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Kieran Holland is the global head of talent acquisition at Room 8 Group, where they’re looking for people. A lot of people.
What differentiates your studio from other developers?
Room 8 Group is one of the biggest outsourcing companies in game development, working with seven out of the top ten global publishers. The group unites several companies – Room 8 Studio, Dragons Lake, and Massive Black, each offering something unique and representing a hub of opportunities for talented people who think big and push the boundaries of creativity. Our mobile, console, trailer, and art divisions have numerous big projects. Room 8 Group is a culturally diverse team with a Ukrainian beating heart, and our specialists work remotely across the globe.
How many staff are you currently looking to take on?
We have growth plans across our three existing service lines as well as our new service lines, 600+ people in 2022 and much more than that in 2023 and beyond. These new roles range from console and mobile game development, QA, concepting & design, and game trailer & cinematics.
What perks are available to people working at your studio?
Room 8 Group companies are fantastic places to be as we have diverse teams made up of talented specialists, development teams are global, bringing a lot of perspectives and different experiences to the table. Our leadership team represents our diversity with leaders from around the world. 50% of them are women, including our CEO. The benefits differ depending on what country our people are based in. However, everyone here gets the opportunity to get great bonuses, and develop their career with our fantastic career path and very competitive salary packages.
What should aspiring devs do with their CV to get an interview?
Don’t be shy, applying is easy with Room 8 Group, Room 8 Studio, and Dragon’s Lake. But get in touch too, reach out to the recruitment team on our LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram and let’s start the conversation.
What advice would you give for a successful interview at your studio?
Be authentic. It’s so important you present yourself as honestly as possible. This will ensure you get a role, and into a studio culture that best matches you and your preferred way of working and means you’ll be happy. Also don’t be afraid to show off how great you are!
Be clear about what you’ve achieved, what you delivered, what you’re proud of, and, when something didn’t go to plan, what you learned from it. Some of us find this easier than others (particularly those of us with crippling imposter syndrome!) so if you find it hard, note down some of your career highlights to remind you how great you are! Also, it’s nice to come to the interview prepared – we recommend reading the vacancy description, making sure you have all the skills required for the job, and reading about the company in general.
What processes do you have for onboarding staff remotely?
On the HR side, we use PeopleForce, an HRM tool designed to help companies manage their people, which is particularly good at streamline hiring, onboarding, and employee engagement operations. PeopleForce is easy to use, and it lets you focus on people, not processes.
Formal onboarding usually includes a series of online workshops, training sessions, video calls where we help newcomers learn about the company’s vision, mission, culture, processes, rituals, and tools. Every new team member has automated task assigned to him/her in PF that guide during the first stage of the onboarding process. Also we use online tools to manage required paperwork. Direct manager is responsible for organizing a meeting with the team, and assigning a mentor. From the first day a newcomer is added to all company’s communication channels and tools.
How has the pandemic affected recruitment at your studio?
Remote working has become a reality for Room 8 Group companies since the pandemic started in early 2020. We managed to organize the transition promptly and smoothly, including recruitment. All our corporate functions efficiently set up all the processes, and with all the modern tools and programs, hiring and onboarding are easy to manage and handle. In fact, the Group has significantly grown and expanded its presence geographically, thanks to embracing remote working!
