posted by tsloper
>>where do you think community managers work and make $60K?

That's what I'm trying to find out from people who do that kind of work. It is why I'm asking about telecommunication options in the original post.

When you say "telecommunication," you confirm my suspicion. You think you can earn $60K working from home?
Not likely.
Telecommuting is only for highly experienced and trusted personnel.

[FilthCrow]

Originally Posted by tsloper

When you say "telecommunication," you confirm my suspicion. You think you can earn $60K working from home?
Not likely.
Telecommuting is only for highly experienced and trusted personnel.

Your suspicion? Wow. Thanks, man. You manage to insult and not help me all at the same time.

[tsloper]

My suspicion was that you were asking about working from home.
Is that so insulting?

[FilthCrow]

Originally Posted by tsloper

My suspicion was that you were asking about working from home.
Is that so insulting?

Sounded like you have deeper connotations to the phrase. Sorry if I misunderstood.

As far as the telecommuting (not telecommunication, I know) question goes, it's just that: a question.

It's becoming much more prevalent these days and, in my last job, it was an option so it's not that crazy for me to fathom. I mean, it's not like I'm trying to assemble cars from my kitchen.

In any case, it's not really important. I'm more interested in hearing some experiences from the people who do it. Anything, really.

Again, sorry if I misconstrued what you said; it's been a long day and I've been playing too many shooters, hah!

[kbaxter]

I do agree with Tom that telecommuting right out of school will be extremely unlikely. I haven't seen any community managers posting on this forum, so I'm not sure if you'll get a response from one of them. I am good friends with our community manager, who started in QA over ten years ago and worked his way up. He's far from entry level. He also does not have the option to telecommute.

There are a few exceptions but in general, people in this industry are expected to work on-site. You have to collaborate very closely with everyone on the project, and it's difficult to do that when you're not all in the same physical space.

Tom - do community managers usually work for the publisher rather than the development studio? I guess that would make sense