How games industry companies are hiring staff remotely

With nearly everyone in the world stuck at home right now, unsurprisingly this has posed new challenges for hiring managers. The games industry overall has adapted well to the recruitment challenges that lockdown has brought on, and most of the companies we’re working with are hiring the same amount of people from us as they were before isolation began.

Sadly, not all companies, both in and outside of games, have had the knowledge or resources to adapt as quickly as others. Here we share some of the things we’ve learnt that may help businesses hire successfully in the coming months.

Have the right people conducting your interviews

It is more important than ever to have the right people asking the right questions in interviews. Consider using team members that might not have been part of the interview process before; bringing a new perspective to the conversation could highlight points you may not have previously considered.

We’re working with a studio that has introduced a four-stage process (a test and three interviews) that brings more people into the process to cover more ground with the time they have available. This has helped them to confidently make remote hires during lockdown.

Portfolios, Skills Tests and Profile assessments

Portfolios and skills tests are more important than ever.  We just facilitated a hire where the candidate was offered a job on the same day as their video interview – they were able to start working remotely two days later. The process would likely have been drawn out longer if the portfolio hadn’t showcased the candidate’s work abilities so clearly. Knowledge tests help in the same way and can be used for any skill or position.

Persona profiling can help you learn the motivations and work style of a person, both with existing employees and when hiring new staff. We use and highly recommend Thomas International Personal Profile Analysis. We can offer these assessments as part of our service to hiring companies, should this be something you want to trial.

Be open and creative with potential new hires

It’s important to keep an open mind when considering how to onboard a new hire. Different people are reacting to the crisis in different ways, whether it be because of the country they live in, or due to their individual circumstances.

Most of our new starters are working full-time from their homes and looking to move in-house when safe to do so. However, it’s not always that simple and we’ve seen some companies get creative to land a new starter. For example, we’ve just placed someone living in Brazil in a part-time role for a company based in Turkey, with the hope that they can fly over and start a full-time position when travel restrictions are eased. Another company has hired one of our candidates to work in their Icelandic studio, however until it’s safe for them to move they are working for the company’s team based in London.

Not only do these examples show how hires can be achieved in these less than ideal circumstances, they also highlight a willingness from both companies and job seekers to adapt and agree on mutually beneficial solutions.

Reassure future starters and settle them in once they’re part of the team

This is an anxious time for everyone, especially so for those thinking of starting a new job. With so much uncertainty, we’re finding job seekers need a little more reassurance than usual during the hiring process.

Once a person becomes a new employee it’s very important to make them feel part of the team, which isn’t always an easy task right now. Try to add some fun where possible and keep in contact with them regularly. Socialising online has become an important part of upholding morale and creating a sense of unity in a time where it’s easy to feel alone. Video-conferencing, quizzes, games or even fancy dress all seem to have a positive effect in bringing people together. We can attest to this ourselves…

If you would like any help or further guidance, please don’t hesitate to get in touch for a confidential chat. We’re happy to help where we can in these challenging times.