Connecting Tomorrow's Top Talent with Today's Industry Leaders
SMU Guildhall students and alumni receive ample and regular access to a multitude of Career Services
SMU Guildhall serves as a springboard into the industry. Leveraging our extensive network of alumni across the world and decades of , students are given plentiful opportunities to learn from and work directly with studios and developers, as well as our in-house Career Services staff, for career preparation, portfolio and project refinement, hiring and networking, and professional development. Inspiring guest lectures, 1:1 developer chats, Career Fair and networking events, portfolio reviews, mock interviews, studio visits and much more await you! This support begins at enrollment and continues throughout your time with us, plus post-graduation for all alumni as well.
As direct proof of our longstanding reputation for successful student experience and outcomes, we have graduated over 1,000 alumni—more than any other program—and those alumni have found enduring and evolving success at hundreds of studios across the globe and on hundreds of titles.
SMU Guildhall Has What You Need to Launch Your Career
During your two years at SMU Guildhall, you will have the opportunity to engage in numerous avenues to learn from game development pros, interface directly with employers, evolve your portfolio, and make the most of your time on our program as you plan for your dream career.
Our ever-evolving, long-standing enrich our myriad of Career Services and facilitate advantageous direct-to-industry exposure points for students throughout their time in our program. These include: networking events, portfolio and game reviews, mock interviews, special topics lectures by inspiring keynote speakers, on-site studio visits, 1:1 developer chats, career workshops, game industry conferences, and much more. Our in-house dedicated Career Service staff works directly with students for career planning, readiness coaching, and connecting with job opportunities to fit their career goals—including through our career recruitment portal and at our annual Career Fair that attracts studios from across the country.
Professional Development Coursework
Students fulfill two modules as they explore the nuances of seeking and securing one’s dream position. This professional training-ground includes resume and portfolio guidance, interview preparation, and industry guest lectures.
One-on-One Counseling
Students and alumni have access to our in-house dedicated Career Service staff, who are available to work directly with you for career path planning and readiness coaching, resume and portfolio creation, professional and social networking, interview preparation and techniques, and more. Here, advice is offered on how to optimize valuable networking opportunities; connections are made between students, alumni, and industry; and available job opportunities are assessed, matched to career goals, and shared.
Career Portal
SMU Guildhall’s internal recruiting platform, , empowers connections with the most innovative companies in the field. Students and alumni can discover tailored job and internship opportunities, connect with leaders in the industry and register for on-campus recruiting events. Furthermore, students have the ability to: research employers that recruit directly at SMU Guildhall; pursue mentorships with alumni and industry leaders; schedule appointments with in-house Career Counselor; and download valuable resources. *Scroll for student and industry access details.
Guest Speakers, Lectures, Seminars & Workshops
Industry leaders, developers from around the world, and prominent game studios visit often to share their insights about critical industry topics via in-class lectures and workshops and as keynote speakers. Special topics presentations are given throughout the year for our lunchtime Industry Insights series, in-class presentations, and our Game Changers Speaker Series which invites prominent industry leaders to educate and inspire with today's most important industry topics. The series is often streamed on our Twitch or Youtube channel, and you can find replays available there.
Studio recruiters also hold incredibly valuable seminars on precisely how to prepare and apply to their companies. A few of our recent studio recruitment seminars have included , , and . Some of our past keynotes and guest lecturers have included Founders, Directors, and Leads at top studios such as: , Bonus XP, , , , , , , , , , , and .
Some studios even invite our students to travel to them for special classes on-site at their studios, using their proprietary tools! These have included single-session classes, as well as weekly recurring sessions, using the studio's proprietary tools to learn and then receive a review of their work. Studios get to know our designers early. Students receive invaluable access to tools and tech that are not publicly available. Incredible!
Check out some of our past keynote speakers
Portfolio Reviews, Team Game Milestone Reviews, and Mock Interviews
As part of our Career Readiness program and Team Game Production program, developers serve as Reviewers every year to (a) offer feedback on graduating students' portfolios and on better preparing for the interview process, and (b) as discipline experts for team game milestone reviews. During portfolio and game reviews, art directors, technical directors, and design leads sit down directly with their discipline counterparts to give their advice as subject matter experts. During mock interviews, studio leads and hiring managers help students role play and better prepare for real interviews as they approach graduation.
