Game on, Job Seekers!
The professional social network GILD wants users to find jobs
and have fun and win prizes while they're at it. Can gamification
work for something as big as finding a job?
For the country's 9.6% unemployed, jobs remain elusive. The
traditional tools available -- headhunters, temp agencies,
referrals, even LinkedIn -- can sometimes be more tiresome
than helpful. Hopeful job seekers can walk away even more
frustrated at the end of a long day of searching than when
they started. The creators of GILD hope their free job tool
and professional social network will change the way job
seekers view the hunt. Instead of a painful, arduous
experience, they want applicants to get some fun out
of the process.
traditional tools available -- headhunters, temp agencies,
referrals, even LinkedIn -- can sometimes be more tiresome
than helpful. Hopeful job seekers can walk away even more
frustrated at the end of a long day of searching than when
they started. The creators of GILD hope their free job tool
and professional social network will change the way job
seekers view the hunt. Instead of a painful, arduous
experience, they want applicants to get some fun out
of the process.
GILD, which officially launched last September and
remains backed by undisclosed angel investors and
tech execs, currently posts jobs from 24 participating
companies including Oracle (ORCL), PayPal, Skype,
eBay (EBAY), Salesforce.com (CRM) and Sapient (SAPE).
To apply, job seekers can participate in game-like puzzles
that allow them to stand out based on skills and capabilities
instead of say, who they may or may not know.
remains backed by undisclosed angel investors and
tech execs, currently posts jobs from 24 participating
companies including Oracle (ORCL), PayPal, Skype,
eBay (EBAY), Salesforce.com (CRM) and Sapient (SAPE).
To apply, job seekers can participate in game-like puzzles
that allow them to stand out based on skills and capabilities
instead of say, who they may or may not know.
Sheeroy Desai, CEO of PAC Labs, the company responsible
for GILD, says the service is aimed at recent graduates and
twenty-something professionals who may lack the connections
and networking know-how to find a job on their own, as well as
the gainfully-employed looking for some time to kill and some
sweet swag.
for GILD, says the service is aimed at recent graduates and
twenty-something professionals who may lack the connections
and networking know-how to find a job on their own, as well as
the gainfully-employed looking for some time to kill and some
sweet swag.
According to Desai, there aren't many tools geared toward that
set. Sure, there's LinkedIn, but as Desai sees it, the seven-year-old
professional social network works best for established professionals,
not those in the early stages of their career. After all, how helpful
can LinkedIn be if you're fresh out of college with a measly seven
"connections"?
set. Sure, there's LinkedIn, but as Desai sees it, the seven-year-old
professional social network works best for established professionals,
not those in the early stages of their career. After all, how helpful
can LinkedIn be if you're fresh out of college with a measly seven
"connections"?
Also seemingly lacking in most job tools: an engaging user
experience. (When was the last time you got a kick out of
trolling Monster.com or LinkedIn?) When GILD users
peruse job listings, they'll notice the usual job skill
requirements: CSS familiarity, JavaScript, Unix, and
so on. To that end, users can take 20 to 40 minute
"certification tests" or games of varying levels of
difficulty -- "Basic," "Advanced," and "Expert" -- that
qualify them for scores and Foursquare-like badges.
experience. (When was the last time you got a kick out of
trolling Monster.com or LinkedIn?) When GILD users
peruse job listings, they'll notice the usual job skill
requirements: CSS familiarity, JavaScript, Unix, and
so on. To that end, users can take 20 to 40 minute
"certification tests" or games of varying levels of
difficulty -- "Basic," "Advanced," and "Expert" -- that
qualify them for scores and Foursquare-like badges.
The site is geared heavily toward tech job openings: Currently,
there are more than 25 certification tests, including ASP.NET,
Linux, JavaScript, Software Engineering Aptitude and English
writing capability. The tests themselves can take anywhere
between 20 and 40 minutes to complete and can range
from simple word association games to reading comprehension
quizzes that test intimate knowledge of a skill set.
there are more than 25 certification tests, including ASP.NET,
Linux, JavaScript, Software Engineering Aptitude and English
writing capability. The tests themselves can take anywhere
between 20 and 40 minutes to complete and can range
from simple word association games to reading comprehension
quizzes that test intimate knowledge of a skill set.
