GDC is just around the corner (March 23-27), and as I’ve written before, video game conferences are a great place to look for job opportunities.  GDC has an entire area of the show dedicated to job hunters – the Career Pavilion.  If you haven’t been before, it’s a large conference hall filled with recruiters from all of the major video game companies.  They’ve each got their own booth set up, and are looking to talk with potential candidates.  It’s an incredible opportunity to sit down and talk with them face to face, and should not be missed if you’re in the area.  An expo pass runs around $200, and there’s obviously travel expenses involved if you’re not in the San Francisco Bay Area.  If you’re balling on a budget (as a lot of job hunters are), it can be a little spendy, but it really is something that shouldn’t be missed if you can swing it.

It’s not going to include EVERY company that’s looking for employees, obviously.  The booths (both the space and the buildouts) aren’t cheap, so some smaller companies just aren’t going to be able to afford to exhibit.  Keep your eyes peeled, though – I was at the show last year, and I saw more than one sign being carried around at a party that read something like, “Are you a programmer?  Let’s talk!”

The show is packed, so make sure any materials that you have (resume, cover letter, business cards, etc.) are top notch!