The world of talent acquisition is experiencing a transformative change, and video game-based assessments are at the heart of this evolution. The days of resumes and interviews as the only tools at an employer’s disposal are so early 2000’s. Learn how video game-based assessments, exemplified by platforms like Scoutible, are setting new standards in hiring by offering more efficient, unbiased, and comprehensive evaluations of candidates.
The Shortcomings of Conventional Hiring Practices
Traditional hiring practices have been fraught with limitations that often result in suboptimal hiring decisions.
The financial toll of hiring the wrong person is significant. Research from Gallup indicates that disengaged employees cost the American economy between $450 billion and $550 billion in lost productivity annually. Moreover, the expense of replacing a full-time employee can be as much as double their annual salary.
Angela Antony, while working on a project at Harvard Law School, delved into such alarming statistics.
“Nearly half of all new hires, about 46%, exit their roles within the first 18 months,” Antony notes. “This is in spite of the enormous amount of time, effort, and money invested in the hiring process. My research aimed to identify the missing information that hampers our ability to accurately forecast an individual’s long-term success in a given job.”
The Resume Dilemma
Resumes, while useful, offer a limited view of a candidate’s capabilities and are often embellished to impress potential employers.
The Subjectivity of Interviews
Interviews, although interactive, are influenced by the interviewer’s biases and don’t always provide an accurate representation of a candidate’s skills or potential.
Bonus: Here are four dysfunctions common in every recruiting process.
The Emergence of Video Game-Based Assessments
Video game-based assessments are revolutionizing the way employers evaluate potential hires. These assessments provide a more holistic, data-driven, and unbiased evaluation of candidates.
Video game-based assessments collect a plethora of data points that are analyzed to offer actionable insights, enabling employers to make more informed hiring decisions. The gaming environment levels the playing field, allowing candidates from diverse backgrounds to showcase their skills without the influence of human biases.
Scoutible: A Pioneer in Video Game-Based Assessments
Scoutible founder and CEO Angela Antony at the company’s San Francisco headquarters. Courtesy Company
Scoutible is a startup that has developed a unique game-based approach to assess job candidates’ suitability for specific roles. Players take control of a character and embark on various missions, such as surviving on a desert island or preventing an assassination. The choices made during gameplay allow Scoutible’s AI to analyze underlying attributes like grit, creativity, leadership ability, and interpersonal skills. The game’s AI was built from scratch by a 10-person team consisting mainly of psychologists and engineers. The game aims to provide a more nuanced understanding of a candidate’s abilities, which may not be fully captured in traditional resumes or interviews.
The game serves as an initial screening tool for employers, helping them identify candidates whose attributes align with the job requirements. According to Antony, the founder who studied psychology at Harvard, the game is neither about winning nor losing but about matching a player’s inherent traits with a job profile. For roles like sales and customer service, Scoutible has established baseline metrics that can be customized by employers. For less defined roles, the company collaborates with employers to gather data from successful employees in similar positions, creating an ideal profile to measure new candidates against. The gameplay and algorithms then take over to find the best match.
Advantages of Video Game-Based Assessments
The benefits of adopting video game-based assessments in the hiring process are numerous.
Time and Resource Efficiency
These assessments streamline the hiring process, reducing the time and resources required for multiple rounds of interviews and tests.
Enhanced Candidate Engagement
The interactive nature of video game-based assessments increases candidate engagement, leading to a more effective and enjoyable hiring process.
Improved Accuracy
The data-driven approach of video game-based assessments ensures more accurate and reliable hiring decisions, reducing the risk of costly hiring mistakes.
Conclusion: The Time to Adopt is Now
The use of video game-based assessments in talent acquisition is not a fleeting trend but a sustainable, long-term solution. As technology continues to advance, we can expect even more sophisticated and effective assessment tools to emerge.
Video game-based assessments are not just a novel concept; they are a proven, effective method for talent acquisition. By embracing this innovative approach, employers can make more informed, unbiased, and efficient hiring decisions. The future of talent acquisition is here, and it’s powered by video game-based assessments.
About me
and Sprint Recruiting
Trent Cotton is a highly accomplished leader and strategist with extensive experience in organizational development, talent management, and business operations. With a strong background in HR leadership, he has a proven track record of designing and implementing innovative HR programs that drive employee engagement, retention, and business performance.
As an experienced executive, Trent has worked with some of the world’s leading companies, where he has led and supported HR initiatives across a broad range of functions, including talent acquisition, workforce planning, diversity and inclusion, performance management, and employee relations. He is also highly skilled in HR technology implementation, data analytics, and HR process improvement, helping organizations to optimize their HR operations and drive business results.
If you follow his blog http://www.sprintrecruiting.com or have read his book, Sprint Recruiting, you would experience his raw communication style, his ability to build and lead high-performing teams, and his strategic mindset. He is passionate about creating workplaces where employees can thrive and grow, and he is committed to helping organizations leverage the power of their people to achieve their business objectives.
In addition to his professional experience, Trent is actively involved in his community and has served on several boards and committees supporting education, workforce development, and diversity initiatives.
In his free time, Trent has written two books: “The 7 Deadly Sins of HR” and most recently, “Sprint Recruiting”. He will be releasing “The High Performing Recruiting Team” in the fall of 2023 and “FutHRist” in 2024.
He’s an active participant in the HR Industry and is asked to participate in roundtables or provide keynotes for many organizations. His blog Sprintrecruiting.com reaches thousands of readers and provides unique insights on a range of recruiting topics.
Connect with him on LinkedIn or Twitter for more.
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