Play Words with Friends with a friend or colleague and you will make a remarkable discovery: you’ve just unlocked their true personality.

The exciting word game brings several character traits of its players to the surface. From casual, friendly matches to shrewd tactics and aggressive play, there’s no telling what you may face. Or who, if we’re talking alter-egos.

This is a non-scientifically proven fact.

Why don’t we leverage these insights as a company might for screening its candidates?

Have you ever been required to take a personality assessment test in a job interview? Some include Gaming as part of the candidate exercise.

If Words with Friends were used for a cognitive abilities assessment, here’s what the reported output could potentially look like. 

The Strategist

This is one of the savviest players of all. 

It will not be immediately apparent but every play is pre-meditated. Every move well thought-out. 

This sly word-fox will recognize that you have under-estimated them, and will make you pay dearly for it.

You may be several points ahead at the start of the game but be careful not to let your guard down. Just when you think you’ve got this one in the bag, this person will bring the storm.

One that rains 75 to 100+ points on your parade. 

Recommended for: Product Leadership

The High Spirits

Calm and even-keeled, this player is talented but is not here for the trophy appeal. They simply want to enjoy a fun and friendly game of Words with Friends.

This personality type is great to have on the frontline. They are extremely likeable, good listeners, and all-round friendly social creatures.

Send them out to network with clients!

Their unflappable nature also makes them suitable for handling client fires like a champ.

Recommended for: Account Management

The Tile Swapper

This player does not mind skipping a turn to exchange their word tiles in pursuit of a better hand.

Forfeiting the opportunity for points from one round of play is a small sacrifice in the short-term in order to achieve the win over long-term play. 

This person can see the big picture and does not want to get tangled up in the weeds. They clear the deck to make way for a more productive path. And, they have the vision to make it happen.  

Recommended for: Executive Leadership

The Interior Decorator

Let’s play with some flair!

This person does not settle on using the default feature settings as ascribed by the game.

They enjoy frequent visits to the app’s features gallery to update their Tile Style and Profile Frame.

Will it be tiles styled in Orange Geometry or Plum Purple for you this week?

In business, they understand the importance of aesthetic appeal. They use their market knowledge to customize product appearance before final delivery to the customer. 

Recommended for: Marketing and Event Management

The Bad Loser

The drama queen may be a more fitting title for this player.

This person cries foul at every turn.

If you turn up the heat and serve them a triple-letter delight, they will accuse you of cheating and hit Resign in a heartbeat.

Or, there may be a build-up to their explosion. If your lead gradually becomes larger than these grumpy characters can handle in one sullen session, again, they will slam those brakes.

Game over.

They are the source of your team’s toxic environment. This is the finger-pointer in the group. Swift to assign blame yet has no solutions to offer.

Recommended for: Pass on this one…

The Ultimate Competitor

This player is on the quest for Gold from the moment they launch the app. 

They will drop some serious crap talk your way. (Don’t let the kids on your phone…)

But it’s all in good fun so don’t be alarmed!

These folks are ambitious and talented and what they don’t know they are hungry to learn.

Lock in this talent!

Recommended for: All career tracks.

The Rule Bender

This is the ruthless player that intends to win at all costs.

They have no qualms about downloading the Cheat with Friends app (or whatever it is called) in order to ensure that there’s no level playing field over the course of the game.

Play by the rulebook? What rulebook?

You can usually spot them when, well into the game, they suddenly come from behind to take a startling lead. From abysmal word combos that an eight-year old could best, to back-to-back aggressive big plays.

Welcome to the game, Ernest Hemingway. 

The Good: Well, somewhat… This person brings in big business and drives swift results while breaking every rule in the company’s code of conduct book.

Superb for the revenue forecast but do avoid HR in the hall.

The Bad: All of those shortcuts taken eventually do surface and someone is left cleaning up the mess.

Recommended for: Sales and Business Development

The Crawler

This player takes FOREVER to play.

They take their sweet time to analyze the potential word combinations, and painstakingly prepare their next move.

This can go on for hours, or days even.

But they will come back to the board and finish the game. Eventually… 

Recommended for: Legal and Accounting

The Chatterbox

This player is the equivalent of the upbeat character that you are bound to always run into at the watercooler.

They’re much more interested in connecting with you in Chat than actually playing tiles on the main screen.

This person is a good player companion for those looking to break the toll of isolation and enjoying the idle chat with. And of course, they’re your source for red hawt gossip.

Recommended for: Fitness Coaching

The Bragger

This player relentlessly pursues all possible avenues to capture game badges – the ultimate mark of achievement in Words with Friends.

They must gain eminent leaderboard status (points-based) and so they play a mind-numbing amount of games, and are the first in line for weekly challenges and bonus points events.

The thrill lies not in the game, but in the bragging rights.

Recommended for: Social Media Management and Influencer Marketing

The Undercover Agent

This person regards Words with Friends as a dating app.

Once you have accepted a play with this stranger, a “Hi, how are you?” quickly pops up in the chat box.

If you do not engage, all grammatical appeal you once held quickly ebbs.

Recommended for: Backroom Staff Roles

Do you agree that a Words with Friends playing style reveals a lot about a person?

Or, have you already tagged this entire theory as a bunch of rubbish and tossed it in the trash!