With the recession leaving thousands jobless, unemployment rates skyrocketing to an all-time high, and competition rising with each day, it has become harder than ever before to truly stand out in the job market. With this in mind, numerous job seeking hopefuls have put creativity at the forefront by turning the job hunt into an outrageous stunt. Juju.com has compiled a list highlighting the measures that some are willing to go to in order to land a job:
* Advertise Yourself: Imagine being stuck in traffic and glancing up at a billboard only to see the words "HIRE ME" under a massive headshot. That's what 37- year-old Pasha Stocking did in order to get noticed. Although the stunt was a little pricey (Stocking spent up to $7,000 to purchase the ad) she got major attention from news networks such as NBC and CNN.
* "HIRE ME" Sandwich Board: "Experienced MIT Grad For Hire" read the sandwich board that Joshua Persky was wearing as he handed out resumes in a highly concentrated area of investment houses and commercial banks. Thankfully for Persky, the stunt worked, as it garnered the attention of an accounting firm in midtown Manhattan, where he is currently working.
* What's Your Resume Gimmick?: A job candidate recently admitted to sending a shoe along with his resume in order to get "his foot in the door." Similarly, another candidate sent his resume wrapped as a present and said he was a "gift to the company." Another way some websites suggest to differentiate a resume is to print it on different colour paper other than white, cream or grey. Printing a resume on a bigger sized sheet of paper will also ensure it will stand out from the stack of 8 1/2 x 11-in. papers.
* Bringing props to the interview: When asked a difficult question during his interview, Vinh Nguyen pulled out a whiteboard in order to write down his thought process. This allowed him to take control of the interview, differentiating himself from other candidates. Nguyen says, "It was awkward at first, but breaking away from the norm will pay off as long as you put in the work beforehand researching." At another interview, a candidate who was exhibiting his theme park models brought in clowns who walked around the room for a minute singing and playing music. This tactic was successful as he was offered a job with a generous salary.
* Video resumes: With the advent of YouTube, candidates are trying different ways in order to get their names out there. According to Time magazine, Benjamin Hampton, a recent graduate from Washington State University in Pullman, posted a five-minute video on YouTube in an effort to promote himself through a different medium. The stunt was successful as he was able to land an interview with a PR firm.
