* Using unconventional methods to get a potential employer's attention and land the job
What’s the most creative resume that has landed on your desk? More than one-third of full-time workers surveyed by CareerBuilder.com say they used unconventional methods to get a potential employer’s attention and land the job. Approaches cited ranged from advertising qualifications at a college football game to sending a goody basket with a resume to juggling during an interview.
While none of these non-traditional tactics demonstrate network know-how, they can help candidates get noticed.
“In today’s competitive employment environment, you have to think out of the box,” says Rosemary Haefner, senior career advisor for job site CareerBuilder.com. “Using a creative approach to market your skills and experience not only helps you to differentiate yourself from other candidates, it demonstrates that you are someone who can bring fresh ideas to the table.”
Here are some of the anecdotes cited in the survey of more than 1,900 workers:
* One candidate sent a resume in an ice-cream carton manufactured by the prospective employer.
* A woman offered to work for free for two weeks to prove her value.
* One prospective employee showed up to the interview with a comprehensive plan to help the company improve customer service on a global scale.
* A few candidates sent their resumes, portfolios and letters of introduction to the CEO’s home address.
* Respondents called the hiring managers repeatedly to reinforce credentials and reiterate why they were most qualified for open positions. Others showed up daily and waited to see the manager, though some of us would construe that technique as stalking.
For more information, go to www.careerbuilder.com
