No Result
View All Result
Military Families
SUBSCRIBE FREE
No Result
View All Result
 Military Families
SUBSCRIBE FREE
Military Families

Veterans and gaming careers

Stephen Ruiz
by Stephen Ruiz
November 20, 2020
Veterans and gaming careers Military Families Magazine
ShareTweetEmail

Angela Golden-McCord’s parents were no fans of video games. 

They did not keep them around the house, so Golden-McCord’s exposure to gaming was limited until she began babysitting her cousin during the summer. Her uncle’s house was fully stocked with a Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis and PlayStation, and Golden-McCord took full advantage.

“Those four summers were when I binged video games for the first time,’’ she said.

Veterans and gaming careers Military Families Magazine
Angela Golden-McChord, once in the Navy, is now a senior recruiting manager for Riot Games.

Golden-McCord, a former quartermaster second class in the Navy, plays video games now more than ever. A senior recruiting manager for Riot Games, Golden-McCord, 37, was one of five panelists with military backgrounds who participated in a recent Careers in Gaming webinar put on by Hire Heroes USA – a nonprofit veterans organization. Golden-McCord shared her insights, along with animator Eddie Contreras, a Marine veteran, and game designer Dan Spence, an Army veteran, from Sony Interactive Entertainment. The event also featured Navy veteran John Doyle, vice president of production and operations at Riot Games, and former Air Force Capt. Andy Parthum, a senior manager at Activision Blizzard.

Veterans and gaming careers Military Families Magazine
Andy Partham, senior manager at Activision Blizzard

“The military teaches you to be aggressive and adaptable, which is helpful in an industry where innovation can shift trends very quickly,’’ Parthum, who completed his nearly five-year stint in the military in 2016, said in an email.

A total of 693 veterans and military spouses registered for the webinar, Hire Heroes USA spokeswoman Jamie Rimphanli said. Two other webinars, as yet unscheduled, are planned for next year, Rimphanli said.

The idea behind the webinar initially sprang from an inquiry. A veteran was in school and interested in pursuing a career in video games. As he tried to build his network of contacts, though, he was not encountering much success.

“He asked, ‘I know that you do support for veterans in entertainment. Do you think there’s an opportunity to do some video gaming?’’’ Rimphanli said. “And I said, ‘Sure. Let’s give it a shot.’’’

Rimphanli reached out to the Call of Duty Endowment and its executive director, Dan Goldenberg. He also is a vice president at Activision Blizzard and conceded challenges exist for veterans in trying to find the right fit in gaming. 

“The barrier was really a knowledge barrier,’’ said Goldenberg, a former Navy captain. “Sometimes a job title doesn’t convey what this job really does. The goal [with the webinar] was to bridge the gaps.’’

Goldenberg, whose company has developed a veterans’ hiring guide under the careers tab at activision.com, said the Call of Duty Endowment funds 12 nonprofit organizations (including Hire Heroes USA) in the United States and United Kingdom to help place veterans in various career fields. 

Goldenberg offered several suggestions for veterans trying to break into the video-game industry.

  • Ask what function you want to perform, whether it be coding, game design, animation or a position on the marketing side, for example.
  • Acquire skills specific to that area.
  • Talk with people who are in roles that interest you or reach out on LinkedIn. 

And, perhaps most of all, don’t waste time.

“If you think you want to break into the industry, don’t wait until you’re out [of the military],’’ Goldenberg said.

“Start developing those skills now, even as a hobbyist. If you want to do something on the technical side, start learning the codes you need to learn, learning how to design, whatever you might need. Get familiar with that. If you’re an artist, develop your portfolio. Start early.’’

Golden-McCord did not. She was a recruiter for a rental-car company before meeting several people working in video games and becoming impressed with the industry’s creative culture. 

Parthum, 31, was attending graduate school on the GI Bill when a recruiter from Activision Blizzard was on campus. He interviewed, got the position and worked on several business-oriented teams at the Fortune 500 company during a two-year MBA program. Parthum now manages partnerships with game platforms such as PlayStation, Xbox and Switch.

“The military is all about working well in small groups, coordinating across a variety of different teams and getting deliverables across the line against hard deadlines,’’ Parthum said. “All of these skills translate to the business and corporate roles I’ve found myself in here.’’

In the first year after Golden-McCord was hired, she participated in a forum with about 20 other veterans employed by Riot Games. Each discussed what he or she did in the military and their role with the company at the time. As Golden-McCord listened, she was struck by the different perspectives.

“That was the thing that had the greatest impact on me,’’ Golden-McCord said. “It showed me that no matter what your background was before, there’s always an opportunity or a chance that some skill that you have could convert or transfer into the video-games industry.’’

Follow https://www.hireheroesusa.org/ for updates on future gaming webinars.

Read comments
Tags: Activision BlizzardAttention Deficit Hyperactivity DisorderCall of Duty Endowmentgaming careersHire Heroes
Share48Tweet30Send
Stephen Ruiz

Stephen Ruiz

Stephen Ruiz, 53, worked in the newspaper industry for more than three decades. During the past 21 years, he worked for the Orlando Sentinel as a writer, copy editor and high school editor in the sports department. He also served as an online producer. Stephen graduated from Louisiana State University with a bachelor's degree in journalism and enjoys reading, cooking and exercising. He has completed three marathons.

Related Posts

Military Spouse Leadership Development Program seeks applicants
Military Education

Military Spouse Leadership Development Program seeks applicants

1 week ago
Coast Guard leads Cold Water Ice Diving training in Minnesota
Military News

Coast Guard leads Cold Water Ice Diving training in Minnesota

2 weeks ago
10 military-connected podcasts that should be on your radar (and playlist)
Entertainment

10 military-connected podcasts that should be on your radar (and playlist)

2 months ago
Proposed EOD fitness test revisions address needs of mothers
Military Career

Proposed EOD fitness test revisions address needs of mothers

2 months ago
Aircraft carrier celebrates centennial
Military News

Aircraft carrier celebrates centennial

2 months ago
Space Force partners with universities to enhance training and retain talent
Military Education

Space Force partners with universities to enhance training and retain talent

3 months ago

Ads

Military News, delivered to your inbox

Get a free copy of MILITARY FAMILIES delivered to your inbox each month

Let's connect!

ABOUT US

  • OUR STORY
  • OUR TEAM
  • OUR WRITERS

MAGAZINE

  • GET PRINT
  • GET DIGITAL

GET RESOURCES

  • VETERAN TRANSITION GUIDE

ADVERTISE

  • GET OUR MEDIA KIT
  • CFC PARTNERS
  • PRICING
  • PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT

SUBMISSIONS

  • PITCH US
  • SUBMIT YOUR STORY
  • BOOK CLUB

Never miss out on the latest stories.

© 2022 Military Families by AmeriForce. Privacy Policy | Terms | Site by Swiss Commerce

Thank you for your interest in Military Families Magazine!

Thank you for your interest in Military Families Magazine!

Thank you for your interest in Military Families Magazine!

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Military Life
    • Deployment
    • Relocation
    • Military Spouses
    • Military Kids
  • Education
  • Career
    • Transition
    • Entrepreneur
    • Veterans
  • Health
  • Money
  • Travel
  • Get Resources
    • Veteran transition guide
  • Giveaways
  • About us
    • Our story
    • Our team
    • Our writers
  • Magazine
    • Get print
    • Get digital
  • Advertise
    • Get our media kit
    • CFC partners
    • Pricing
    • Publisher’s statement
  • Submissions
    • Pitch us
    • Submit your story
    • Book club

© 2021 Military Families by AmeriForce. Site by SCBW.