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Eleven Creative Things Jobs Seekers Have Done To Get Noticed

This article is more than 9 years old.

The competition to stand out on the job hunt is tougher than ever, particularly in the current climate of unadvertised job openings, personal brand building, and "don't call us, we'll call you" hiring managers.

So it's no wonder that particularly creative job seekers will try anything to establish themselves firmly in an HR director's memory as more than just a resume and cover letter. This list of eleven of the boldest measures job seekers have taken to stand out is culled from the responses of more than 2,100 hiring managers and HR professionals to a survey conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of CareerBuilder.

When considering making a standout statement about yourself, it's essential to first evaluate whether you have the skills and qualifications for the job at hand, as well as the company's culture and atmosphere. Are you definitely great fit, and does the company seem to value creativity and individual expression? If not, best to continue the search, and avoid communication that falls outside the company's stated parameters. But if so, an appropriate gesture (keyword, "appropriate") can help you get noticed--for the right reasons.

One candidate solved a Rubik's Cube during his interview. Provided this display was appropriately couched in a discussion of relevant problem solving skills, it's unlikely his interviewer will forget about him any time soon.

Rubik's Cube scrambled (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Similarly, another candidate addressed the issue of a previous position from which he was fired by writing a story that began, "It was a dark and stormy night..." If the candidate could adequately address why he was terminated, and was interviewing for a position in a creative field, this might be a tactic that diffuses an otherwise tense conversation.

In pictures: Eleven Creative Things Job Seekers Have Done To Get Noticed

Several candidates, however, created spectacles irrelevant to any type of position, likely only remembered for being eccentric.  One candidate flew a kite outside the company's offices. Unless he or she was interviewing for a rare kite-flying position, or demonstrating Benjamin Franklin's electricity experiment, it's unlikely this job seeker got another interview. Another candidate released a balloon each time she answered an interviewer's question.

Finally, some tactics are just outright inappropriate. Bribery, for example, is never a smart (or ethical) ploy for securing a job offer, though apparently that doesn't go without saying. One candidate sent their interviewer NFL tickets. Another sent flowers each day after the interview (hopefully this job seeker was still employed, and/or related to a florist.) One candidate cut right to the chase and simply included cash with their application.

Eleven Creative Things Job Seekers Have Done To Get Noticed

1. Candidate performed a magic trick.

2. Candidate approached the hiring manager at church.

3. Candidate flew a kite outside of the office.

4. Candidate had his Little League coach call the hiring manager to provide a reference.

5. Candidate sent the hiring manager flowers every day after the interview.

6. Candidate sent NFL tickets to the hiring manager.

7. Candidate included money with the application.

8. Candidate wrote a story about why he was terminated from a past position, starting with "It was a dark and stormy night..."

9. Candidate sent a deli tray with her resume to ask for a lunch meeting with the hiring manager.

10. Candidate brought a bunch of balloons to the interview and released each one as she answered a question.

11. Candidate completed the Rubik's Cube he brought with him during an interview and said that it showed his intelligence.

In pictures: Eleven Creative Things Job Seekers Have Done To Get Noticed

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