Employers screening WoW players during recruitment?
by William Dobson 
Dec 16th 2008 at 11:00AM
Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Forums, Making money, Virtual worlds
Some of the reasons cited for the rejections include bad sleeping habits, and an inability to give 100% due to a wandering mind -- presumably wandering to the next Azerothian adventure. Poor WoW has been taking all the heat lately, but it's doubtful that the fans (nor Blizzard) care too much about the bad rap. When it comes to your next job-hunt though ... we're not going to tell you to lie or anything like that, but just be a little wary of the chatty interviewer when they ask if you've checked out the latest WoW expansion, kay guys?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Iokthemonkey said on 11:10AM 12-16-2008
I've never understood this "oh, MMOs steal your social life" thing.
I've had coworkers, when I've mentioned playing an MMO say, "I wish I had time to play one." These are the same people who will then complain about being up until 2 AM as they couldn't beat the last level on MGS or that they spent the entire weekend trying to unlock the last car in Forza.
Yet they don't have time to play an MMO and - not only that - look down on those who do?
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tbone said on 11:12AM 12-16-2008
LOL, who would want to work at a "online media" company that so doesn't get the 21st century.
Its like a 1940s ad agency saying, Dont hire anyone who watches "TV".
With the stupidity that runs todays american companies is it a real surprise we are headed into a depression.
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Bam! said on 11:21AM 12-16-2008
It's not that far fetched, I think we all know MMO players that you wouldn't want working for your company. Of course addictions apply to everything, I just seem to know more MMO deadbeats than anything else.
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John said on 11:24AM 12-16-2008
I think Blizzard cares...until they hit the bank and deposit the monthly $14 million dollars. Most people don't have any life to begin with...so this just keeps them from having more babies or getting into other trouble (drinking, drugs etc..).
This is by far the less dangerous of addictions....so relax.
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niko said on 1:10PM 12-16-2008
Drinking + WoW is a requirement most nights... ESPECIALLY raiding. You practically need it with all the wiping :)
djpostman1 said on 11:33AM 12-16-2008
Thats pretty ridiculous....but i am posting on an MMO website.....at work....hmmm
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bob said on 11:50AM 12-16-2008
Good article. I think William hit this one spot on.
WoW takes all the blame here. They could just as much have pointed this towards media as a whole.
Just one problem, that would mean these media companies would have to hire people not knowing anything about media at all.
Its not brain surgery then that they are pointing towards another faction of the media industry. Namely the mmo-bransh. But this one goes just as easily the other way around too.
And come on guys with your navie thoughts here. ADDICTION? What is that? Sugar is addiction, coffe is addiction, tv is addiction, newspapers are addictive, wearing cloths are addictive, sleeping.....
Lets rather start calling them all habits shall we?
Otherwise this is nothing less than generalising gays, lesbians, mongoloids, french people or negros.
Such a crazy childish race we all are :(
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Jeremy said on 11:51AM 12-16-2008
Actually, for me, talking about games during an interview was a plus. My co-workers all play MMO's and CoD4 regularly. It was a good way for us to get to know each other. But my employer *might* not be the norm: Start-up company where we drink in the office every friday afternoon. And yes, WoW and half life are installed on several machines at the office (but never played during work).
None of us are addicted to it, but there are several late nights a week.
As for "mind wandering" or distracted conversations about WoW, it's no different than another's mind wandering about shopping or water cooler conversations about the TV special the night before.
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bob said on 12:03PM 12-16-2008
It all boils down to the manager, or the guy doing the hiering part having no idea what its all about.
He then fears to be left out in this new world. And to then start thinking he is less of a man if he doesn't have complete control anymore.
People normally don't feel like they are in control when they don't have a clue on what they are talking about.
Its like having a school janitor in charge of NASA.
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Bloodchills said on 12:15PM 12-16-2008
I recruit new people from time to time, so I'll give you a few tips.
If you are asked anything during a job interview that makes you feel uncomfortable for a split second, the recruiter will pick up on it. That's why we ask these types of questions.
We do not care if you play Warcraft -- we ask this so that we can tell if you have a problem with it. Judging from someone's response, if they are smiling, happy and relaxed about the question, we don't mark them negatively for it. If they clench up -- that's a sure sign that there is a major problem with the candidate.
Preparation can prevent fear from triggering a terrible response during an interview.
I teach preparation as the salvation for anyone being interviewed. Don't talk about your kid sister with autism and how you're a better person because you had to change her diapers when she was growing up. That is inappropriate and disgusting. If you want to talk about how you championed someone with a disability, just say it like that. I took care of my kid sister growing up, and she had autism, and only through my efforts did she have a higher quality of life.
Recruitment is a competition, and sadly the best person rarely wins. But at least the worst person always loses and that is why we recruit.
We never recruit the best person for the job. That would be too expensive. We are trying to ensure that the worst people are excluded and what I have found is that many WoW players are just insecure about their involvement with the game and therefore they are less likely to exceed in our firm.
We're looking for confident, competitive and intriguing people who know conversational limits and how to act in public. All the companies I've worked with are only looking for similar candidates and sadly, if you play Warcraft, you top the list of the inept sleep-deprived nerdlinger masses.
I play the game, and love it. Would I mention it in an interview? Hell no. That would be crazy. That's like admitting you steal pens. Everyone steals pens but you'd better not put that down on your application.
