- October 9, 2008
- 1 Comment
Are Billboards the New Cover Letters?
Because that would be cool.
Yesterday, CareerBuilder.com released a survey on unusual antics job seekers have used this past year to capture the attention of hiring managers. Twelve percent of the 3,388 hiring managers surveyed reported seeing an increase in more creative job seeker techniques than in previous years, which makes sense, given the more competitive job market. Below is the list of most memorable tactics those surveyed identified:
- Candidate advertised on a billboard.
- Candidate carried around a sign that said, “Will work for paying bills.”
- Candidate brought a broom to the interview to “clean up the waste and corruption in the office.”
- Candidate wore a shirt to the interview that said, “Please hire me.”
- Candidate showed up with breakfast for the employer every day until hired.
- Candidate approached the hiring manager in a restroom.
- Candidate sent a giant cookie with “Hire Skip” written in frosting on it.
- Candidate parked outside of the office building with a sign that said, “Seeking employment.”
- Candidate wrote a poem about why she wanted the job in her cover letter.
- Candidate promised to give the employer a foot massage if hired.
- Candidate noticed the employer wrote a blog about a particular restaurant. She persuaded the restaurant to put her name on the menu so the employer would see it the next time he ate there.
- Candidate created an electronic resume with flash animation and musical score.
What the survey doesn’t reveal, however, is the success rate of these tactics. It would be interesting to find out if the person who advertised on the billboard (# 1) spent his/her money wisely. (What was on the billboard? What did it say? What was the job? So many questions!!) It seems a little unnecessary to me (the traditional resume has always generated moderate success for me, but maybe I’ve just been lucky…maybe I’m weird), but I guess it shows some degree of dedication and ability to get things done, no?
Were I a hiring manager, however, I don’t know how impressed I’d be with job tactic #2…seems like the job seeker doesn’t care WHAT he does, so long as he or she gets a paycheck (although I guess the person’s being up front about it, so…props to them?). The same goes for whoever is guilty of pulling tactic #4, who I pray knew his or her audience. I shudder to think the awkward elephant in the room that could result if the interviewer didn’t see the humor a “Please hire me” shirt is meant to generate.
But as for #’s 5 and 7, well, those are reasons one and two why I should never be the sole person making a hiring decision (and why I now absolutely want to): I could totally be swayed by food. I’m not saying I wouldn’t still take the candidate’s y’know, experience and actual ability to do the job into account, but offering me simple carbs would definitely overpower everything else grab my attention. (Thus, Skip, wherever you are, if you ever want to apply to work for me, I like oatmeal chocolate chip.)
I have to say that #’s 11 and 12 are pretty impressive, but for the most part, these stunts seem – depending on the jobs applied for, the company culture and the hiring manager’s sense of humor – more crazy than creative…but maybe that’s just me.
What do you think, readers? Do any of these actions sound familiar? Have you seen an increase on more, ahem, creative attention-getting attempts from job seekers? And, while we’re on the subject…where’s the line between cute and creepy? (Job seeker tactic #6, anyone?) Passion or desperation? Enthusiasm or harassment? (I’m looking at you, Candidate #10…gross.)
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- Categories: Employee Attraction, Survey Results
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You can put less then half of a $100 bill on a billboard, and people will not react because it’s worthless.