You’re probably wondering, why is this episode called “The Gaming Effect?” What does that even mean? Well, have you ever noticed how ordinarily sweet kids, while playing video games will shoot their enemies on rapid fire screaming die, die in this kind of vapid, dehumanized way? Or the mindless look that washes over their faces as they vigorously grip the controller pressing “fire” as quickly as they possibly can? We’re calling this ability to tune out and turn off your empathy “The Gaming Effect.” 

This got me thinking that there is something very powerful that happens to our empathy and ability to relate and connect to others when we introduce the distance of technology. Many have spoken on the alienating and dehumanizing effects of technology and how Zoom and other similar platforms, while incredibly convenient, cannot compensate for human interaction and connection.   

With so many employers now relying exclusively (or at least mainly) on interviews conducted over a technology platform, it got me wondering if this "gaming effect" is also occurring in interview processes in today’s market and what evidence there might be for that based on the interview processes we run as a recruiting firm.  

In this episode, we welcome back Gillian Lopez, VP of Accounts and Growth at Maven Recruiting Group. Gillian works directly with many of Maven’s clients spanning Fortune 500 companies, venture capital firms, tech startups, you name it, and therefore, has a direct pulse on the market and what both job seekers and hiring managers are experiencing in today’s job market, which makes her the ideal guest for today’s topic.