If you're in the job market, don't despair.
Let's be honest, finding a job is never an easy task. And post-pandemic, it may seem just a bit harder to find that dream job. But don't despair, we've revisited some of the most creative ways people have landed a job over the years. If you're currently in the job market, take a tip or two from the gainfully employed players handbook. We've compiled our Top 5 List for Most Creative Ways to Land a Job:
5. Give away something for FREE.
According to Christina Oswald, after her phone interview, she was asked to provide a writing sample. Instead of submitting a previously written sample, she wrote a blog on one of the employer's current clients and told them they could publish and keep full rights to the blog regardless if they hired her or not.
4. Deliver something in person (please wear a mask).
Lukas Yla delivered a dozen donuts to the companies he wanted to work for and taped his resume to the box. Another applicant, brewed his own beer and packaged the 4-pack with his resume, and delivered it to the hiring company. Get creative on where you place your resume. Another idea includes a chocolate bar's wrapper that was a resume.
3. Send a cake.
After an applicant submitted his application, he sent a cake to the human resources department with red frosting that read: "Just give me an interview." And you guessed it, he got an interview.
2. Buy a Google ad.
Okay, so this was 2010 and may not be financially feasible today, but Alec Brownstein purchased the top result for the man he wanted to work for "Ian Reichenthal," in hopes he would Google himself and see Brownstein's ad. And sure enough, Reichenthal did and ended up hiring him. It cost Brownstein 15 cents.
1. Foster your entrepreneurial spirit.
An investment banker had a side gig for selling her custom jewelry at trade shows. Wanting to be different from the rest of the vendors who put out store-bought candy for buyers, she made custom lollipops to distribute instead. People came to her booth, not for her jewelry, but for her lollipops. The response was so overwhelming, she decided to quit her day job and jewelry making, and start selling her lollipops full-time.
Of course, there are other ideas like singing a job jingle on YouTube, buying a billboard with your work experience on it, or handing out your resume at the street corner. The ideas are vast and wide. Or you can consider going back to school to add in some needed professional experience while you think up the next best creative way to grab an employer's attention. Because when you have both the professional experience as well as the creative flare to get noticed, you'll be a force that gets recognized and hired!
Are you a hiring manager? What's the most creative way someone has applied for a job with you?