A (broken) formula for success

Most organisations only want the best of the best to apply – the RAAF might have stumbled upon the winning formula.

A (broken) formula for success

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) asked online job seekers to solve a complex maths problem to be able to apply for an engineering position, Business Insider reported.

The eight-line equation – which contains trigonometry, imaginary numbers, infinite sums and more – bears the instruction “If you have what it takes to be an engineer in the Air Force call the number below,” above it.

Unfortunately, what would have been a clever way to give applicants a direct line resulted in some mathematical blunders, as the equation was wrong which makes getting the desired number from it impossible.

Defence Force Recruiters enlisted a professor from the University of Melbourne to devise the equation, which Business Insider stated was intended for engagement, not direct recruitment.

Applicants to the RAAF endure two-day recruiting processes that include a plethora of interviewers, from psychologists to nurses.

Could businesses use fun and engaging teasers to kick-off recruitment, or is it just a bit too gimmicky?

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