Car manufacturer Jaguar Landrover has gone all gamified in their search for new software engineers and they have done it through a mix of virtual reality, augmented reality and reality and on top of that teamed up with virtual band Gorillaz to add some virtual, musical and visual edge. From my perspective it is an awesome example of how new technology can be used to inspire. Not only will this style recruitment process challenge people to prove their skills, it will also build an edgy employer brand for some time to come.
I knew Jaguar Landrover already applied the latest of innovative technologies in their manufacturing processes from collaboration on new models in virtual reality to impact testing with augmented reality. Their collaboration with Gorillaz is also not new, but may not have been known to too many outside the world of car manufacturing.
Gorillaz, always had an innovative animated edge as well as great music. They launched their mixed reality app earlier this year as an interactive lead-up to their fifth album, Humanz. The app was created to be a musical, mixed reality scavenger hunt, similar to Pokémon Go. It shows the real world with objects from each band member appearing around the room that leads users to the band members actual rooms, creating an immersive story. Now, the app features an update with the addition of a Jaguar Land Rover recruitment area, where those looking to be hired can enter their missions.
They designed a two part quest, where the wannabe employees, have to undertake a series of challenges, some coding related others where solutions can be found online. The key motivation of the company is to start recruiting now for the car manufacturing needs of the future, where software will be more and more essential to the workings of the car. They also wanted to appeal to more people from outside the car manufacturing industry to have a go at designing a car. Here is a short clip that explains their thinking and spot the diversity effort while you are in also…
First, users must look around at the objects projected into the real world and find the fictional band member, Noodle’s, helmet which is featured in the announcement video from Jaguar. Clicking on the helmet will take users to Noodle’s basement where they must use their phones to look around the room and find the screen with a 90kWh lithium-ion battery projected onto it. Once users click on the screen, their test with Jaguar begins.
The next mission is to locate the lithium-ion battery after reading Jaguar’s description of it and begin to assemble the Jaguar I-PACE Concept, the company’s electric sports car. Piece by piece the users must locate different items around the room in order to fully assemble the car. This task is fairly simple and mostly serves as a way for users to learn about the cars they would be helping to build. Once they put together the car, they can then choose to accept a further mission, by clicking on the Jaguar located in the room, a game is launched. During this game, they are met with a series of code puzzles that they must crack. If users complete the tasks correctly, and in a timely manner, their results are sent to Jaguar to be recruited.
In my view it is a fabulous example of combining the latest technology into a great gamified recruitment quest, which earns you the right to be interviewed.
Here is one of guys who landed a job as a result of this experience. The code-breaking puzzle tests real-world skills the new generation of software and engineering talent must have. The challenge remains open worldwide. So far, almost 400,000 people have downloaded the Gorillaz app. Of the 41,000 who have taken the challenge, almost 500 cracked the code. (correct numbers in 2017)
