3 min read

Using Gamification in Recruitment

Guy Thornton September 25, 2020

Gamification is not a new concept. It gained popularity around 2010. Since then it has stuck around as a successful tool to increase customer and employee engagement in a goal-oriented way. Simply put, gamification introduces game elements into non-game situations.

People have a tendency to stick to what they know and with the use of gamification companies can easily mix this up. Especially within recruitment, gamification adds healthy competition and the opportunity for progression. Moreover, it motivates people to learn and solve problems in an unconventional way.

Gamification and Recruitment

When doing something we enjoy, our brain is more active. Because of this, we're able to take in and absorb more information which is essential for learning. When gamification methods are applied to learning, the whole process suddenly becomes increasingly more enjoyable to the individual and it's an excellent tool for learning and acquiring a goal-oriented approach.

Gamification works both ways

It can mix things up both for the recruiter and job applicants. Traditional interview formats don't always provide the best results for when you want to assess the candidate's abilities fully. The majority of job applicants pre-plan their answers for common interview questions. By introducing gamification elements to the recruitment process, recruiters are able to present company-related situations better and see how well the candidates react. This can be done through industry-related challenges and company-centric quests.

Gamification allows testing of key skills

When gamification elements are used in recruitment, it is much easier to test particular skills that your company has pinpointed as essential for the future employee. Aptitude tests, behavioural quizzes, creative thinking tests for solving problems among others are excellent for testing whether potential candidates are not only able to fit in your company environment but also bring additional value with key skills. This is excellent for candidate elimination allowing you to narrow your search.

Gamification can simulate the actual on-the-job performance

You can always ask your candidates to imagine a potential everyday situation on the job and see how they respond to challenges. On the other hand, when you integrate the same everyday situations through gamification elements, the observed results can be more revealing. For example, when the candidate is asked to run a factory in a game setting, it can reveal their time-management, leadership, and problem-solving skills better through action rather than description.

Gamification introduces healthy competition

Instead of traditional incentives, gamification is a fantastic tool to increase healthy competition among recruiters. It motivates learning and applying the newly acquired skills into a successful recruitment process. In the same vein that leaderboards work in game settings, they can also be applied to recruitment as recruiters have a clear points system based, for example, on the deals closed. This in return challenges their ability to look for solutions that would put them ahead of their competitors.

Introducing Gamification

Just like any new tool, gamification needs to be introduced carefully. Before applying gamification you need to first assess your goals through analysis and monitoring. Gamification elements need to serve their purpose and also be clearly measurable.

Guy Thornton September 25, 2020

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