The age-old “What is your biggest weakness?” interview question is getting swapped out for a video game.
Driving the news: Consultancy giant McKinsey is testing its job applicants with a series of immersive computer games to test the practical skills that exams and interviews don't always demand. One game even simulates sustaining animal populations on a deserted island.
- Major companies like PwC, WSP, and KPMG have used a similar gamified interview program called Skyrise City for their recruitment.
- The games sound silly, dare we say childish, in nature — another company offers one where you pop balloons — but the theory is that they test intangible traits like the ability to assess risk or to focus.
Why it matters: Applicants are increasingly using AI to write their resumes and CVs, while employers are using tech to screen those same applicants. These computer game tests offer an alternative to the no-win cycle of AI assessors evaluating AI applications.
- It’s not surprising that employers are looking for a solution. A poll of 625 hiring managers found that AI-generated resumes were the biggest red flag during recruitment, somehow ranking worse than having no measurable achievements.
Zoom out: There are a lot of industries second-guessing whether exams are the best way to test competence, even if they’re not leaning on computer games to fill the gap. The Law Society of Ontario is currently considering scrapping the bar exam in favour of a skills-based course.—LA