Recruiter told not to hire WoW players

[Tale]

Below, in the quote box, is the original, unedited post.

I met with a recruiter recently (online media industry) and in conversation I happened to mention I'd spent way too much time in the early 2000s playing online games, which I described as "the ones before World of Warcraft" (I went nuts for EQ1, SWG and the start of WoW, but since 2006 I have only put a handful of days into MMOG playing - as opposed to discussing them - I've obsessed over bicycles and cycling instead).

He replied that employers specifically instruct him not to send them World of Warcraft players. He said there is a belief that WoW players cannot give 100% because their focus is elsewhere, their sleeping patterns are often not great, etc. I mentioned that some people have written about MMOG leadership experience as a career positive or a way to learn project management skills, and he shook his head. He has been specifically asked to avoid WoW players.

ATTENTION READERS:
If you were linked here from another site, odds are they got the story wrong. Since columnists and bloggers on the internet can't read, we're going to put this in "simple" speak for any future people that want to write about this anecdotal forum post:

1. Tale was having a conversation with someone at lunch.
2. It was not a job interview, he has a job in online media. Though, apparently almost everyone who wrote about this story should not have a job in online media.
3. This was merely a brief comment in a conversation.
4. Tale is not in America. He is in Australia.
5. This is a single recruiter who said this, not some company or some massive employer, just one dude. Just ONE DUDE.

ATTENTION JOURNALISTS:
Nearly all of you should throw yourselves out a window. You're an embarrassment to the profession and have managed to somehow lower the bar for blogging.

Edit 2: For the record, here is a list of places that totally fucked up the story. You're all "on notice." Forever. I have bolded italicized  the ones that should be fucking ashamed. Also, please note, the ones that aren't italicized still totally fucked up the story, but they shouldn't have been trusted to begin with. As in, they were already, well... basically, trash.

Boing Boing
Kotaku
Massively
Tweakers
PCGames.de
Gamestar.de
Games Industry
WoWInsider
G4TV
Silicon Alley Insider
MaximumPC
Jeux Video
Project Lore
Yelp!
Escapist
Game Politics
Asylum
College OTR
New York Times
Seattle PC Game Examiner
Techradar

[Merusk]

I can't say I disagree with the assessment.

Ed 12/23: The Times fails on all kinds of levels here. Wow.

[Ingmar]

What a bunch of crap (he said while posting from work...) 

[Hawkbit]

Generally, I don't tell people that I game on a computer.  I usually chat with people irl about consoles and their games, but there has always been a stigma about PC gamers that sticks wtih people.  It's like telling them you're into BDSM or something... once they know they'll always look at you differently.  

It sounds stupid, but it's the truth.  

[Nebu]

If they were smart, they'd avoid people in fantasy leagues too. 

[Lucas]

It's like telling them you're into BDSM or something... once they know they'll always look at you differently.  

It sounds stupid, but it's the truth.  

Hehe, yes: in the past, I tried to speak with some of my close friends (none of them is into gaming) about videogames, and when I tell them I still play regularly, try out different gaming genres and stuff, *that* look starts surfacing on their faces and it ends with: "yeah, but c'mon, that is kids' stuff, I sure played them but I stopped when I was around twelve, you need to grow up!".

Alright.

[sam, an eggplant]

Shrug. They recently fired someone with a MMO addiction. It doubtless impacted his performance at work.

I conduct interviews and hire/fire all the time and I don't ask (or care) what people do when they're not working. It's none of my business so long as it doesn't impact their performance, and I haven't seen anything to indicate that MMOs are worse than spending all your money/time on filthy streetwalkers ("setting up whore websites for freebies"), smoking a shitton of pot, or singing in a church choir. Actually the choir guy was the worst, because the fucker kept asking to leave early to make rehersals. I liked the whoremonger and pothead while the churchmonkey, umm, decided to quit.

[schild]

He's right.

[Rasix]

It's like telling them you're into BDSM or something... once they know they'll always look at you differently.  

It sounds stupid, but it's the truth.  

Hehe, yes: in the past, I tried to speak with some of my close friends (none of them is into gaming) about videogames, and when I tell them I still play regularly, try out different gaming genres and stuff, *that* look starts surfacing on their faces and it ends with: "yeah, but c'mon, that is kids' stuff, I sure played them but I stopped when I was around twelve, you need to grow up!".

Alright.

Say anything other than Madden, Halo, or "the Wii" and most people will look at you like you've got some sort of contagious nerd super-flu. I don't even mention MMOs.  Those creep out even the few "gamers" I know at work.  I've had some people that know I play MMOs talk to me about WoW due to its cultural relevance.  It's mostly in hushed tones and away from other people like they're buying weed off me or something.

Most people are going to have things that make them shitty hires.  It's called vetting and people management.  Try it!

[Ingmar]

It's like telling them you're into BDSM or something... once they know they'll always look at you differently.  

It sounds stupid, but it's the truth.  

Hehe, yes: in the past, I tried to speak with some of my close friends (none of them is into gaming) about videogames, and when I tell them I still play regularly, try out different gaming genres and stuff, *that* look starts surfacing on their faces and it ends with: "yeah, but c'mon, that is kids' stuff, I sure played them but I stopped when I was around twelve, you need to grow up!".

