Part Two of Three: Beyond Interviews – Matching True Potential
In the recruitment world, traditional job applications and interviews often miss the mark in capturing the true potential of candidates. Haystack Chronicles stands as a revolutionary solution, designed to allow neurodivergent players to exhibit their strengths and challenges in a supportive environment. Insights from the gameplay can then be matched with recruitment managers looking for the right employees. I’m Michael Rifkin, Chief Product Officer at Haystack, and I’m thrilled to share more about our mission to transform the hiring process through this innovative game.
At Haystack, our goal is to transcend traditional application and interview processes that frequently overlook the true potential of individuals. The development of Haystack Chronicles was rooted in this mission, focusing on making the game accessible and supportive for neurodivergent individuals.
One of the biggest issues in recruitment is the disconnect between interviewing well and actual job performance. Many individuals excel in interviews but find themselves in roles they dislike or are not suited for, leading to dissatisfaction and high turnover. While a person’s ability to interview well can create a favorable first impression, it rarely correlates with their actual job performance.
Your personality type, while important, rarely signifies whether you will be successful in a role. Many people can craft compelling narratives about their past experiences, but these anecdotes don’t necessarily reflect their true capabilities or how they will perform daily tasks. This is especially true for neurodivergent individuals or those from marginalized communities, who might communicate differently from what is traditionally expected in an “all-star” employee.
Haystack Chronicles addresses this discrepancy by emphasizing skills and traits genuinely relevant to job performance. For example, one of our puzzles involves balancing electrical loads, where players must distribute appliances to match specified electrical requirements. This puzzle not only tests basic math skills but also evaluates spatial awareness and problem-solving approaches.
On my first attempt at this puzzle, I placed appliances randomly, completing one side before moving to the next. This method was inefficient, but through repeated play, I learned a more effective strategy: starting with the largest numbers first. This approach, which uses the process of elimination, can reveal a lot about a player. Someone who completes the puzzle quickly might have excellent spatial awareness and quick thinking, while someone who improves over multiple attempts demonstrates dedication and a willingness to learn from mistakes.
These insights are far more valuable than standard interview questions. Traditional questions like “Are you a self-starter?” often lead to rehearsed responses. In contrast, observing how someone tackles a problem in real-time provides a clearer picture of their natural inclinations and persistence.
Furthermore, all puzzles in Haystack Chronicles are randomized to ensure players face fresh challenges each time. This randomness serves two purposes. Firstly, it keeps the game engaging, encouraging repeated playthroughs. Secondly, it allows us to measure how players adapt to new and unexpected problems, assessing their flexibility and resilience.
From a practical standpoint, how can employers integrate Haystack Chronicles into their hiring? Our goal is to reveal the person behind the resume. We envision two primary approaches. First, anyone can download and play the game, effectively applying for all jobs in our system. We match players to roles based on their in-game performance, presenting top candidates to employers.
For employers, this means providing detailed job descriptions, which we help refine. We break down vague requirements like “must succeed in a fast-paced environment” into specific traits such as quick learning, active communication, and high risk tolerance. We then match these traits to players’ demonstrated skills in the game.
For larger companies with specialized needs, we offer bespoke models tailored to their internal systems. Whether it’s a mid-level accounting firm or a tech giant like Microsoft, we can customize the game to suit their specific requirements.
Haystack Chronicles offers a seamless experience for both players and employers. Players simply download and play, while employers can choose between a general or specialized approach to recruitment. This flexibility ensures that our game meets the needs of a diverse range of organizations.
In essence, Haystack Chronicles is more than a game. It’s a tool for self-discovery and a bridge between talent and opportunity. By focusing on genuine skills and traits, we aim to create a fairer, more accurate recruitment process that benefits both individuals and companies. Stay tuned for the final part of our series, where we will explore more features and success stories from our game.