iCIMS Hire Expectations™

As jobs are becoming more and more difficult to find, job seekers are taking extreme measures in an effort to make themselves stand out to employers. Where formality was once the best way to get noticed for a position, now creativity may be the key to landing the perfect job.

I will admit that I, myself, have seen the movie Legally Blonde probably close to 40 times. For those of you who share my love for romantic comedies, you might remember that ‘Elle Woods’ was one of the first to take part in this creative approach to the application process. When applying to Harvard Law, she decided to send a video expressing herself, in lieu of a personal essay, which helped her gain a spot at the school even though her credentials may not have been the most impressive. Later on in the movie, she gives out her resume which was printed on pink, scented paper. Was Elle Woods on to something with her daring alterations to standard procedure?

In an article on Careerbuilder, advertising professional, Alec Brownstein, was fed up with applying for jobs in the usual matter, especially since he was getting zero response from recruiters. Brownstein thought about how everyone “Googles themselves” and came up with an idea. He bought sponsored links attached to the names of top advertising professionals. This way, when they Googled themselves, Brownstein’s ad would come up saying, "Hey, [creative director's name] Goooogling [sic] yourself is a lot of fun. Hiring me is fun, too" with a link to his website. This idea was very inexpensive, six dollars to be exact, and in a few months he was hired at top-advertising firm, Young & Rubicam.

Other creative ideas include t-shirts that read “Hire Me” and heat-sensitive resume paper, so the paper will change color when touched.

Although some of these ideas have proven successful, there is a fine line between creativity and desperation. Employers want to see that you are clever and will use this intelligence if hired at their company. Some people are going above and (maybe a little too far) beyond in hopes of getting noticed. One employer wrote about a candidate who taped a plastic spoon on their resume and wrote “Need to Eat” on it. While this may be ‘cute’ it came off as desperate to the employer and didn’t illustrate any accomplishments or qualifications. There have also been cases of people getting billboards put up for $1200, advertising the person’s resume or even getting tattoos that say “Hire Me”.

To all of you recruiters out there…What is the most creative way someone has applied to your company? Did an “out of the ordinary” application make you more or less likely to hire the applicant?

Although the pink, scented resume worked in the case of Legally Blonde, job seekers must take into consideration the type of job in which they are hoping to land. Although creativity and ingenuity may work for some professions, others still stick to protocol. There are still ways to get noticed in an interview even without using any crazy tactics.

Some important things to remember before an interview:

• Timing is everything- Showing up late to an interview can cost you the job before you even say hello. Many companies view showing up on time as being late, and showing up early as being on time. So play it safe and be early!
• Dress the part- No matter what type of position you are applying for, it is always good to dress more formal than usual when going for an interview. Wearing a tuxedo (like in the move Step-Brothers) may not be the best idea, but looking somewhat professional will show the employer you are serious about the position. Also, try accenting your outfit with a few bold colors. Colors like red and royal blue exude power and will help you stand out to the interviewer. 
• Relax- While being interviewed, the most important thing is to stay calm. Avoiding eye contact and fidgeting tells your interviewer that you are not confident. Also, never lie! Your interviewer will be more interested in hearing your real experience and what you want to learn in the future, than hear embellished information and find out later that you were dishonest. 
• Personality- In my opinion, personality is everything. Jobs that deal with any type of customer service or sales require employees with great people skills. Answering questions robotically might show that you know your stuff, but showing that you are friendly and personable can also be what sets you apart from other candidates.