Chapter 41: The Interview

Alex Parker added all his requirements together, looking for someone who:

Is young and has potential.

Has a broad skill set to perform as an assistant.

Has a basic understanding of the gaming industry.

Is reliable and trustworthy.

Based on these standards, Alex sifted through the resumes received today.

The result was disappointing.

Not a single candidate met Alex's criteria.

Of course, Alex was prepared for this outcome. His standards were stringent, and it was only the first day. There was no need to rush.

...

Three days later.

At 10 AM, the experience store opened as usual. Alex continued working on the design documents for the new version of "Plants vs. Zombies" on his laptop at the front desk.

The significant features of this update were relatively simple, building on the existing framework with clear rules, so writing the document was smooth and straightforward.

The overall framework was almost complete; the next steps involved detailing the document and beginning production.

Over these three days, Alex received many resumes and conducted four or five interviews, but he wasn't satisfied with the results and hadn't found the assistant or receptionist he was looking for.

The candidates either lacked a bit of creativity or had too many ulterior motives, each with their own issues that Alex found unacceptable.

After all, there is a difference between reviewing resumes and conducting actual interviews. Speech, behaviour, and small details can reveal a lot.

Alex's standard was that he wouldn't settle for less unless he found someone who truly satisfied him.

"Hello, I'm here for the interview," a voice said.

Alex looked up and saw a young woman about twenty-three years old, with short hair and bangs. She was very cute and had a genuinely infectious smile.

"Oh, hello, please come in."

Alex stood up and took out the pre-printed resume.

He led the young woman to the conference room and poured her a glass of water.

Amy Johnson, 23 years old, a senior at a well-known prestigious university in the capital, majoring in Fine Arts. During her time at university, she had won numerous awards, almost filling up her resume.

However, Alex roughly assessed Amy as not being a dominant student leader like Lily Emerson but as being more of a hard-working model. Most of the awards on her resume were for tough tasks that others were unwilling to do.

In other words, she wasn't an opportunist but rather someone who was practical and diligent.

So far, Alex had a good impression of Amy.

"I've read your resume and understand your basic situation. This interview is just a casual chat, so no need to be nervous," Alex said.

Amy nodded, "Okay!"

Alex realized he was overthinking, but Amy showed no signs of nervousness. She must have been in similar situations often at school, or perhaps she was naturally confident.

"You wrote on your resume that you can do either the receptionist or assistant job. Why?" Alex asked.

Amy replied, "Well, if I can't be an assistant, I can be a receptionist. I think I can still learn something from being a receptionist."

That was a very pragmatic answer. Alex could see that Amy had set her expectations low, likely due to previous unsuccessful attempts to become a game designer.

"Why choose to be a game designer instead of an artist, given your major in Fine Arts? Your hand-drawn work is excellent, and you could definitely be a concept artist," Alex asked.

Amy responded, "Well, for one thing, being a designer also lets me use my drawing skills. On the other hand, I think being a game designer is a more creative profession."

Alex continued, "But you've tried developing some independent games without achieving the status of a designer. Do you think you lack talent?"

Amy replied, "Maybe my talent isn't great, but I won't give up!"

Alex nodded and moved to the next question, "What do you think is the most important quality for a game designer?"

Amy frowned slightly, clearly finding this a vague question that required some thought.

"Well, I think the most important quality for a game designer is to stick to their beliefs," Amy answered.

Alex was taken aback, "Beliefs?"

Amy explained, "Not in the traditional sense. I mean that game designers should always stay true to themselves, creating games that move players, bringing them joy and inspiration."

Alex pondered and asked, "If you had the opportunity to create a game with poor reviews but high earnings, would you do it?"

Amy was puzzled, "If it has poor reviews, why would it be profitable?"

Alex said, "It's just a hypothetical."

Amy thought for a moment, "I don't know. If I thought the game was bad, I wouldn't do it even if it made a lot of money."

Alex continued, "What if I wanted to make such a game?"

Amy was stunned, "You're the designer of 'Plants vs. Zombies.' If you can create such a great game, why would you sacrifice its reputation for money?"

Alex said, "Honestly, there's a good chance I'll make some profitable but poorly reviewed games in the future. If you can't accept that, we can't work together."

Amy frowned, clearly struggling with this decision.

After a moment, Amy said, "I can't make you change your mind. To be honest, I love 'Plants vs. Zombies.' I think you're a talented designer, and working as your assistant, I could learn a lot."

"I'm not very smart and have tried to become a game designer myself but failed, so I want to start as an assistant to learn."

"Can we compromise? I can work as a receptionist while also handling some assistant tasks. If there's a game I don't like, I can choose not to work on it."

Amy's attitude was sincere. She did not abandon her principles or try to change Alex's views.

If she became his assistant, she would have to follow Alex's commands completely, even if she didn't like the game she was working on. This is the professional ethics of a game design assistant.

So, Amy proposed working as a receptionist while also taking on some assistant tasks. This was a reasonable compromise.

Alex thought about it.

Amy was the most satisfactory candidate so far. She had a natural love for games and a positive, infectious attitude, so working with her would likely be enjoyable.

However, Alex was concerned that their philosophies didn't fully align.

Amy clearly wanted to maintain her integrity while making money, but Alex was different.

The gaming industry was very competitive, with giants like Generation Entertainment, Infinite Entertainment, and countless others watching closely. To be the ultimate winner in this environment, Alex needed more than just the few high-quality games from his past life.

To develop large-scale premium games, Alex needed a lot of money, so his current goal was to make money, even at the cost of some reputation.

This would inevitably clash with Amy's principles.

Alex said, "How about this: until you graduate, you can work here as a receptionist and also take on some assistant tasks. If you ever feel dissatisfied and want to leave, you can do so at any time. If you still want to stay when you graduate, we can sign a formal contract. How does that sound?"