Alright.

Say anything other than Madden, Halo, or "the Wii" and most people will look at you like you've got some sort of contagious nerd super-flu. I don't even mention MMOs.  Those creep out even the few "gamers" I know at work.  I've had some people that know I play MMOs talk to me about WoW due to its cultural relevance.  It's mostly in hushed tones and away from other people like they're buying weed off me or something.

At least it isn't D&D?

[NiX]

Up here that would be a very terrible thing to say to a candidate. Discrimination for the win.

[Teleku]

He only said WoW because thats the big name one that everybody and their mother plays.  The basic jist though is "Don't hire people who play MMO'S".  Which I'm not sure I can disagree with based on the reasoning they are applying  .

[Ghambit]

If I had a company of my own I'd probably only HIRE PC gamers, and probably give the MMO peeps management positions.   
Seriously though; at least when hiring gamerz you know where and what your workers are doing.  It's sort of like having a pseudo-RFID tag on everyone, which I find empowering (plus zombies make good slaves).  I've found that "normal folk" tend to phuck up WAAAY worse when they've got nothing to do with their time except work.

So no, he's not right.  Not by a longshot.

I conduct interviews and hire/fire all the time and I don't ask (or care) what people do when they're not working. It's none of my business so long as it doesn't impact their performance, and I haven't seen anything to indicate that MMOs are worse than spending all your money/time on filthy streetwalkers ("setting up whore websites for freebies"), smoking a shitton of pot, or singing in a church choir. Actually the choir guy was the worst, because the fucker kept asking to leave early to make rehersals. I liked the whoremonger and pothead while the churchmonkey, umm, decided to quit.

exactly

[Ratman_tf]

My gaming habits come up in interviews since I'm into testing. But I'm wondering why anyone would bring up WoW in any other kind of job interview? Most people probably don't even understand what they hell you'd be talking about.

I DPS for DKP on teh mobs, lol!

[Ghambit]

My gaming habits come up in interviews since I'm into testing. But I'm wondering why anyone would bring up WoW in any other kind of job interview? Most people probably don't even understand what they hell you'd be talking about.

I DPS for DKP on teh mobs, lol!

Kinda sad that most managers dont know what WoW is, given the share they've got of our GDP and how successful their business model was/is.  Ironically, the only businesses that seem to be working lately are drugs, oil, and WoW in the USA.  Naturally, all 3 are pretty well hated-on, but all 3 still go strong.

[Tale]

He only said WoW because thats the big name one that everybody and their mother plays.  The basic jist though is "Don't hire people who play MMO'S".  Which I'm not sure I can disagree with based on the reasoning they are applying  .

But the genre is unknown outside gaming circles. In most people's minds, WoW is a kind of game, not a kind of MMO. It is the first game of its type that most people are aware of, and that's if they've even heard of WoW at all. That's why he only said WoW.

My gaming habits come up in interviews since I'm into testing. But I'm wondering why anyone would bring up WoW in any other kind of job interview? Most people probably don't even understand what they hell you'd be talking about.

I DPS for DKP on teh mobs, lol!

Correct. I did not specifically bring it up. But it wasn't a job interview, we were just doing lunch. He had a new iPhone 3G, we started talking technology and games, and I happened to mention I considered myself to have played too many online games several years ago. When I said "the ones that came before World of Warcraft", he had heard of WoW so he told me what employers had told him about its players. And I thought "I'll post that on f13".

If I had a reason to bring something like that up in an interview, it would be to demonstrate my broad awareness of what's going on culturally. My employability in online media is partly based on having been an oldschool internet user. It gives me a bigger bag of tricks to engage today's online users and make them click on stuff. So having done the MMO addiction thing and got out before most of today's WoW players got in, I might have some insight into "what the kids are doing". But that's not a particularly strong thing to bring up, especially as WoW players are probably too busy to click on my content.

(edit - whew - post restored via Google cache after accidental edit)

[Slyfeind]

Those darn kids, next thing you know they'll be hanging in pool halls, and saying things like "sure" and "swell!"

(The ladies gasp and swoon) "Ooooooo!"

We got trouble!
(Trouble! Trouble!)
Right here in River City!
(Right here in River City!)
With a capital T and that rhymes with P and that stands for pool!
THAT STANDS FOR POOL! I SAY YOUR YOUNG MEN WILL BE FRITTERIN AWAY!!!!11 FUCKING FRITTEREN OMFG WATCHTHETAIL50DKPMINUS111!!!!!!11111

[Numtini]

I tend to not be obsessed by money though that is tempered by always being lucky enough to end up with enough. But really? I wouldn't want a job with a company like that. Life is too short.

[Ratman_tf]

Correct. I did not specifically bring it up. But it wasn't a job interview, we were just doing lunch.

Ah. My misunderstanding there.

[UnSub]

Now that the army doesn't want me, I really want to sign up! 

[angry.bob]

If they were smart, they'd avoid people in fantasy leagues too. 

