HEINEKEN Romania partnered with Jobful to transform their graduate recruitment program using gamification. The result? 43% more Gen Z applications, 91% completion rates, and a 3rd-place Employer Branding Award.
Increase in Gen Z applications
Place at Employer Branding Awards
Positive candidate feedback
Quick Summary
Traditional recruitment processes failed to resonate with Gen Z candidates seeking dynamic, interactive experiences
Jobful's gamified recruitment platform featuring customizable challenges, video content, and a unique Beer Academy
- 43% increase in qualified Gen Z applications
- 3 successful full-time hires from program
- 3rd place at Employer Branding Awards
- 100% positive candidate feedback on gamified experience
The Challenge: Attracting Gen Z with Old-School Methods
HEINEKEN Romania faced a generational recruitment mismatch. Their traditional graduate trainee hiring process—lengthy application forms, formal interviews, and minimal candidate engagement—wasn't resonating with Gen Z talent (born 1997-2012) who value interactive, mobile-first experiences.
The problem was clear: Gen Z candidates dropped off before completing applications. Those who did apply often had misaligned expectations about company culture and role requirements. HEINEKEN needed a way to attract high-quality candidates AND ensure they were genuinely interested in the brewery industry and company values before investing time in interviews.
Specific pain points included:
- Low application completion rates: Only 67% of candidates who started an application finished it
- Poor candidate experience scores: Average rating of 6.8/10 from applicants
- Minimal engagement time: Candidates spent just 8 minutes on average interacting with recruitment materials
- High early-stage drop-off: 40% of hired trainees left within first 6 months due to culture misfit
"We realized our recruitment process was designed for Millennials, not Gen Z. These candidates grew up with Instagram and TikTok—they expect instant, visual, interactive content. A static PDF job description wasn't going to cut it."
Bogdan Florișteanu
Talent Acquisition Lead, HEINEKEN Romania
The Solution: Gamification Meets Beer Education
In Q3 2021, HEINEKEN Romania partnered with Jobful to build a custom gamified recruitment platform designed specifically for Gen Z candidates. The platform combined educational content, interactive challenges, and transparent career path information—all accessible via mobile.
The centerpiece was the HEINEKEN Beer Academy—an interactive module that taught candidates about beer brewing, HEINEKEN's history, sustainability initiatives, and company values BEFORE they applied. This served two purposes:
- Self-qualification: Candidates who weren't truly interested in the industry self-selected out early
- Culture immersion: Serious applicants gained deep understanding of HEINEKEN's values, increasing application quality
Key Platform Features:
Beer Academy
Interactive modules covering brewing process, sustainability, brand history. Gamified quizzes with instant feedback.
Scenario-Based Challenges
Real-world business problems (e.g., "How would you launch a new beer brand?") with video responses.
Video Content Library
Day-in-the-life videos from current trainees, leadership messages, office tours—all optimized for mobile viewing.
Transparent Career Paths
Interactive flowcharts showing trainee → junior → senior progression with real salary ranges and timeline expectations.
Implementation Timeline
| Phase | Timeline | Key Activities |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery & Strategy | Month 1 | Workshops, candidate persona development, content planning |
| Platform Customization | Months 2-3 | Beer Academy build, challenge design, video production |
| Launch & Promotion | Month 4 | Soft launch, university partnerships, social media campaign |
| Optimization | Ongoing | A/B testing, content updates, analytics review |
The Results: Gen Z Loved It
Within the first recruitment cycle (Q4 2021), HEINEKEN saw dramatic improvements across every metric. But the real success wasn't just numbers—it was candidate quality. The gamified platform attracted candidates who genuinely wanted to work in the beer industry, not just anyone looking for any graduate program.
Before vs. After Jobful
| Metric | Before Jobful | After Jobful | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen Z Application Volume | Baseline | +43% | +43% |
| Application Completion Rate | 67% | 91% | +24 pts |
| Candidate Experience Score | 6.8/10 | 9.1/10 | +2.3 pts |
| Average Engagement Time | 8 minutes | 52 minutes | +550% |
| Trainee Conversion to FTE | 1 hire | 3 hires | +200% |
Award Recognition
HEINEKEN won 3rd place at the prestigious Employer Branding Awards in the "Best Campaign Targeting Gen Z" category, competing against major tech and consulting firms.
Long-Term Impact
All 3 trainees who converted to full-time roles are still with HEINEKEN 18+ months later, far exceeding the company's historical retention rates.
"The gamified approach didn't just increase numbers—it increased quality. Candidates who completed the Beer Academy self-screened. They knew what they were getting into, and they wanted to be here. That's incredibly valuable."
Bogdan Florișteanu
Talent Acquisition Lead, HEINEKEN Romania
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About Jobful
Jobful is the leading recruitment technology platform designed to help companies attract, engage, and hire top talent through innovative gamification, AI-powered matching, and employer branding tools.
We work with enterprise organizations across Europe—from FMCG brands like HEINEKEN to tech scaleups and financial institutions—to modernize their talent acquisition processes. Our platform combines cutting-edge recruitment technology with proven behavioral psychology to create candidate experiences that convert.
What Makes Jobful Different?
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Gamified Assessments: Replace boring application forms with interactive challenges that assess skills while engaging candidates.
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AI Candidate Matching: Automatically score and rank applicants based on role fit, cultural alignment, and skill assessments.
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Employer Branding Hub: Showcase your company culture through video content, employee testimonials, and interactive career path visualizations.
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Mobile-First Design: 87% of Gen Z candidates apply via mobile. Our platform is optimized for thumb-friendly interactions.
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Key Takeaways for Recruitment Leaders
Gen Z Expects Interactive Experiences
Traditional application forms don't work for Gen Z. They want TikTok-style engagement—quick, visual, interactive. HEINEKEN's gamified challenges proved this: 52 minutes average engagement vs. 8 minutes with old forms.
Self-Qualification Improves Candidate Quality
The Beer Academy wasn't just about engagement—it filtered out unqualified candidates. Those who completed it were genuinely interested in brewing and HEINEKEN's culture, leading to better hires.
Mobile-First Is Non-Negotiable
87% of HEINEKEN's Gen Z applicants used mobile devices. If your recruitment platform isn't mobile-optimized, you're losing candidates before they even start.
Awards Validate Your Employer Brand
HEINEKEN's 3rd place finish at the Employer Branding Awards wasn't just a trophy—it became a recruitment marketing asset they promoted across social media, university partnerships, and job postings.