Advice to job applicants always emphasizes the importance of standing out from the crowd. But some job seekers, it seem, take this suggestion to the extreme.
A survey conducted on behalf of CareerBuilder by Harris Poll of more than 2,000 full-time U.S. hiring and human resource managers revealed some of the most outlandish stunts job seekers have pulled make a lasting impression on hiring managers. And though these tricks definitely got applicants noticed, they didn’t always get them the job.
One show off tried to wow the hiring manager with their knowledge of the company’s history. The catch? Their facts were less than historically sound. Another candidate learned where the hiring manager would be having dinner that evening and arranged to pay the check. Still another had a cake delivered, frosted with the words, “Congratulations! [Candidate’s name] got the job!”
Creative–and totally inappropriate.
Other highlights include the candidate that lit their resume on fire during an interview to demonstrate they had a “burning desire” for the job. (Unwise. Also, dangerous.) One candidate behaved like a game show host (“I’ll take ‘Jobs’ for $1,000, please!”), still another brought props to the interview, using them when they felt an answer required further illustration.
Perhaps the most desperate–if not diabolical–move involved a candidate who had his daughter call the hiring manager before the job interview to express how grateful she was that her dad got the job.
Beyond the antics, CareerBuilder chief HR officer Rosemary Haefner cautions job seekers that any sort of attention-seeking should be focused on showcasing one’s skills and suitability for the role.
“Job seekers know they’re competing with a lot of other candidates, so they’re trying more unusual tactics to stand out from the crowd,” said Haefner. “For example, one candidate made a ‘Top Ten’ list of reasons to hire him. But while these tactics may succeed in impressing hiring managers, what ultimately determines if they get the job is having the necessary skills and experience hiring managers are looking for.”
Haefner suggests that while creative thinking is fine, job seekers need to remember the objective: Demonstrating that they’re the person with the relevant skills and experience for the job, not just the person most capable of grabbing attention.
Original from Forbes
Tags: elevator pitch, getting noticed, interviews, job search, job seeker, personal branding, strategies, Ty Norwood