Strategies That Backfire When Job Hunting
Ever have a desire to really separate yourself from the pack when trying to get a job?
We’re not talking using creme paper for your resume versus standard white, but something much more extreme. Job hunters feel compelled to use creative tactics to stand out, but while a rare few succeed, most fail miserably. A junior marketing professional tried sending his resume to a company hiring manager via homing pigeon, says Cynthia Shapiro, a job-search coach. “It’s really disheartening when you send your resume out there and you get nothing in return,” she notes. “It just makes people feel like they have to do something crazy to get noticed.”
What are some of the extremes people have gone through for recognition?
- Ms. Shapiro says a job hunter in a gorilla suit once dropped off his resume at her office at a construction company. Then, she recalls, he burst into a song describing why he would make a strong candidate. Approaching recruiters in a social setting about job opportunities is also unwise.
- One recruiter was cornered by a job hunter as she was searching for a seat at her daughter’s high-school volleyball game. An acceptable alternative would have been to ask to meet in a business setting at a later date.
- Another strategy sometimes used by job seekers is to send a recruiter a cover letter inside an unsealed envelope with no resume. The goal is to make it appear that the person’s resume fell out, prompting the recruiter to personally follow up, but this can also leave the impression that the job seeker is deceptive, incompetent or careless.
- Some job seekers regularly email recruiters jokes, goofy photos or other unprofessional items just to stay on their radar.
- Others send their resumes about once a month, noting that they made a change to the document even though the edits are usually minor.
- Job candidates have also been known to offer recruiters free tickets to concerts or other events during interviews. Others send thank-you letters with a fruit basket or a bottle of champagne attached. Such actions are tantamount to bribery, which can be an automatic knock-out factor.
- One recruiter once received a resume with two Pepto-Bismol tablets attached and a note that read: “I’m one candidate that won’t nauseate you. However, since I don’t know how the rest of your day is going, accept some relief, compliments of me.”
If you decide try something risky in order to stand out, it’s recommended that job seekers research recruiters’ personal interests to identify ways to grab their attention using resources like the networking Web site or simply Googling. Recruiters in creative industries like advertising, marketing and public relations may be more receptive to gimmicks than others. One easy way to stand out is to include a link to a personal Web site or blog in an email resume. Just be sure the content on the site is appropriate. Consider sending recruiters a card for a nondenominational holiday such as New Year’s to remind them about your interest.
