What it takes to join the Party
PartyGaming's head of HR explains what she'll be looking for on your CV and why when you say you 'relish the challenge of working in a dynamic environment', you had better mean it.
If there is one recruitment challenge that differs from many other industries then it is the speed with which online gaming moves.
In terms of the type of people being sought both by ourselves and our competitors, the ability to move quickly and accept and adapt to change is a prerequisite on any job candidate’s CV.
The challenge for HR departments in online gaming, however, is to test thoroughly claims by applicants that they ‘enjoy and relish the challenge of working in a dynamic, fast-moving environment’.
The words are easy to pen on a CV. Living up to them is an entirely different matter and we need to be thorough to ensure we do not make mistakes when hiring high calibre people for what are key roles in a high-octane industry. Failure can be costly and set back development plans and open the doors for competitors to claim the business space you were looking to occupy.
As is the case with all young industries, perceptions among candidates of what we do and their views about our prospects are not entirely synchronised. In spite of its youthfulness, online gaming is an industry that radiates professional maturity and entrepreneurialism.
This juxtaposition amounts an external communications challenge for any HR department, which is why the calibre of the team of people responsible for recruitment has to be equally as outstanding. The initial meetings between candidates and HR are a litmus test for both the perceptions and facts voiced and presented from both sides of the table.
This reality check stands between a candidate and the next rung of the hiring ladder and ultimately an industry that can show Usain Bolt a clean pair of heels when it comes to being quick off the mark!
This article first appeared in the July edition of eGaming Review.