Boardgames; Assessment method during the interview

Background

Job interviews are meant to find the ideal match and are often well defined. They go through a few phases, ask each other questions and roughly within a week it is clear whether the applicant can get started or not. Very nice (or not …) but it is quite old-fashioned and clinical. This is an idea for employers who want to look at the application procedure with a more playful look.

The idea

Board games come in all shapes and sizes. Some appeal to specific qualities such as being able to think several steps ahead (Chess), being a good loser (Man-worse-you-don’t) and business insight (Monopoly).

There are thousands of board games and a game that is selected is intended to match the characteristics sought in an applicant.

In addition, regardless of the game, the applicant’s nervousness diminishes and seeing him perform when he is comfortable lets his true nature emerge in a playful way.

The goal

We believe job interviews can benefit from more playful methods to assess applicants. It breaks the ice and makes the applicant feel more comfortable. We envision the applicant playing the board game together with the recruiter for 10 minutes and where the previous applicant stops, the next applicant will continue. Short, powerful, and fun!

Our suggested board games (but not limited to!);

Chess

Probably the most famous tactical board game worldwide and widely applicable to test a wide variety of properties. Besides thinking ahead, also anticipating the other are possibilities, flexibility, perseverance and spatial insight (with 3-dimensional chess board).

Monopoly

Who hasn’t grown up with it? The black and white guy with the mustache where there are hotels on the calf street as well as “you can go directly to jail and not start.” From negotiation to weighing up choices. And hang out from the monopolist to the philanthropist. It is so extensive that the playing style reflects the character.

Life

True life but on cardboard. Faced with all kinds of force majeure situations, this mainly responds to the coping ability. But long-term thinking and taking calculated risks are also part of the game and show the nature of the applicant.

Conclusion

Though it started as a playful joke between the authors of this blog with a what-if, it turns out to be a pretty good idea to try. Everybody knows the feeling of being nervous for a job interview and this can impact the assessment. This method we propose should be seen as an addition to existing assessment methods, but one of the more playful ones currently available.

To summarize, will this work? No idea! Worth trying? Absolutely! We are eagerly awaiting findings showcasing experiences with this type of assessment method.

G: Promotion video: Boardgame during interview

Credits

Time: 4 hours
Written by: Mariëlle Pax & Robert Velhorst.