4 ms·

If it's anything like San Francisco, once word spreads that a gaming company is shuttering, there's pretty much a "land grab" from the other local companies for

If it's anything like San Francisco, once word spreads that a gaming company is shuttering, there's pretty much a "land grab" from the other local companies for talent.

sdoowpilihp 13y ago
Especially at a company like Zynga, that at least as far as I know, had a fairly rigorous interview process. It's a chance to get a pre-screened engineer, possibly on the cheap.
- therobot24 13y ago
  understandably a company would want to pay less for higher quality work, but at the same time if the process was rigorous and assuming many tech recruiters are also trying to poach the employees - i would think 'on the cheap' wouldn't really apply given supply/demand here
  - sdoowpilihp 13y ago
    I agree with you as long as the candidate is sufficiently competent at negotiating. Unfortunately, a large number of developers are not.
  - superkamiguru 13y ago
    It is on the cheap in the sense that they wouldn't expect to screen such people as much. It obviously isn't free, costs more than hiring from within, but cheaper versus trying to gauge recent graduates and the like.
    - therobot24 13y ago
      ah yea, didn't think that all the way through
robterrell 13y ago
Indeed, I have "Zynga" on my linkedin profile and got roughly a dozen emails from recruiters last night. Linkedin revenues probably had a nice bump in the past 24 hours.
HeXetic 13y ago
Every time one of these things happens, I actively see (employed) game-dev buddies on Facebook publicly advertising jobs at their present companies to their newly laid-off friends. Game developers are still a pretty tight-knit group. It's not like getting laid off from a Wal-Mart.
- LanceH 13y ago
  There are a zillion people trying to get into games. This actually makes it hard to find those who have actually made games. So when a (relatively) known quantity becomes available, there are immediate opportunities.

If it's anything like San Francisco, once word spreads that a gaming company is shuttering, there's pretty much a "land grab" from the other local companies for talent.

sdoowpilihp 13y ago

Especially at a company like Zynga, that at least as far as I know, had a fairly rigorous interview process. It's a chance to get a pre-screened engineer, possibly on the cheap.

therobot24 13y ago
understandably a company would want to pay less for higher quality work, but at the same time if the process was rigorous and assuming many tech recruiters are also trying to poach the employees - i would think 'on the cheap' wouldn't really apply given supply/demand here
- sdoowpilihp 13y ago
  I agree with you as long as the candidate is sufficiently competent at negotiating. Unfortunately, a large number of developers are not.
- superkamiguru 13y ago
  It is on the cheap in the sense that they wouldn't expect to screen such people as much. It obviously isn't free, costs more than hiring from within, but cheaper versus trying to gauge recent graduates and the like.
  - therobot24 13y ago
    ah yea, didn't think that all the way through

robterrell 13y ago

Indeed, I have "Zynga" on my linkedin profile and got roughly a dozen emails from recruiters last night. Linkedin revenues probably had a nice bump in the past 24 hours.

HeXetic 13y ago

Every time one of these things happens, I actively see (employed) game-dev buddies on Facebook publicly advertising jobs at their present companies to their newly laid-off friends. Game developers are still a pretty tight-knit group. It's not like getting laid off from a Wal-Mart.

LanceH 13y ago
There are a zillion people trying to get into games. This actually makes it hard to find those who have actually made games. So when a (relatively) known quantity becomes available, there are immediate opportunities.