Hi! I just got a job on a AAA project at a junior position. It’s my first job in a studio this big since ive started out— i’m overjoyed! But also quite scared of how it’s gonna turn out once i’m there. Should the situation arise, how would you advise dealing with crunch or management problems when in my position? I kind of feel as a junior and newbie it’s normal for me to observe/adapt and show I’m motivated rather that argue everything, to a point. I’m not sure how to navigate should that reasonable limit be crossed.

boynextdoornews

First, congratulations on getting the job. Getting hired, especially as a junior, especially in today's economic situation, is really getting that rare spawn. I'm happy for you. As to your questions about crunch and working with a team, let's unpack them.

Let's talk about crunch. First off, [don't self-crunch to prove yourself]. Crunch may come and that's too bad, but don't do it to yourself. You'll burn the candle at both ends only to set unsustainable expectations before the shit really hits the fan. Beyond this, prepare for the toll that crunch will take on your physical and mental health by building and maintaining [healthy mitigating habits] and prioritize them. Crunch is often something you can manage if you're careful. Forewarned is forearmed. I would suggest looking at the [#crunch time tag] on this blog for more specifics on crunch at work.

Now we'll talk about dealing with coworkers, especially managers. The most important thing when entering a new environment is your mindset. It can be easy for tempers to flare and egos to get bruised if callouts are made or conflicts arise. How you frame/approach things within your mind is a huge part of defusing these kind of conflicts before they begin. Remember that you're a padawan here to learn as much as you can. Beyond that, we need to believe that everyone on the team shares the same goal - making the game as awesome as we can. If somebody pushes back against your suggestion, it probably isn't because she dislikes you specifically - it might be because she knows something you don't. Maybe she already tried it and found a thousand weird edge cases that arose from that choice. Keep the shared goal in mind and remember that you're all trying to pull in the same direction.

In addition to this, if you don't get one set up for you, you should ask your manager for a regular one-on-one meeting time once every few weeks. What you want is a regular time to ask your manager for direct feedback on how you're doing so far and what/how you can improve. It is also an opportunity to ask any other questions about the company, the project, or even the career path you're aiming for. Your manager isn't just there to assign you tasks, but also to help you reach your career goals. Talking to her regularly about your current progress, performance, and career at the company is a good thing to do on the regular. At the very least, it helps you establish a personal relationship with your manager outside of just the tasks you do. Use the time to realign your goals with what your manager wants for you so that you don't end up too far removed from the team. The team member with the fewest connections is the easiest choice to cut in event of a layoff.

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