Following up on our article from last year, where we explored some of the wacky things people have done to get a job, I thought we’d return to the whimsical this week by exploring some more “job seekers behaving badly” to see what other bizarre strategies people have employed to get employed.
From over the top resumes to publicity stunts to some rather creepy (borderline stalking) methods… you get the picture.
A few years ago, Careerbuilder conducted a survey of several thousand hiring managers and HR professionals nationwide to share the most memorable methods job candidates have used to stand out from the competition, and whether their creativity got them hired or cost them the opportunity.
And while a number of rather kooky options did result in a job, some of the others were not so successful. Taking a creative approach to the job application and interview process can be risky, in other words. But like some macabre, train wreck exhibit in Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, here are a few of the more unusual ones that respondents recalled.
10 creative techniques that worked:
1. Candidate contracted a billboard outside of employer’s office.
2. Candidate gave a resume on a chocolate bar.
3. Candidate showed up in a suit with a red T-shirt underneath a white shirt. The red T-shirt had a message – “Hire me, I work hard.”
4. Candidate asked to be interviewed in Spanish to showcase his skills.
5. Candidate crafted the cover letter like an invitation to hire her rather than a request (similar to a wedding invitation).
6. Candidate climbed on a roof the employer was repairing and asked for a job.
7. Candidate performed a musical number on the guitar about why he was the best candidate.
8. Candidate volunteered to help out with making copies when he saw interviewer’s assistant was getting frazzled.
9. Candidate repaired a piece of company’s equipment during the first interview.
10. Candidate sent a message in a bottle.
10 creative techniques that didn’t work:
1. Candidate back-flipped into the room.
2. Candidate brought items from interviewer’s online shopping wish list.
3. Candidate sent a large fruit basket to interviewer’s home address, which the interviewer had not given her.
4. Candidate did a tarot reading for the interviewer.
5. Candidate dressed as a clown.
6. Candidate sent interviewer some beef stew with a note saying “Eat hearty and hire me J.”
7. Candidate placed a timer on interviewer’s desk, started it, and told interviewer he would explain in 3 minutes why he was the perfect candidate.
8. Candidate sent interviewer a lotto ticket.
9. Candidate wore a fluorescent suit.
10. Candidate sent in a shoe to “get their foot in the door.”
So the bottom line is that some hiring managers will appreciate a more unconventional approach to applying and interviewing for a job, others may not. It often comes down to knowing your audience. For example, a clever technique that may help you land a job at an advertising firm may not necessarily work for a more conservative law firm.
If you’re planning to do something unconventional, first ask yourself, ‘Does this help to exemplify my skills and experience?’ If the answer is no, then don’t. Whatever you say or do in an interview should be relevant to the position at hand. You want the interviewer to remember you for the right reasons, not just because you stood on your head the whole time.
An even better way to stand out: come in with ideas. It shows vision and initiative. Many candidates don’t do this, so you’ll immediately stand out. Focus on specific ways you have contributed to other organizations, so the employer sees what you can do for them.
And remember, for every memorable stunt that landed a job, there is one that forever marked a job seeker as either desperate or a little bit crazy… these stories get around so rather than being a good laugh at the water cooler, shoot for being remembered as an articulate candidate with good ideas.
Good luck!
20 Creative Things Job Seekers Have Done To Get Noticed | Jacquelyn Smith via Forbes
Tags: bizarre, career advice, elevator pitch, interview, job search, personal branding, Ty Norwood