HR Survey Shows: Prejudice Against Gaming Decreases Job Chances
– 2 min read
A survey by E wie Einfach and sd vybrant shows that gaming as a hobby can still negatively impact job chances of applicants because of prejudices in HR manager mindsets. Genre and age of HR manager can make a difference in evaluation, however.
Does gaming as a hobby affect the chances in an application process? German Energy provider E wie Einfach has contracted market research company sd vybrant for a survey around this question. For the study, 503 HR managers who are involved in recruitment processes in their day-to-day work were surveyed online. Although almost 80 percent of the HR decision-makers surveyed stated that hobbies generally make a relevant first impression in the application process, many are skeptical when it comes to gaming.
Only 28 per cent of those surveyed said they viewed gaming positively on a resume. More than half (51 per cent) have a generally negative view of the hobby, with 15 percent even viewing it very negatively. The older the respondents, the more negative their view. While just three percent of respondents over the age of 55 have a very positive attitude toward applicants who play video games, one 19 per cent in the 25-35 age group agreed with this statement. In addition to age, company size also plays an important role: the more employees a company has, the more positively HR managers rated gaming.
Wether applicants should refrain from mentioning their hobby on their resume depends on what they play however. When asked whether they believe that gamers acquire or train skills relevant to everyday working life while pursuing their hobby, just under 67 percent of respondents said this was likely or even very likely.
However, opinions vary greatly based on genre. Strategy games are considered the most likely to train work-related skills. Simulations such as Microsoft Flight Simulator also enjoy a rather positive reputation. In contrast, first-person shooters fare particularly poorly: 65 percent of respondents are convinced that they offer little opportunity to learn professionally relevant skills. Action-adventure games are rated similarly poorly with 58 per cent negative response).
Carsten Schulte, Head of E-Sports at E wie Einfach: “Gamers bring a wide range of skills to the table that are highly relevant in today's job market – from quick comprehension to strong teamwork skills, communication under pressure, and digital problem-solving skills. In many cases, these talents are more pronounced than in traditional applicant profiles – but they often go unrecognized because perceptions are still dominated by old prejudices. Instead of seeing the underlying skills, the image of the unathletic loner sitting in front of a screen prevails. As a result, companies overlook valuable talent and do not invite them for interviews. Our experience shows that those who specifically seek out gamers, are open in their approach, and consider potential beyond academic qualifications can gain committed, adaptable, and creative employees. Those who fail to do so run the risk of losing talent.”
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