The current climate of the gaming industry feels unstable, to say the least. As more and more rounds of layoffs are announced alongside studio closures and increasing usage of generative AI, employees may be holding on to their current roles a little more tightly. But when you stay in a position out of obligation or fear, you might notice that you start to outgrow the role.
So what happens when things become stagnant? Maybe you have always been interested in a leadership role. Or maybe you’re curious about a role in another department. Having to stay in your current role past your “expiration date” does not mean your professional growth has to be stunted. There are ways you can continue to tend to your career in order to continue to be fruitful over coming years. To be clear, these recommendations are aimed at your professional growth. That means you may have to invest your own time, creativity, and sometimes, money.
That does not mean your work is worth anything less; but rather that the current job market has shifted the way we progress in our careers. Even traditional career paths are quickly falling away (Cohen, 2025). As stricter job requirements prioritize similarity over diversity and entry level jobs still requiring experience becoming the norm, career growth is looking a lot more organic. Here are some strategies to keep that momentum going in your own career.
Clarify
Let’s start with a brainstorm to clarify your personal goals within your career. Here are some questions to get you started:
- What does growing professionally look like for you?
- What parts or responsibilities of your current role do you really enjoy?
- What new skills, technology or techniques are you actually interested in learning about?
- Where do you want to be in your career 10 years from now?
Be realistic and dream big. It doesn’t have to be perfect; this is just an opportunity to get your inspiration out in front of you from different angles. Once you have a better picture of your interests, goals and primary motivators, start connecting the dots. Look if there is any overlap. And then map out how things can relate.
For example, let’s say you’re ready for a promotion but an opportunity is not available. How can you expand your skills in your current role to show you’re ready for a new challenge? Is there a side project that genuinely interests you that you can take on? You can apply these same strategies if your end goal is a completely different role or a shift into management. The primary goal for this step is to have a better overall understanding of what actually interests you.
Develop
A while back, there was a TikTok trend attributed to having been started by Elizabeth Jean (@xparmesanprincessx) developing her own personal curriculum. The idea behind it was to build your own personal curriculum for the month or the season with no grades or pressure – “…just learning for the sake of curiosity (@olivia.unplugged).”
Let’s take this idea and develop a professional curriculum. A professional curriculum is a self-designed and self-paced set of “courses” (or tasks such as attending a conference) focused on the idea of creating more opportunities for yourself rather than more obligations. Based on your earlier brainstorm, consider the ways in which you can actually develop those skills through mediums that support your learning style.
Some examples are:
- Researching job descriptions to identify any skill gaps for the ideal next role
- Read a book on the subject (extra points if it’s from your local library)
- Search for free webinars, online learnings, or TED talks
- Attend conferences or other networking opportunities
- Reach out to other professionals for advice and/or mentorship (if appropriate)
- Develop a small, low-effort project to practice (and add it to your resume if applicable!)
And make it fun! Creating a professional curriculum may not sound like an exciting activity; however, in my experience, the more engaging or interesting I am able to digest the material, the more likely I am going to absorb it. Remember: this is for your growth so set yourself up for success. You deserve it.
Stretch
Use your current role as an opportunity to lead from where you are. Depending on the relationship you have with your direct manager, they can be a great resource and advocate. Reach out to see if they would be open to having an honest discussion about your career growth, skill gaps or other areas of improvement. A part of their job as your manager is to coach you.
Not only will this open a door for honest feedback but it will also show your willingness to improve or try new things. You can also ask that they keep you in mind for special projects or “stretch” opportunities where you can have the room to try a new skill on a low-impact project. Your manager should even be able to help you with the internal promotion process, especially if there is key experience missing. If you do not have a direct manager, reach out to your colleagues and peers.
As was mentioned before, be mindful that these opportunities most likely will not come with additional compensation. However, showing your willingness to learn new things should be an encouraging sign to any manager.
Tips!
- Document as much of your professional growth as you can – you never know when it will come in handy.
- When applicable, add any relevant training, certifications or completed projects to your resume. It is real work, even if compensation was not involved.
- Check with your current employer to see if they offer professional development funds to employees as a benefit. These funds often can only be used for certain courses or conferences but that may open the door for other learning opportunities.
- This industry is changing. And it doesn’t seem done. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up your dreams. Instead, take your growth into your own hands. I can’t wait to see what you do with it.
King Lewis is a People Operations leader with over 10 years of experience building HR systems that put employees first. King is currently the Senior People Operations Manager at Monomi Park, creators of Slime Rancher, and has worked in a variety of sectors. King joined Monomi Park about three years ago as their first HR hire where they own performance management, compensation, benefits, engagement, coaching and overall people strategy. King holds a Masters degree from the University of Southern California and a SPHR certification. King currently lives in Long Beach, CA with their partner, child and pup.
Citations
Cohen, N. (2025, February 16). The Career Ladder Is Dead – Here’s What To Climb Instead. Forbes.
Elizabeth Jean. [@xparmesanprincessx]. (n.d.). [TikTok profile]. TikTok.