Supertruth. Fantasy Leagues are a fucking blight upon all of mankind. Every IT shop I've worked in, people have spent the bulk of their day fucking around on the web with their teams and looking up stats for trades or whatever stupid shit you do with those things. Even though sports fans are usually far more retarded about their mancrush obsession than videogamers are, it's a "normal" obsession. When I point out that videogamers at least interact with their medium and most sports enthusiasts pay tons of money to sit on their ass doing nothing but eating shit food while they pretend they're the "XXth player" on the team when in reality no one on the team really gives a fuck about the city they "represent" in some quasi-tribal pseudo warfare, they just shrug and go back to trying to find player's medical reports or whatever.

I will make the qualification that despite the universally low quality of professional athletes, Lebron James is constantly doing really great things here in Akron locally and seems to have a strong sense of connection to the city, especially to children's causes. I'm glad I changed my mind at the last minute about running onto the court when he was in high school and beating on his knees and hips with a claw hammer.

[UnSub]

I will make the qualification that despite the universally low quality of professional athletes, Lebron James is constantly doing really great things here in Akron locally and seems to have a strong sense of connection to the city, especially to children's causes. I'm glad I changed my mind at the last minute about running onto the court when he was in high school and beating on his knees and hips with a claw hammer.

... it's the feel good hit of the summer. 

[Murgos]

My office is very nerd-centric.  Many people actually know what WoW is and it's not hard to find someone actively playing, usually because they are surfing WoW forums all day.

However, you can start a fantasy sports conversation with anyone.

[Tarami]

I can't say I disagree. I wouldn't have hired me in 2006.

[FatuousTwat]

I spend most of my free time either gaming or reading sci-fi or fantasy.

So, pretty much nothing to bring up in any social situation, unless I want a bunch of morons staring at me.

[Malakili]

Those darn kids, next thing you know they'll be hanging in pool halls, and saying things like "sure" and "swell!"

(The ladies gasp and swoon) "Ooooooo!"

We got trouble!
(Trouble! Trouble!)
Right here in River City!
(Right here in River City!)
With a capital T and that rhymes with P and that stands for pool!
THAT STANDS FOR POOL! I SAY YOUR YOUNG MEN WILL BE FRITTERIN AWAY!!!!11 FUCKING FRITTEREN OMFG WATCHTHETAIL50DKPMINUS111!!!!!!11111

This just made my entire day better.

[Tale]

Those darn kids, next thing you know they'll be hanging in pool halls, and saying things like "sure" and "swell!"

(The ladies gasp and swoon) "Ooooooo!"

We got trouble!
(Trouble! Trouble!)
Right here in River City!
(Right here in River City!)
With a capital T and that rhymes with P and that stands for pool!
THAT STANDS FOR POOL! I SAY YOUR YOUNG MEN WILL BE FRITTERIN AWAY!!!!11 FUCKING FRITTEREN OMFG WATCHTHETAIL50DKPMINUS111!!!!!!11111

Yeah, I meant to say, that was awesome.

[Tale]

I can't say I disagree. I wouldn't have hired me in 2006.

Would you hire you now? I mean, has it made you less employable for life? Or did you go back to being as employable as before, or more so?

[kERRA]

I can't say I disagree. I wouldn't have hired me in 2006.

Would you hire you now? I mean, has it made you less employable for life? Or did you go back to being as employable as before, or more so?

If the end result of WoW addiction made him more employable, would you want him in the middle of it?  Even back in Meridian 59 days, the hardcore players struck me as people I'd hesitate to hire for time-sensitive jobs.  Pardon the edit; I hit enter with a Jack-in-the-box cup.

[sam, an eggplant]

Shrug. Everybody does something when they're not working. Just as an example, (and to be clear I do not do this, it's very illegal) I would love to avoid hiring married people with young children. Nothing sucks more time than kids, and children are always prioritized over work. I've had major problems with parents in the past. Major, major problems. If it weren't illegal, I'd hire the unkempt surly gamer with a neckbeard over the married professional guy with a lovely wife and infant at home any day of the week. Any day, any way. If only it were possible.

I also wouldn't hire anyone over 50, women, or cripples. Old people leave at 4:59:59.999, women get married and quit working or take long maternity leaves or sue your ass for harassment, and no matter what they may think, being unable to hobble with that crutch faster than 0.4MPH does impair your ability to do a white collar job, Quasimodo. But hey, all illegal.

[sinij]

Just like I wouldn't talk with anyone who is not involved in it about my sex life, I wouldn't discuss my gaming habits. For example I wouldn't discuss WoW at my BDSM meets, they would think I am a pervert.

[UnSub]

Just like I wouldn't talk with anyone who is not involved in it about my sex life, I wouldn't discuss my gaming habits. For example I wouldn't discuss WoW at my BDSM meets, they would think I am a pervert.

But you could talk about Sociolotron.

[Samprimary]

If I were playing an MMOG, I would never let a potential employer or recruiter know about it.

It's a good red flag for employers, like the GED.

[Xuri]

What if your potential employer is a MMOG-development company?

[Ookii]

I totally agree with this as well.  My co-worker is a WoW player and that is all he does all do, read about WoW and post on WoW forums.