The higher the certification score and the more applicable badges
candidates have, the higher up on the applicant list they'll appear
when the job employer gets a report on suitable candidates for an
opening -- the employer's understanding being that the list of
applicants they receive from GILD is ranked in descending order
from most qualified to least qualified candidate.
candidates have, the higher up on the applicant list they'll appear
when the job employer gets a report on suitable candidates for an
opening -- the employer's understanding being that the list of
applicants they receive from GILD is ranked in descending order
from most qualified to least qualified candidate.
From the user perspective, GILD is pretty transparent about all
of that. Once users submit their materials for a job, a stat reveals
where they rank. If they take some or all the certification tests
applicable to a job, they increase their chances of getting a top
ranking. Conversely, If they don't take any certification tests,
GILD still lets them apply, but they'll likely end up lower on the
candidate list.
of that. Once users submit their materials for a job, a stat reveals
where they rank. If they take some or all the certification tests
applicable to a job, they increase their chances of getting a top
ranking. Conversely, If they don't take any certification tests,
GILD still lets them apply, but they'll likely end up lower on the
candidate list.
To keep users further engaged, Gild also offers company-
sponsored competitions: Contests that result in tangible prizes,
if not necessarily jobs. You might not get the gig, but a Canon
PowerShort A495 digital camera, a WiFi iPad, an all-expenses
weekend trip to Vegas (Yes, seriously.) isn't a bad consolation
for your time and effort. Here, the game topics can vary wildly,
as they don't have to be relevant to the company: a contest on
world leaders, "inventions that changed the world," or general
riddle-solving.
sponsored competitions: Contests that result in tangible prizes,
if not necessarily jobs. You might not get the gig, but a Canon
PowerShort A495 digital camera, a WiFi iPad, an all-expenses
weekend trip to Vegas (Yes, seriously.) isn't a bad consolation
for your time and effort. Here, the game topics can vary wildly,
as they don't have to be relevant to the company: a contest on
world leaders, "inventions that changed the world," or general
riddle-solving.
For participating companies like Sapient, which recently
volunteered several iPads and iPod Nanos for such
competitions, these competitions are icing on the cake.
More importantly, GILD does a good chunk of the heavy
-lifting in terms of applicant screening.
volunteered several iPads and iPod Nanos for such
competitions, these competitions are icing on the cake.
More importantly, GILD does a good chunk of the heavy
-lifting in terms of applicant screening.
Despite the troubled economy, Sapient added between 700
and 800 employees to its staff of 8,500, or roughly 10%, during
the company's most recent quarter. In the four months
since they started posting jobs via GILD, they have tracked
over 2,000 applicants. Of those, 100 qualified candidates
were vetted, and Sapient contacted 30. According to Alan
Wexler, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, that
number is actually pretty good. Though the company is still
interviewing the GILD candidates, Wexler admits the service
has proven useful.
and 800 employees to its staff of 8,500, or roughly 10%, during
the company's most recent quarter. In the four months
since they started posting jobs via GILD, they have tracked
over 2,000 applicants. Of those, 100 qualified candidates
were vetted, and Sapient contacted 30. According to Alan
Wexler, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, that
number is actually pretty good. Though the company is still
interviewing the GILD candidates, Wexler admits the service
has proven useful.
"What's really good is that 100 or so applicants have been
pre-screened for core technology skills," says Wexler.
"Whereas with other services, what typically will happen
is we'd look at that hundred, start evaluating them from
a core skill perspective and find there are none left --
and that's before you even take into consideration other
aspects like say, values and culture fit."
pre-screened for core technology skills," says Wexler.
"Whereas with other services, what typically will happen
is we'd look at that hundred, start evaluating them from
a core skill perspective and find there are none left --
and that's before you even take into consideration other
aspects like say, values and culture fit."