The video game industry is difficult to break into, and these one-on-ones are invaluable to our graduates. Professional insight helps to substantially improve the quality of their games, portfolios, and interviews, and the numerous exposure opportunities our Career Services and TPG programs facilitate allow students to feel dramatically more comfortable interfacing with professionals. This valuable insight is of benefit to recruiting studios as well, offering a direct peek at soon-to-graduate leads in both solo and teamwork contexts.
Annual Networking Events
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Game Development Career Fair: Guildhall’s Career Fair connects the industry’s top studios, who come from around the world seeking top-notch talent, with our graduating students and alumni who are looking for career opportunities. This Fair is a closed invitation for Guildhall students and alumni only, and paves the way for stellar job placements every year. Attending companies have included large studios and indie developers such as: Gearbox Software, Activision, Sony Playstation, Bethesda, Certain Affinity, id Software, Insomniac Games, Samsung, ZeniMax, Keywords, PeopleFun, and many more.
Learn more about Career Fair and past participants
- GDC Mixer: Every year at the national Game Developers Conference, we host a party! This annual favorite is an invitation-only mixer that packs out a closed venue near the conference. We invite members of our faculty and staff, as well as our soon-to-graduate senior cohort, to gather together with our alumni, industry friends, and partners. Here, past colleagues from decades in development come together to mingle, talk development, reminisce on shared memories, discuss the future of the industry and meet new faces soon to enter. It's a beloved tradition, and amazing connections are made every time.
- On-site and Off-site Networking: Both at SMU and at local studios, students are invited to networking events to meet and socialize with alumni and developers. Wonderful opportunities to make connections in a relaxed environment, these networking events stem conversation, comfortability and camaraderie that benefits students and industry alike preceding the job search season.
- GameJam: Every August as part of our New Student Orientation Weekend, we host a Back-to-School GameJam. This invites incoming students as well as returning students to make a game in a single day. Alumni and local studios often attend to interact, offer bits of advice, and enjoy the creativity and excitement every new school year brings.
- Annual Fall Expo: At the end of each Fall Semester, SMU Guildhall's GameLab hosts an Expo of newly completed student games. Casually and historically referred to as "Bagel Day," this event offers attendees a tasty coffee and Bagel breakfast while showcasing new student-made games including: numerous tablet games by junior cohort students in Team Game Production 1; a whole-cohort multiplayer game made in TPG2 by the senior cohort; and the graduating cohort's grandest creations yet, their commercial Capstone releases that are commonly published to Steam and Epic Game Store! Local studios, Guildhall alumni, and the community are all invited to attend and play.
1:1 Industry Guidance Sessions
Our mentorship program connects second-year students with Guildhall alumni for guidance aligned with their target career path, interests, and goals. Students receive tailored one-on-one sessions with industry professionals to discuss their portfolio, application materials, and professional goals. As a result, students can approach graduation better prepared to secure and master their entrance into the industry. Prior participating alumni have worked at prominent studios both small and large, including Bethesda, Blizzard Entertainment, Certain Affinity, Gearbox Software, id Software, Naughty Dog, NetEase, Obsidian, PeopleFun, Riot, Rockstar Games, Sony PlayStation, and more.
SMU Guildhall Alumni Are Leaders at Over 350 Studios Around the World
As a student and graduate of SMU Guildhall, you join the elite ranks of our vast alumni network. Our alumni have captured leadership positions as artists, designers, producers and programmers at more than 350 studios around the world. This network continues to enrich the experience of both current students and alumni, as the Guildhall community aims to encourage, mentor and push one another to new heights in game development. Alumni often revisit campus to share their experiences and knowledge with students, come back as employers to hire the next generation, and help to empower our rising graduates to achieve success.
See some of the games our alumni have worked on
Check out what our alumni say about SMU Guildhall
SMU 12twenty Access
For Students, Alumni, and Employers
Login & setup instructions:
- Current Students - Visit and login with your Single Sign On credentials and start setting up your profile.
- Alumni - Visit . If you graduated in 2019 or later, first try login with your Single Sign On credentials. If you graduated prior to 2019, contact us to request a SMU 12twenty account.
Want to Learn More About Guildhall Career Services?
Get in touch with us!
Are you a student or applicant who wants to learn more about how SMU Guildhall can help you prep for your career?
Are you a studio or professional who wants to get involved in our Career Services as a partner, mentor, speaker, or hiring recruiter?
Reach out to SMU Guildhall Career Services for more detailed information on our offerings.
Lindsey McGonigle
Assistant Director, Career Services
lmcgonigle@smu.edu
214-768-5150
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