New white paper cuts through the hype of gamification in recruitment

HAMBURG, Germany - April 10, 2017 - PRLog -- To help recruiters and HR teams understand the pros and cons of games, gamification and game-based assessments - and how to get the best out of them - assessment and talent management specialist cut-e has published a new white paper.

Called Ahead of the game: Best practice in games, gamification and game-based assessment, the paper showcases each of these options and examines how they can be used alongside traditional psychometric tests to differentiate an organisation, engage and motivate applicants, raise brand awareness and attract and recruit the best talent.

"Games, gamification and game-based assessments are actually three different things," said Dr Achim Preuss, Chief Technology Officer of the cut-e Group. "Games are a good option if you're looking to attract, but not measure, applicants or if you want to create a viral marketing tool. To assess candidates, you could use a gamified assessment - a proven psychometric test, such as a logical reasoning test, which has been customised with game elements to make it more engaging - or you could create or customise a specific game and assess how someone 'plays' it. This paper explains how recruiters can combine these options with standard psychometric tests to find and hire the best candidates for volume recruitment, apprentice, graduate and experienced hire roles."

The new paper highlights the advantages and disadvantages of gamification. It includes nine practical tips to help recruiters and HR teams choose and use the best option and it features an overview of recent research in this area.

"Bespoke game-based assessments are expensive," said Dr Preuss. "A more cost-effective option is to customise an existing gamified or game-based assessment but you have to be psychometrically rigorous and the assessment has to be scientifically-validated. Generic games should be avoided, as they won't differentiate your organisation in any way. The data from gamified assessments and game-based assessments can be seamlessly integrated with Applicant Tracking Systems and candidate management applications to create useful talent analytics."

To determine whether a game, a gamified assessment, a game-based assessment or a traditional assessment will meet your needs, the paper stresses the importance of clarifying your objectives.

"If your goal is to select candidates, start with a detailed job analysis to identify the necessary competencies and behavioural traits," said Dr Preuss. "Then consider whether a traditional assessment, a gamified version of an existing assessment, a bespoke game or a combination of these will be the best way to measure the desired qualities and gain meaningful, job-relevant insights. An experienced partner can provide an underpinning platform and help you create an immersive candidate experience that gives every applicant an equal chance of success, with no adverse impact. Remember, games and gamification are not the only way forward. Traditional psychometric tests on their own may be a better option, depending on your needs."

Ahead of the game: Best practice in games, gamification and game-based assessment can be freely downloaded from cut-e's website https://www.cut-e.com/online-assessment/gamification

Background notes: Founded in 2002, cut-e (pronounced 'cute') provides online tests, questionnaires and gamified assessments for attraction, selection, talent management and development, in 70 countries and 40 languages.  For further information see www.cut-e.com.