Meta-analyses prove it: gaming skills can be linked to job-related skills such as strategic thinking, decision-making, and teamwork. But does this potential skill advantage also come into play when looking for a job?
HNU business psychologist Prof. Johannes Basch, Dr. Marie Ohlms from the University of Freiburg, and HNU alumna Maria Hepfengraber got to the bottom of this question: They researched how gaming skills influence the impression of applicants during the pre-selection process. The study was based on the bachelor's thesis of HNU student Linn Hermann, which the three researchers developed further. In their experimental design, they compared two different leisure activities and performance levels (neutral vs. high) – gaming and team sports – and evaluated how the study participants perceived a fictional applicant in each case.
Success in hobbies: not equally valued for all leisure activities
The results: Applicants who list gaming as a hobby alongside an individual sport are rated lower in terms of their employability and the quality of their resume than those who also list a team sport. This is true even if the person in question pursues their hobby at a professional level, for example, playing the game League of Legends in the Prime League. The type of hobby seems to be more important than the level of leisure activity.
Underestimated gaming fans? Impulse for a change of perspective in recruiting
The study thus makes an important contribution to a better understanding of how gaming skills can be interpreted in the context of personnel selection. It asks HR managers and experts in occupational and organizational psychology whether selection processes still primarily consider traditional indicators such as athletic activities, while newer forms of skill development receive less attention.
About the publication
J. M. Basch, M. L. Ohlms, and M. Hepfengraber, “Game Over or Game Changer? The Impact of Applicants’ Gaming Skills on Their Hirability,” Journal of Personnel Psychology, vol. 0, no. 0, Nov. 2025. Online at: https://econtent.hogrefe.com/doi/10.1027/1866-5888/a000376.
Contact
Prof. Dr. Johannes Basch
