Should You Stick to Established Conventions or Put Your Creativity to Use?
When comes the time to apply for a job, some job seekers go the conventional way and send in their resume and cover letter. Others like to stand out by going unconventional and trying to make their mark. Most of the time, those that do go all the way out are either desperate for a job or really want a specific job. What are you to do?
It really depends on your profession, but before going nuts, do your research on the people in charge of hiring. See if they are inclined to “out of the ordinary” stunts.
Examples of what people have already tried? Wearing a giant resume on a poster board and standing on Manhattan streets handing out resumes; renting a giant billboard with the message: “Creative, experienced marketing guy seeks stable company for long-time working relationship;” sending out a video resume, which ended up turning pretty bad; challenging the editorial assistant to an “office skills head-to-head;” writing a blog and drawing the recruiter’s attention to that blog; etc. Some initiatives worked, some didn’t.
The lesson from all this? Do it at your risk and peril.
Making a Hard Sell, New York Post