Desperately seeking employment

So, a guy walks into the office wearing a gorilla suit …

No, this isn’t a joke. This is a job seeker’s desperate attempt to stand out from the competition and get noticed by a hiring manager. The question is: Are desperate measures effective? Will the hiring manager call security or will he grant the gorilla an interview?

Other creative steps job searchers have taken include:

• Sending in a shoe with a note that reads, “Just hoping to get my foot in the door.”
• Offering a six-month money-back guarantee if the employer is not completely satisfied.
• Folding a resume in origami fashion and delivering it to the recruiter along with some delicious Chinese takeout.
• Auctioning their skills and services on eBay.
• Wrapping up a resume in a gift box with a big bow and promising to be a “true gift to the organization.”

It is easy to understand why some people are resorting to desperate measures when you consider the thousands of resumes posted on sites like Monster or the hundreds of responses an employer receives when advertising an opening. Job searchers feel as if they are casting a line into an ocean so vast they will never get a hiring manager to take the bait.

The fear of going unnoticed is compounded when companies fail to acknowledge receiving resumes and they don’t keep candidates apprised of their status in the hiring process. After an extended period of unemployment, some people get tired of playing by traditional job-search rules. With nothing left to lose, they resort to outlandish tactics, such as renting a billboard or posting a campy video on YouTube in hopes of finding a hiring manager who appreciates a sense of humor.

People are beginning to realize that it takes more than a little creative assertiveness to land a job these days. At what point does assertiveness becomes annoying and when does a bit of creativity come off looking crazy?

For positions in sales or marketing, job seekers may do well to apply some creativity, while in more conservative industries, such as banking or health care, too much originality may land them in the “No” pile. Job seekers always take some amount of risk when they color outside the lines of the standard hiring process. What one hiring manager finds humorous or intriguing, another may see as a big, red flag.

Employer’s perspective

It is also important to consider the employer’s perspective. In an effort to maintain a level playing field, many organizations disqualify candidates who fail to follow prescribed application procedures. Something as innocent as hand-delivering your resume along with a gourmet coffee drink could be viewed as an attempt to bribe your way into a job. The coffee ends up in the trash and your resume gets filed away.

What about video resumes? Most human resources professionals fear that they could lead to discrimination issues. CareerBuilder offered a video resume service for a brief period and then quickly discontinued the program.

It is possible to rise above the competition without doing anything too extreme. According to nationally recognized career counselor Katy Piotrowski, author of “The Career Coward’s Guide to Job Searching,” “Most people are very conservative in their approach. They see an ad, submit a resume, and the process ends there. A phone call to the hiring manager to verify that a resume was received, sending a hard-copy resume and cover letter after applying online, and making inroads at companies through common acquaintances are examples of small steps that job seekers can take in order to wildly increase their chances of generating more interviews. Job seekers who invest just a bit more effort really stand out.”

“Some of our clients offer to work for free for a limited period of time, generally two months, in order to learn new skills, provide an extra pair of hands, and prove their worth,” Piotrowski adds. “Approximately 50 percent of work-for-free arrangements lead to permanent employment.”

Michael Clingan, leadership consultant and principal of The Claymore Group, agrees that a subtle approach to capture attention can work wonders. He recalls the tag line on the resume for a senior marketing candidate that declared, “Chocolate is a must for survival.” A sales candidate’s resume boldly stated, “I want to earn more money!” According to Clingan, it was the bottom line of this resume that clinched the interview. It read “Competitive Hula Dancer.”

These candidates took a chance and targeted their market. They were hired, did outstanding work, and were fun people to be around. Years later these resumes still stand out as unique and memorable. The candidate did not show up in a coconut bra and grass skirt! Differentiating herself on paper was enough.

Right skills, disposition: Priceless

Even with so many candidates to choose from, employers still struggle to find the talent they need. It boils down to one simple fact: Candidates who possess the right set of technical competencies and a winning disposition are rare commodities.

Job searchers need to be exceptional and they must be able to communicate their value in a compelling manner. Rather than trying to get noticed, put effort into holding a hiring manager’s attention throughout the recruitment process. Be fully prepared to explain how you can solve an employer’s biggest problems. Match your level of creativity to the industry you are targeting.

Your resume, cover letter, interview style, and follow up methods should radiate the value you will bring to the position. And then, just to be sure you garner good offers, don’t forget to let the brilliance of your humanity come shining through.

So, what about the guy who walks into the office wearing a gorilla suit? Unfortunately, he just comes off looking desperate and his brilliance remains hidden behind a mask.

Carrie Pinsky also writes The Business Route Less Traveled blog at www.ncbr.com.

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