And Now for a Little Bit of Humor

In a typical job search, candidates have limited means of finding out whether their resumes are repulsive to hiring managers or simply inadequate when compared to the competition. Instead of leaving success to chance, creative risk-takers forgo conventional resumes and interview etiquette to make themselves stand out in the hiring process. Bold actions can shorten the path to a rewarding job, as long as job seekers stick to clever stunts that showcase marketable skills.

Desperate or Proactive?

Hiring managers aren’t robots, and many appreciate candidates who can enliven an often mundane and repetitive recruitment cycle. Unfortunately, some candidates use misguided tactics that appear desperate, rather than inventive. In a CareerBuilder survey of the most ridiculous job seeker stunts, one hiring manager recalled a candidate who took a phone call during an interview and claimed the caller was another company making an offer. The candidate wanted to seem in demand, but instead, he demonstrated how to behave dishonestly and waste an interviewer’s time.

Alec Brownstein trimmed his job search by purchasing a 15-cent Google ad that made his resume the top search result for the name of the prospective company’s creative director. Unlike the phone call stunt, Brownstein’s tactic emphasized his credentials and landed his resume in front of an influential person. Needless to say, he was hired.

Flatterer or Innovator?

The CareerBuilder survey also revealed that hiring managers receive creative and strange gifts from candidates, such as a free meal coupon or gift-wrapped resume. On one occasion, a hiring manager received a cake with a presumptuous congratulatory message about choosing the candidate. A gift-wrapped resume gives the impression that a candidate is doing the employer a favor, while outright gifts come across as bribes, especially when a straightforward “thank you” note shows more tact and professionalism.

Leah Bowman made her job search more productive by using the Lego Digital Designer program to transform herself in a virtual Lego game. Titled “2014 Intern Set,” Bowman’s virtual presentation allowed managers to use Lego pieces to design ideal interns. Bowman tailored each presentation to the target company, making it easy for potential employers to envision her out-of-the-box thinking, professional initiative and ability to execute a project.

Imprudent or Diplomatic?

In age of laid-back startups, candidates have more opportunities to sidestep traditional interview etiquette and use an imaginative approach. Yet, hiring managers still expect candidates to show maturity and use creative methods that add credibility to resume claims. In the CareerBuilder survey, a hiring manager recounted an interview in which the candidate brought props and used them to answer questions. Props often become meaningless symbols if the candidate is only using them as a gimmick.

Instead of bringing distracting items to an interview, candidates should research the company's most pressing issues and share ideas on how to resolve them. In technical careers, candidates can even offer to troubleshoot software problems or fix equipment on the spot. Gimmicks may work, but leaving hiring managers with no doubts about a candidate's experience adds weight to the credentials outlined in the resume.

A stressful job search makes some candidates resort to questionable methods to grab a hiring manager's attention. Candidates have no guarantees about the effectiveness of creative strategies, but they can avoid an unproductive job search by finding smart ways to highlight their skills.

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