Jobs seekers... please restrain your creativity!

It's no secret that finding a job right now is tough. And when times get tough, the tough get creative!  Right?

Today I ran across the results of a survey from CareerBuilder that says 20% of hiring managers are seeing more people try to get their attention in unusual ways.

Some of the things people are trying?

• Sending in a shoe with a resume to "get my foot in the door."


• Staging a sit-in in the lobby to get a meeting with a director.

• Washing cars in the parking lot. (No reason given for this.)


• Sending a resume wrapped as a present and a message that said his skills were a "gift to the company."


• Handing out resumes at stoplights.


• Delivering a cake designed as a business card with the candidate’s picture.


• Going to the same barber as the Chairman of the Board and asking the barber speak on his behalf.


• Arriving at an interview dressed in a bunny suit because it was near Easter.

Some of those ideas are cute... but I wonder if they're actually effective.  And I wonder how many of them actually turned the hiring manager off of the candidate.

Using "creative" tactics in your job search is risky (in my opinion). Unless you're applying for a really innovative company with a reputation for loving those tactics, it could easily tell the interviewer that you're either (a) crazy, (b) not a serious candidate, or (c) desperate.  None of those sound like a good option to me.

Plus, even if you're trying to show that you're extremely creative, it might not work.  A creative job search tactic only works once.  Once people have heard of a tactic, it's no longer creative - and then you're just a copycat.

My advice to job seekers is to stop with the tricks and gimmicks and figure out ways to show your value.  That's not nearly as fun, but it is probably a lot more effective.

There is a time for blatant creativity and a time to tone it down.  If you're looking for a job, you should probably err on the side of not looking ridiculous.

(Unless, of course, you want to send me a cake with your resume on it.  I won't guarantee I'll hire you, but I'll definitely scarf it down!)

Comments

[Marylee Hale]

The accompanying cover letters have become quite creative as well - brightly colored paper, wild fonts, assertions of accomplishments way beyond the realm of possibility. It's also amazing how many job seekers have done every kind of work imaginable and can do any kind as well!

[Bill Perry]

The funniest one I read about so far is in a Zig Ziglar book. A person looking for a job had his resume printed on to a bunch of T-Shirts and at the bottom it said "I think I'm a good FIT for your company".

It worked and got him the job, but not sure if it would work now.

[Michalee]

Thanks for your intersting post (as always). I bet this online Cv is not only creative but also effective
http://www.paradoxware.com/alstudio/cv/en.htm
Why is that so? because the talent that is presented in the CV is also that needed for the kind of job this person is looking for.

Katie's note: I don't know I'd agree that that online CV is effective. I actually found it pretty annoying. It wasn't a very powerful demonstration of his skills.

[huangqin]

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[fox]

Yep, showing your value to the company is best.

And this, made me laugh! "(Unless, of course, you want to send me a cake with your resume on it. I won't guarantee I'll hire you, but I'll definitely scarf it down!)"
:-)

[jdb]

I agree that the value propositions are great differentiators.

We can laugh at these other attempts at acquiring notice from someone in the company or we can attempt to understand why job seekers attempt stunts. Let's be compassionate here. Times are difficult and many job seekers are disparate.

I have never had to rely on the internet to get a job until now. Think about it. The days of going to a company, speaking with HR and leaving your resume have been over for years. The situation requires new thought and perhaps a longer cycle to acquire a (any) job.
Thank you for remaining in contact with friends who are seeking a career again and providing tips on navigating this complex process.