Live data from Hacker News

Startup using a custom Portal 2 level to recruit engineers

jobs.wibidata.com

1–10 of 81 posts

Re: Startup using a custom Portal 2 level to recruit engineers

#3
Neat! Not great for applicants that they have to purchase a copy of Portal 2 on steam, but at least it should be fun. Also, I don't know if it's a good thing to require engineers to apply by playing a game - but I guess it might be good to identify people who would be a good cultural fit.

Re: Startup using a custom Portal 2 level to recruit engineers

#4
I like these sort of recruitment teasers, mainly because if done well they self-select for exactly the kind of person you want.

I think this is similar in effect to website job boards like the joelonsoftware board or the hn jobs section, where the people who answer are likelier to share your vision and opinions.

In this case you'd have to have Portal 2 already, but anyway. Maybe they're looking for that :)

Re: Startup using a custom Portal 2 level to recruit engineers

#6

I like these sort of recruitment teasers, mainly because if done well they self-select for exactly the kind of person you want. I think this is similar in effect to website job boards like the joelonsoftware board or the hn jobs section, where the people who answer are likelier to share your vision and opinions. In this case you'd have to have Portal 2 already, but anyway. Maybe they're looking for that :)

> I like these sort of recruitment teasers, mainly because if done well they self-select for exactly the kind of person you want.

In this case, 20-30 year old males.

Re: Startup using a custom Portal 2 level to recruit engineers

#7
post #6

I like these sort of recruitment teasers, mainly because if done well they self-select for exactly the kind of person you want. I think this is similar in effect to website job boards like the joelonsoftware board or the hn jobs section, where the people who answer are likelier to share your vision and opinions. In this case you'd have to have Portal 2 already, but anyway. Maybe they're looking for that :)

> I like these sort of recruitment teasers, mainly because if done well they self-select for exactly the kind of person you want. In this case, 20-30 year old males.

What percentage of 20-30 year old males do you believe have played Portal (2), saw this posting, had the inclination to download the mod, and the inquisitiveness and persistance to actually complete the puzzle/test?

Rarely is a filter perfect, but this is likely a lot better than taking a random sample from the population :)

Re: Startup using a custom Portal 2 level to recruit engineers

#8
Kind of neat, but strange as a recruitment device: It seems difficult enough to get good people, why would one put such an arbitrary filter as a first barrier? People who don't play computer games or Portal 2 are probably much less likely to apply that way.

Re: Startup using a custom Portal 2 level to recruit engineers

#10

Kind of neat, but strange as a recruitment device: It seems difficult enough to get good people, why would one put such an arbitrary filter as a first barrier? People who don't play computer games or Portal 2 are probably much less likely to apply that way.

I don't think this is in any way a necessary step for applying there, which is good.

It's simply one more avenue of lead generation for recruitment. And a very creative one that's likely to get them quite a bit of exposure. It also has the benefit of clearly demonstrating that they are a "fun" company, not your run-of-the-mill boring enterprise product corporation.

Post reply on HN