How to Ask for Feedback From Those In the Industry

[CG-Tespy]

Hello, I’ve been going through the How To Get a Job In The Game Industry Course, and as per the Section 2 Wrap-up, I’d like to take action. I’d like to contact people in the industry, asking them to evaluate my skill level. Thing is… How do I go about writing that initial message? As someone with autism, socializing isn’t exactly intuitive for me… More often than I’d like to admit, I offend people with what I assumed were inoffensive statements. So what would you guys do? My best here is this:

“Hello, A! Seeing as you’re B at C, you must know what you’re doing when it comes to D. Is there any chance you can offer me feedback in terms of my skill with D? As someone aspiring to become great at it, I’d like input from a pro so I can see where I’m at now.”

[Tuomo_T]

Hello CG-Tespy,

As a fellow Autistic person I can understand some of the awkwardness and social anxiety that comes with making first contact with anyone, let alone an industry professional!

This is a really tough subject to talk about because just straight up approaching someone and demanding the use of their (often well-paid) time for what is normally expected as free can be considered rude. There’s a great writeup/rant on why that is, even if it’s in the context of screenwriting.

If I had to approach someone today to ask for any feedback that I didn’t have any prior rapport with? I would simply ask if they had the time to provide any mentorship on my portfolio. And if they declined then I would kindly thank them for the response and get on with my day. No response at all is considered a decline with no need to provide a follow-up response.

When I look at your message, it all kinda comes around as if to doubt the abilities of the individual you’re sending it to. “You must know what you’re doing” and “I’d like input from a pro” contribute to this sentiment and line of thinking. In any form of communication, you need to keep in mind who your target audience is, which is the industry professional who clearly does know what they’re doing and are a pro. Otherwise they wouldn’t be in the position they are now.

None of this is an attempt to discourage you from pursuing this but is instead a setting of expectations and giving input on your approach. What might serve you better is to find communities (including ours!) that are willing to let members show off their work and receive feedback for it. If I knew a little more about what it is you want to do I may be able to direct you to such spaces.

[CG-Tespy]

@Tuomo_T

When I look at your message, it all kinda comes around as if to doubt the abilities of the individual you’re sending it to. “You must know what you’re doing ” and “I’d like input from a pro ” contribute to this sentiment and line of thinking. In any form of communication, you need to keep in mind who your target audience is, which is the industry professional who clearly does know what they’re doing and are a pro. Otherwise they wouldn’t be in the position they are now.

Huh, I had no idea my message had any implications of doubting the other person’s abilities. I thought that the “you must know what you’re doing” and “I’d like input from a pro” were subtle compliments to whoever I’d send that message to. What with the implications that the other person does know what they’re doing and that they are a pro…

@Tuomo_T

If I knew a little more about what it is you want to do I may be able to direct you to such spaces.

I’m just trying to do what Rick Davidson himself said to do: go to LinkedIn, look for someone in the same specialization as I, and contact them asking to evaluate my skill level in the relevant specialization. Well, I haven’t done the last two parts quite yet; I made this topic for help so I avoid coming off the wrong way when doing the contacting.