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Tony said on 12:36PM 12-16-2008
I was always under the impression that interviewers couldn't ask personal questions. That would include interests and hobbies.
Am I misunderstanding something here? I'm genuinely curious, since obviously you have more of a connection there than I do.
It just comes across as something they could potentially discriminate against that may or may not have anything to do with the actual job at hand. I'm asking this regardless as to whether or not the person is "addicted" to the game or not. It strikes me as something similar to asking if someone likes rock music and then judging them upon it for a programming position.
Tony said on 12:40PM 12-16-2008
Also, I wanted to add, if someone asked me that during an interview and I came off as uncomfortable it'd be because I'd feel it was completely out of context and unusual lol.
Bloodchills said on 12:46PM 12-16-2008
This response is for Tony:
Actually you can ask ANYTHING you want during an interview. However, the candidate doesn't have to answer if the question steps out of the boundaries, and cannot be penalized for it. Typically, however, the type of reaction the person makes to a question gives you more insight to the personality of the candidate. We care less about the details, but more about how a candidate conducts business.
For careers involving the general public, it's important to ensure that the person being interviewed is able to take hard questions meant to throw them off their game.
You would be surprised if you knew the kinds of questions that we ask regularly. We do it to throw candidates off balance, and that pays off in the long term more than any complaint could cost us.
The amount of bickering people will make in a job interview absolutely floors me every time. You would have to be crazy to pull emotional drama stunts like many potential candidates have in front of one of our panels. But it happens all the time!
Epic win for me, because it keeps my sense of humor going strong.
Bloodchills said on 1:06PM 12-16-2008
Tony:
In tough careers, where it matters, you have to be able to handle hard questions. My industry is all about hard questions getting answered, as are most other industries and the questions are not getting easier.
Interviewing is tough business because it's competitive and with all the lay-offs going on now, this is the time to perfect your ability to interview well.
"Do you spend any time playing World of Warcraft."
"No, I'm not sure what that is. Is that on the Wii?"
"Next question... when can you start?"
Tasogare said on 4:44PM 12-16-2008
There is a lot about what you said that just seems wrong to me. I understand what you're getting at, but if I was asked a question like that in an interview, I'm with Tony in saying that I'd have a reaction just by being shocked at the question. I'm not ashamed of the fact that I play, nor do I play excessively (or even at all if I have work that needs doing). It just seems that it'd be wrong to give the thumbs down to a candidate just because he answers the affirmative when you ask if they'd played the game, ESPECIALLY if you play yourself.
Obviously you don't want to bring that kind of thing up in an interview yourself, but do you suggest lying about it if the question comes up from the other end?
Arkanaloth said on 12:27PM 12-16-2008
Unless you're trying to get a job in a field related to MMO's why on the face of the globe would you introduce something as irrelevant as WoW into a resume or interview?!?!?!
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Iokthemonkey said on 12:35PM 12-16-2008
Most "get yourself a job" gurus advocate including a solo hobby and a social hobby as part of your resume, as it indicates you can work on your own but also muck-in with team efforts.
Perhaps there are some people who consider playing an MMO a "social" activity. /shrug
Or maybe the interviewer may continue the line of questioning deeper when the applicant says, "I also enjoy playing videogames" when asked what they do in their spare time and so may answer that they play an MMO.
Arkanaloth said on 1:17PM 12-16-2008
My only issue with this is that despite gaming seeing more acceptance these days, most of the people doing the hiring and firing are still the older generation who likely are not into it, if they know of it at all, and may even hold gaming in a slightly negative light that it languished in for years at a stretch once upon a time.
While not "taboo" anymore it's still not quite hit the level of mainstream acceptance as lots of other stuff. In that regard it then becomes a double-edged sword, on the one hand MMO's do show some level of social ability, activity, etc... on the other hand, if the guy / girl giving the interview had to ground their kid off WoW the night before the opinion of that will color the interview, and in light of things like the FCC claiming WoW as responsible for college drop out rates, it is pretty clear that trumpeting yourself as an MMO gamer to a potential employer is a possible risk.
Derek K. said on 12:41PM 12-16-2008
How many people play WoW nowadays? I mean, clearly you can't put Mr. T in a movie, or Shatner. If you're excluding however many million people from your workforce because of a game they play, you've got some issues.
Hell, I'm more tempted to say "Don't hire anyone that's in to sports - they'll be hungover on Monday, they'll waste a lot of time, and they'll come to work painted purple."
And lord knows, a wandering mind is a unique symptom to WoW. Prior to MMOs, the entire universe had a laserlike focus on everything.
Sheesh. I won't hire someone who has problems with WoW. I also won't hire someone who has problems with other things. If you mention in the interview that you need the release day for WotLK off, I'm concerned. If you tell me you can't work the Monday after the Red River Shootout, I worry too. If you tell me that you want to come in late on Mondays because you party all weekend, I'm concerned as well.
My name is Derek K. I'm an executive. And I play WoW (okay, techincally my sub is out, and I'm playing DDO right now, but you get the idea).
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Matt said on 12:44PM 12-16-2008
This sounds a little bit like the Israeli army and their distaste for D&D players...
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3052074,00.html
Gotta be careful about what information you volunteer at an interview nowadays if you're a gamer. :|
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