CODE EXCEPTIONS

The traditional approach of hiring used to be in the form of intense and tense interviews whereby applicants are grilled in a bid to determine their suitability for the job. Things are changing, and fast for that matter. Companies are now using social media as a way of getting to employees. Not only are jobs put up on social media like facebook and twitter, but employers are also using people’s profiles to get clues as to the nature of employees. Employers nowadays look at tweets, walls and updates before deciding on whom to hire.

That said a newer concept has come up. The concept of gaming has been embraced by some companies as part of its hiring process. Applicants are made to play a game like monopoly which tests their skills as well as intellectual capabilities.

The argument advanced by those who are supporters of this approach is that a vast majority of those seeking employment opportunities are young people who belong to generation Y. They thus are people who are out to have some fun and would be glad to run away from monotonous interviews. A lot of these people have grown up with games. They would not mind enjoying a game which has capabilities of earning them a job.

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It goes without saying that it is not just any game which can be used for this kind of testing. The games are meant to test skills and decision making capabilities. Situations vary and how possible hires react to these circumstances determines their verdict.

The concept is quite easy to understand and somewhat objective. It however has a few drawbacks. I believe people can practice enough to be able to depict a very good picture, which really is not a true reflection of their capabilities. It disadvantages those who may not have had a chance to play games in their life or those who have never had interest in games.

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It is further speculated that gaming tools can effectively predict the rate at which employees will accept offers. This is because the games will have a function that tests an employee’s willingness to join a firm. Leadership skills are also put to test.

The human resource department normally takes some time to analyze how the employees played the game and from the analysis it is rather clear whether the employee meets the cut to be hired. Companies which have used this gaming approach have gone a step further to incorporate it into performance appraisals, alongside with other tools like HR software which have performance reviews capabilities.

All in all I think it is a good approach, but it should not be over-relied upon. It should be used as a complementary tool to other hiring and promotion tools rather than a solitary tool. If anything, it should be used in conjunction with a robust HR software so as to make human resource functions easier. Even though there are several HR management applications available in the market, the cloud-based solutions are becoming increasingly popular due to global access and value.

All in all, time is of essence; it shall not take us long to find out more about this relatively new approach of hiring.