New survey: Unusual tactics to land a job
By CareerBuilder blogger on Oct 8, 2008 in Career Advice
Feel like you have to jump through a hoop of fire to get someone’s attention in your job search?
Well, you’re not alone!
And though jumping through a ring of fire may be a little extreme, job seekers are becoming bolder and more creative about how they approach their search – and how to get noticed.
Today CareerBuilder.com releases a new survey on this topic. We talked to hiring managers, and a surpsising number of them – 12 percent - reported that they’re seeing a growing trend of unusual antics and tactics from candidates.
Among our favorites?
You can see the survey results and our full press release here.
What should you do?
In a tight, highly competitive tight job market it makes sense to do something unusual to stand out from the crowd. But you don’t want to cross the line.
Jason Ferrara, one of our Senior Career Advisors here at CareerBuilder.com, says that “the key is making sure you are maintaining an appropriate balance of creativity and professionalism, so you are remembered for the right reasons.”
With that in mind, here are some suggestions:
Don’t be inappropriate. Be creative and unafraid when you’re thinking of ways to make an impression…just don’t be inappropriate, or you’ll be remembered for the WRONG reasons!
Think about your target audience. If you’ve done some research on the company you’re applying to, you should know about them and about the culture at that company. This is incredibly important when you’re competing for a job.
Jumping through the lobby on a pogo stick when you arrive for an interview might work for a new media company, but would be unlikely to impress anyone at a conservative financial firm. Know your audience and tailor your message or your idea accordingly.
Stay on message. No matter what idea you might have about how to make yourself stand out, remember that your actions or antics should always bring the conversation – and the recruiter’s attention – back to you, your qualifications, and what you can offer the company.
Resume Writer | Nov 19, 2008
This is so true: “Jumping through the lobby on a pogo stick when you arrive for an interview might work for a new media company, but would be unlikely to impress anyone at a conservative financial firm. Know your audience and tailor your message or your idea accordingly.” It pays to truly understand the difference between creative companies that welcome, well, creativity in your approach to landing a job and conservative companies that may write you off as crazy for taking this kind of approach. Need inspiration or ideas about how to stand out from the crowd or make an impression? Rent “The Pursuit of Happyness.”
BTW: My favorite story is the one about the person that brought an employer breakfast every day until hired. I’m not too sure about the bathroom story, but if it worked, great!
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