The Hiring Game

Gamification in recruitment is having a moment right now.

But it’s been around for longer than you might think.

Riddles, puzzles, strategy and management games are an unusual but sometimes fruitful way to pick out suitable candidates. The military has been using games to recruit for decades.

But more industries are creating their own recruitment games.

Back in 2004, Google invited people to solve a series of equations. They then invited those who reached the end to apply for a job. This was a clever way to pre-screen potential applicants.

In 2011, Marriott took it further and created the ‘Marriott My Hotel’ game. They invited people to manage a ‘virtual’ hotel kitchen, including budgeting and staffing. If players liked it, they could click through to an application form to apply for a hospitality job.

A few years back, Jaguar collaborated with the band Gorillaz to launch an app for engineering candidates. The app lets players virtually assemble an electric vehicle and play code-breaking puzzles. It claimed to test curiosity, persistence, lateral thinking and problem-solving skills. Successful players would be fast-tracked through the company’s recruitment process

Code challenges are another popular option used to attract talent who’ve grown up learning code at home to technology companies.

Companies who’ve used games as a recruiting tool say it benefits their brand image and replaces gut feeling in an interview with behavioural science.

The downside is a game may bear no reflection on what the job entails. It could also attract candidates who are excellent gamers but have none of the skills needed.

Get it right though, and you could have an edge in attracting great candidates and boosting your brand at the same time.

Written by Jason Connolly