Discover Amir Satvat: The Driving Force Behind Helping Laid-Off Developers Secure New Employment Opportunities

The job search process can be overwhelming and intimidating, particularly during economic downturns and industry-wide layoffs. However, Amir Satvat, currently serving as Business Development Director at Tencent, was inspired to make a positive impact on this process. He has established a community and compiled a range of resources to aid individuals in finding new employment or entering the gaming industry for the first time, with nearly 2,000 placements to date. Satvat's efforts began after learning about the job cuts at Microsoft in October 2022. He recalls, 'It was near Thanksgiving, a time when people typically feel safe and happy with their families. However, many individuals had just lost their jobs and were not feeling that sense of security.' Satvat started by utilizing LinkedIn and eventually created the Games Jobs Workbook, a comprehensive guide featuring contributions from gaming industry professionals. He explains, 'I sought to create a standardized approach to categorize the numerous job roles into 20 common categories, making it easier for people to browse and find gaming jobs. We also established a coaching network, which now includes over 2,000 mentors.' The website provides users with access to 15 gaming industry job resources across six categories, including career planning, job listings, and networking opportunities. Satvat shares that his initiative gained significant traction on LinkedIn, resulting in a follower base of over 85,000 people. A Discord server for game jobs was also launched, with 1,200 users signing up. Satvat estimates that his efforts have helped more than 1,800 people find employment and facilitated over 31,000 career coaching conversations, all without any financial gain. He emphasizes, 'This is simply an act of kindness, with no ulterior motives. It's the largest impact made by an individual or organization in the world to help gamers find jobs since I started this initiative on November 2, 2022.' Satvat acknowledges that the job search and application process can be daunting, involving searching for roles on various websites, job boards, and social media platforms, as well as creating profiles. He notes, 'All of this is overly complicated. People who are already stressed and experiencing emotional distress due to job loss cannot cope with this process. So, I decided to simplify it.' Satvat's approach involves condensing the process into a straightforward form that can be completed in just five minutes. Once submitted, a member of his community, including himself, a mentor, or a resource provider, will assist the individual in finding employment. Over the past year, Satvat's LinkedIn community has garnered 40 million views, with two-thirds of the traffic coming from the gaming industry. Satvat attributes the most challenging aspect of initiating this endeavor to believing in himself and building the network. He recalls, 'People said it would never work without paying participants or having a sophisticated website and data scientists. The difficult part was getting the initial members on board, but once we crossed a tipping point, everyone wanted to participate because it was helpful and cool.' Regarding mentors, Satvat uses LinkedIn to vet individuals and provide them with a layer of privacy when coaching job seekers. He requires mentors to have a LinkedIn profile and at least three years of work experience, allowing him to review their backgrounds and ensure credibility. Satvat also prioritizes transparency regarding job seekers' chances of getting hired. Since starting this initiative in 2022, he estimates that an individual with no gaming industry experience has a 3% to 5% chance of finding a job within a year. For those who have lost their job in the gaming industry, the chance of being reabsorbed into the sector within 12 months is 20% to 25%. Satvat advises individuals not to take rejection personally, emphasizing that breaking into the industry can be as challenging as entering a prestigious university. However, he believes that pivoting into gaming is a more accessible pathway, citing his own experience as an example. After joining Amazon in 2019, Satvat worked at Amazon Games before moving to Tencent Games. Despite his busy schedule, Satvat has established a process and work schedule that allows for personal time, prioritizing his family and children. He notes, 'I set strict limits on my time and delineate everything I do. My family always comes first, and I block out time for them.'