HR-PG (Human Resources - Professional Gauntlet)

A turn-based interview simulator that reimagines the hiring process as a retro 16-bit boss battle. Practice your interview skills by battling recruiter bosses with high-quality STAR-method responses!

Overview

HR-PG helps job seekers prepare for interviews through an engaging, gamified experience. Players choose a role, answer behavioral and technical questions, and receive immediate feedback on answer quality translated into "Attack Damage" against the recruiter boss.

Target Users

• Students and recent graduates
• Early-to-mid career professionals
• Anyone preparing for job interviews

Tech Stack

• Frontend: React, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, Vite
• Backend: Python, Flask, SQLAlchemy, SQLite
• LLM Integration: Vanderbilt Amplify API
• Authentication: JWT (JSON Web Tokens)

Project Structure

hr-pg/
├── backend/
│   ├── app.py              # Flask API server
│   └── requirements.txt    # Python dependencies
├── frontend/
│   ├── src/
│   │   ├── pages/
│   │   │   ├── Home.tsx           # Landing page
│   │   │   ├── LevelSelect.tsx    # Role selection page
│   │   │   ├── Game.tsx           # Main game interface
│   │   │   └── Results.tsx        # Game results page
│   │   ├── App.tsx         # Main app with routing
│   │   └── index.css       # Global styles with Tailwind
│   ├── package.json
│   └── tailwind.config.js
└── README.md

Current Features

• Home Page: Welcome screen with game introduction and login/register
• User Accounts: Sign up and log in to save your game history
• Level Select: Choose from different job roles (Software Engineer, Product Manager, Data Scientist)
• Game Page: Answer interview questions with health bar system. Progress is saved to the database.
• Results Page: Victory or defeat screen based on performance
• AI Scoring: Real-time feedback and scoring using Vanderbilt Amplify API

Setup Instructions

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v18 or higher)
• Python (v3.8 or higher)
• pip (Python package manager)

Backend Setup

1. Navigate to the backend directory:

   cd backend

2. Create a virtual environment (recommended):

   python -m venv venv
   source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate

3. Install Python dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

4. Configure Environment Variables: Create a .env file in the backend directory (copy from .env.example).

   cp .env.example .env

   Generate a secure JWT secret key:

   python -c "import secrets; print(secrets.token_hex(32))"

   Update your .env file with the generated key and your Amplify API key:

   AMPLIFY_API_KEY=your_api_key
   JWT_SECRET_KEY=paste_generated_key_here

5. Update database:

   flask db upgrade

6. Run the Flask server:

   python app.py

   The backend will start at http://localhost:5000

Frontend Setup

1. Navigate to the frontend directory:

   cd frontend

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install

3. Run the development server:

   npm run dev

   The frontend will start at http://localhost:5173

Running the Application

1. Start the backend server in one terminal:

   cd backend
   python app.py

2. Start the frontend development server in another terminal:

   cd frontend
   npm run dev

3. Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:5173

How to Play

1. Start Game: Click "Start Game" on the home page
2. Select Role: Choose the job position you want to interview for
3. Answer Questions: Respond to interview questions using the STAR method
   • Situation: Describe the context
   • Task: Explain what needed to be done
   • Action: Detail what you did
   • Result: Share the outcome
4. Watch Health Bars: Good answers damage the boss, poor answers damage you
5. Win or Lose: Deplete the boss's health to "secure the offer" or lose all your health and get "ghosted"

Future Development

• Integrate Vanderbilt Amplify API for LLM-powered question generation
• Implement NLP-based answer evaluation
• Add 16-bit retro graphics and animations
• Include sound effects and background music
• Expand role catalog with more positions
• Add difficulty settings
• Implement database with accounts and progress tracking
• Create user dashboard
• Add resume-based questions and feedback
• Add audio input and output for verbal interview practice
• Create practice mode with feedback

Contributing

This is a student project. Contributions and suggestions are welcome!

License

See LICENSE file for details.