Is someone at game design programs encouraging their students to cold message game devs on LinkedIn? I hadn't checked mine in ages and came back to a litany of "hello you work at a place I want to, can we talk" invites to connect from students, many attending the same program. /1

I appreciate the enthusiasm / interest, and personally try to take time to respond to those kinds of messages where I can, but I feel like there's a better approach to learning more about a company, the industry, and the work! Some things I'd personally encourage folks to do: /2

1. "Do your homework." Every company has a hiring page with information about their workplace, the culture, the roles available, etc. For Riot, you can check out: https://www.riotgames.com/en/work-with-us . Some companies also have internship programs as well: https://www.riotgames.com/en/university-programs. /3

Larger companies often have social accounts specifically dedicated to recruiting and info on opportunities. For Riot, that's @RiotCareers on Twitter.

Overall, if you message asking for info that's a Google away, I probably won't respond. Take initiative! Do your research! /4

2. "Show your work." If you ARE going to message someone, there's a big difference between "hi what can you tell me about what you do," and saying "Hey! I'm a student / early career designer. I've read up on how X company views Y craft on their website..." /5

"...and I came across your work via Z platform. I was curious about [specific question], and wondering if you would have time to chat!"

Do a bit of research (but don't be creepy). Focus in on a topic the person you're messaging would be suited to answer. Speaking of... /6

3. "Be specific." Asking for general advice, or expressing general interest, makes it hard to respond w any kind of clarity. Ask specific questions, make the message personal, share a bit about yourself. It's nice that you "like games and fantasy." So do most folks. What else? /7

Specificity narrows the ask of time you're making. A private message on any platform is a fairly personal ask for time. That said, I super appreciate the courage it can take to approach folks! Think genuinely and empathetically about how you frame your message. /8

Instead of saying "tell me everything there is to know about starting out in this line of work," asking "how does X work," or "could you share how you got started at Y company," or any other question with defined-length answers makes it much easier to respond. /9

4. "Know the platform," and the surrounding expectations of tone. A connection request on LinkedIn reads far more formal and professional "network-y" to me. Chatting with me on Twitter about a design question feels more casual than a DM. /10

I always advocate for "don't network, build genuine connections." It's hard to do that on a platform framed as... a professional network. LinkedIn to me is for recruiters/professional contacts I've already made. (Maybe teachers are instructing students differently?) /11

At the core of all this, I'd say: 5. "Be genuine, be respectful, and be brave." And be patient if you don't get a response! Unless you were rude, it's never personal. They may not have time, may have too many thoughts on a topic... or may simply never check their LinkedIn. /end