Paul Keijzer – CEO of The Talent Games on Gamified Recruitment & Virtual Hiring During COVID-19

Paul Keijzer of The Talent Games tells us about AI-driven gamified assessments.

First of all, how are you and your family doing in these COVID-19 times? 

Paul Keijzer: The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the mental health of millions, but we have been fortunate enough to be doing pretty well in this partial lockdown. My family and I are doing absolutely fine and have learned to adapt to the new normal. 

Tell us about you, your career, how you founded The Talent Games.

Paul Keijzer: I am the CEO and co-founder of The Talent Games that pioneers in AI-driven gamified assessments. I started my career with Unilever and have been a part of it for over 18 years as their VP Human Resources in China, Vietnam, and then Pakistan. Over the past 25 years, I have designed and delivered transformational interventions for 100+ blue-chip organizations in countries across Asia, Middle East, and Africa. Along with The Talent Games, I’m simultaneously heading Engage Consulting, which is another venture of mine. I have also been associated with RBL as a Principal consultant for over 7 years.

How does The Talent Games innovate? 

Paul Keijzer: Innovation is the lifeblood of my company. We bring science and fun to the art of recruitment with AI-driven and neuroscience-backed recruitment games that help companies uncover top millennial talent and boost their employer brand. Our trailblazing technology assessments allow talent acquisition professionals to get rid of the cumbersome hiring process and attract candidates from a diverse talent pool.  

How does the coronavirus pandemic affect your business finances?

Paul Keijzer: When the pandemic started, we had to be very careful with our expenses as most clients’ closed their wallets’ and took a wait-and-see approach. After a few months, the power of digital tools gained momentum, and we have never looked back. 

Did you have to make difficult choices regarding human resources, and what are the lessons learned?

Paul Keijzer: It’s always difficult to manage staff levels with the available budgets. You always want to do more and faster but don’t have the resources to hire the required people. Making choices is the ‘key.’

Did you benefit from any government grants, and did that help keep your business afloat?

Paul Keijzer: No, we were self-sufficient. 

Your final thoughts?

Paul Keijzer: COVID-19 has shown us how important it is to digitize the recruitment process, tap into HR technologies and leverage them. And what better way to embrace digitization than by modernizing your hiring process with online gamified assessments? This sudden disruption definitely calls for creative ways to keep the business operations up and running. 

If you are new to the concept of using games to attract, engage and assess talent, then do connect with me. You can also play a quick demo of our latest recruitment game for free. Seeing is believing! Check out how gamification and AI work together to predict top talent for your organization. 

Your website?

https://thetalentgames.com/