Note to Self

Hiring by Video Game


Listen Later

The traditional job interview is obsolete. That is, when compared to an all-knowing video game that peers into the psyche of every candidate.

Some companies are adding specially-designed video games to their hiring processes. When a job applicant plays one of the games — like the one we test out in this episode, Balloon Brigade — algorithms monitor the "micro-behaviors" within the gameplay to build a detailed, data-driven portrait of his or her strengths and weaknesses. 

"This phenomenon, if it does continue to take hold, will really significantly change the way people are hired, the way people are promoted, and to some extent, the way they see themselves," says the Atlantic's Don Peck, who wrote about these new-fangled hiring practices in the excellent article, "They're Watching You at Work." 

Good hiring is an art, but it's turning into a science replete with video games, intelligence tests and personality quizzes that can know you better than your boss, and maybe better than yourself. But... will this lead to a darker kind of professional determinism, or to a new breed of biased hiring?

On this week's New Tech City, we find out. We get inside these new data-driven hiring practices so you know what to expect. We test out the video games and assessments for ourselves — to some shock and indignation. We hear from the people who make the games. And we show you what it is going to be like when you apply for your next job (so you can start studying). 

If you like this episode, why not subscribe to hear more podcasts like this one. Or follow us on Twitter for more frequent updates. 

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Note to SelfBy WNYC Studios

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

2,534 ratings


More shows like Note to Self

View all
This American Life by This American Life

This American Life

91,090 Listeners

TED Radio Hour by NPR

TED Radio Hour

21,996 Listeners

Radiolab by WNYC Studios

Radiolab

43,969 Listeners

Freakonomics Radio by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Freakonomics Radio

32,055 Listeners

Fresh Air by NPR

Fresh Air

38,237 Listeners

The New Yorker Radio Hour by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

The New Yorker Radio Hour

6,821 Listeners

Planet Money by NPR

Planet Money

30,726 Listeners

Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

Hidden Brain

43,638 Listeners

On the Media by WNYC Studios

On the Media

9,210 Listeners

The Brian Lehrer Show by WNYC

The Brian Lehrer Show

1,571 Listeners

Death, Sex & Money by Slate Podcasts

Death, Sex & Money

7,708 Listeners

Science Friday by Science Friday and WNYC Studios

Science Friday

6,476 Listeners

Code Switch by NPR

Code Switch

14,669 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

112,279 Listeners

Up First from NPR by NPR

Up First from NPR

56,636 Listeners

Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel by Esther Perel Global Media

Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel

14,963 Listeners

Spooked by KQED and Snap Studios

Spooked

16,632 Listeners

The Anthropocene Reviewed by Complexly, John Green

The Anthropocene Reviewed

9,343 Listeners

Dolly Parton's America by WNYC Studios & OSM Audio

Dolly Parton's America

16,404 Listeners

Terrestrials by WNYC

Terrestrials

1,185 Listeners

Huberman Lab by Scicomm Media

Huberman Lab

29,319 Listeners

The Sleepy Bookshelf by Slumber Studios

The Sleepy Bookshelf

3,384 Listeners

The Mel Robbins Podcast by Mel Robbins

The Mel Robbins Podcast

19,751 Listeners

How To Do Everything by NPR

How To Do Everything

383 Listeners