Passion & Talent Gets The Job Done
Many years ago I applied to work at my favorite game company of the time, Games Workshop. Being a superfan and not knowing any better, I wrote a letter of recommendation from a fictional Ork Warboss named Big Boss Belly Busta.
Fortunately Games Workshop subscribed to the idea of hiring people passionate about their games, over people with great technical experience but no passion for the product. The fictional letter of recommendation landed me an interview, where I had to take a test with questions about all of their games and source material. Spoiler... I passed the 80 out of 100 correct answer threshold, by a safe margin.
This was my first exposure to the principle of passion being something you can't teach, and thus making it a focus of your team building. Since then I've employed this approach when building the core group of any team. Specifically... I'd rather have a core team of passionate journey-men/women who work well together, than a group of highly experienced mercenaries who care little for the product.
Here's a copy of that letter, written in the syntax of an Ork from the world of Warhammer. I'd enjoy hearing more stories of passion and talent winning the day, so please share and comment. It'd be great motivation for myself and inspiring to others...
To Oom It May Koncern,
I'ze writin diz letta to rekomend da 'oomie Chris Hewish fer a job witz Games Workshop. He'z a tuff 'oomie who juzt graderated frum univerzity looken fer da job. He be gud to have on yer teem.
Me normaly dusn't like 'oomiez and me did try ta kil diz one when we firzt met. But he werked so ard to win, and kicked me so ard in da belly dat he busted it open. Diz be why dey now calz me Big Boss Belly Busta. It still urtz when i laff. He showed iz tuffness and won fair n square, so now i help him.
Chris alzo be gud wit makin gamez. He gotz gud trainin at sum place kalled The Toy Soldier, where he worked and ran gamez fer yerz. He'z made sum gamez fer me and da boyz to play, when we'ze not bashin on each uter.
I dontz know you, but Chris sayz yer kompany iz da best. So don't delay talkin wit him, or me and sum 'ard boyz gunna have a talk wit u. And beleve me, u don't wantz dat.
Bezt,
Big Boss Belly Busta
About Chris Hewish
Chris Hewish is a veteran game developer, executive and entrepreneur who's helped many great teams ship over 50 games earning over $1B. You can follow him on LinkedIn and his website www.GameCraft.games.
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