The Interview Process: Attitude and Leadership Potential

The interview process for this TGP (Team Game Project) was an interesting experience for me.  As an associate producer on this project, it was my first time in a serious role as an interviewer, and the whole experience was a bit daunting.  The students were interviewing for leadership positions on their second TGP, which is an 8-week development cycle for an FPS CTF that the students create using UDK. 

We ran through five questions with the students, ranging from questions on motivation to hypothetical late milestone scenarios.  As the interviews went on, I found myself looking very closely at the way interviewees framed their responses.  We, the interviewers, asked each question in a positive light   (e.g., “What are traits of someone that you enjoy working with?”)  Most students would answer this positively, and list traits like a positive attitude, solid work ethic, and good organizational skills.  However, some students would frame their questions negatively, choosing to describe the kinds of people they don’t like to work with and qualities of people that they absolutely do not like. 

I found a marked difference in my notes for each candidate based on their positive/negative framing of each interview question.  I examined each student’s credentials very closely, making sure they were well qualified for the position they were applying for.  Even so, if they seemed to  have a primarily negative attitude throughout the interview, I ended up not recommending them for a leadership position.

Upon reviewing these notes, I wonder if my ‘attitude criteria’ is an appropriate gauge of who should or should not work in a leadership position.  If the candidate meets the job requirements, are they not qualified for the position?  Perhaps they are fit for the job from a requirement standpoint, but they are not fit to be leaders.  Since they are students, many of them do not have prior leadership experience.  I feel like a good first impression (established through a positive attitude) is one of the best metrics for leadership potential.  Coming to this conclusion caused me to examine what quantifies a good leader and what prospective leaders should strive to become.

It’s my belief that leaders in game development need to be firm, drive results, and be a resource for their team.  However, my first interviewing experience taught me additional values that are just as important when placing developers in leadership positions.  Leaders should motivate and inspire their squad, and what better way to do that than by having a positive attitude?  Game development is tough – there are plenty of things to complain about, but we’re not doing ourselves any favors by looking at the glass half empty.

As a leader, aim to be vigilant rather than pessimistic.  Be firm, but not a dictator.  Finally, be positive – give the team something to believe in when the times get tough.  Guide them to the light at the end of the tunnel, and give them their due credit when they’ve made something beautiful and their amazing game is changing the lives of thousands of people around the world.