16.10.2025 – Guest Speaker Jamie Blacknell
Jamie’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-blacknell-545625175/
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On Thursday we had the opportunity to talk to Jamie Blacknell, who works in the game industry as a developer. He presented a project he had worked on in the past – Portage: A Mindful Journey and mentioned other ones he is currently working on.
We got to know Jamie’s entire career path – how he started off as a junior role and gradually received more responsibilities, currently finding himself leading some of the projects. He made us aware that although we might apply for a certain role, we might end up working on something entirely different, therefore, expanding our skillset.
In addition, he explained how activities done at the university, such as working across the whole development pipeline for the final project, self-starting, working independently and in teams helped him in the industry.
Jamie also highlighted the importance of effective communication with people at different levels of understanding of what you do. While you will probably share the same terminology with your team leader, people in different disciplines might need you to focus on describing what outcome you expect from them when working together. It is an aspect that might seem obvious but at the same time it is something I have never thought about before in terms of effective communication and how it might potentially affect the quality of work.
Afterwards, we received tips on how to increase our employability. One of the most important ones included networking – with the current rise in AI profiles on LinkedIn, it is essential to meet other developers during social events (such as game jams) and follow the work of leading figures in social media.
We also learned about some of the key aspects when preparing our portfolios (mainly for a developer and a 3D artist role), and which platforms are the best when showcasing them. The key is to focus on presenting less projects of better quality rather than dozens of mediocre, unfinished ones and make sure that you always understand all elements of your work.
I was particularly interested in what elements a 3D artist’s portfolio should contain. I learned that through one’s work, it is vital to demonstrate the ability of drawing at a competent level, as well as getting ideas across through sketches or mood boards. Other essential aspects included showcasing the skill of working from reference and understanding key modelling concepts. Everything should always be easily accessible, especially on CVs or during interviews.
That brings us to the subject of how important it is to perform well in the interview. Engaging with the interviewer and presenting your ideas with confidence are key when trying to stand out from other candidates. Jamie also reminded us to always be on time and dress appropriately for the situation. These aspects can often determine whether you will be the one to ultimately get the job, even if you have less experience than other applicants.
Finally, Jamie shared with us what qualities are most sought after when recruiting employees. Those included excellent communication, willingness to try, pushing oneself out of the comfort zone and showing dedication through hard work. Some of the undesirable features in the professional environment involve poor time management, lack of ambition, excessive defensiveness, or unnecessary pushback.
Overall, I found this talk to be very helpful in terms of how I should prepare before starting out in the industry. It also changed my perspective on the actual importance of interviews – I was not aware of how greatly they affect the recruitment process. Presenting my ideas with confidence is also an aspect I still struggle with, so it is a skill I would like to improve.
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