According to a new survey from CareerBuilder, nearly one-in-five hiring managers (18 percent) reported that they are seeing more job seekers try unusual tactics to capture their attention in 2009 compared to last year. This is up from 12 percent of hiring managers who said the same in 2008 as compared to previous years.
Some of the most memorable tactics identified by hiring managers include:
* Candidate sent a shoe with a resume to “get my foot in the door.”
* Candidate staged a sit-in in the lobby to get a meeting with a director.
* Candidate washed cars in the parking lot.
* Candidate sent a resume wrapped as a present and said his skills were a “gift to the company.”
* Candidate handed out resumes at stoplights.
* Candidate sent a cake designed as a business card with the candidate’s picture.
* Candidate went to the same barber as the Chairman of the Board and had the barber speak on his behalf.
* Candidate handed out personalized coffee cups.
* Candidate came dressed in a bunny suit because it was near Easter.
* Candidate told the receptionist he had an interview with the manager. When he met the manager, he confessed that he was driving by and decided to stop in on a chance.
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June 10th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Interesting ideas. I once had a candidate send me Forget-Me-Not seeds with their thank you letter.
June 10th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
Those are interesting, but do they really work? I’d love to see the correlation between candidates who try wacky stunts like those and the number who get the position in question. When I hear about candidates doing things like that, I always think a few things a) how creative and b) what are they hiding? Going above and beyond (having a video resume, or cold-calling the company) is one thing, but personalized mugs and bunny suits? If you’re truly qualified and can get you resume in front of the right eyes, do you really need all the extra stuff?
Kelly Giles
Social Media Strategist
OptimalResume.com
June 11th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
I think the position will dictate whether or not these tactics work. For example, if I am looking to hire an entry level marketing associate, you bet a cake or shoe shows me something! It is an example of their creativity – essentially, work product. Not sure this works anywhere outside of creative positions.
Either way, wearing a bunny suit is very creepy.