29 Oct Soon assessment may be just a game

In the 1984 film “The Last Starfighter,” an ordinary Earth boy bests a video game by shooting down enemy alien spaceships. But what seems to be a conventional space war game is actually a highly realistic simulation being used by the army to identify and recruit new talent. The boy’s winning score earns him a very exciting new Job. Sound far-fetched? It’s not. In a clear case of fact following fiction, the U.S. Army has already been making use of a war simulation game called America’s Army to help engage and attract a new generation of soldiers. The U.S. Navy has been using simulations to test their candidates as well.  In the past 3 years, the growth in computing power and broadband connections has meant that the use of simulations is becoming an increasingly viable recruiting tool in the private sector as well.

Simulation based testing is one of the biggest trends emerging in human resources technology, but what makes it so attractive? First and foremost, simulation can provide an excellent indication of how well participants will perform in the workplace – even if they have no previous experience. The research is providing mounting evidence that simulated assessment testing may be less biased, more culturally fair, and a more accurate predictor than traditional assessments, interviews, or role-playing. Finally, simulations are an exceptionally engaging form of testing. In reality, they are a form of computer game – and we all know how popular computer games are. As the production quality of assessment simulations rise, the line between game and assessment is rapidly blurring.

At Talegent, we have focused our efforts to develop simulation tests for graduates, so you can see exactly how well they’re going to perform at your company. The old proverb says that forewarned is forearmed, so why not arm yourself with the best possible knowledge about how well your potential employees are going to perform. Who knows, you may find your next star player – or Starfighter.

Check out our graduate solutions on our YouTube channel, or visit us on our website to see what graduate simulation testing can do for you.