The Creative Group recently released survey results of 250 telephone interviews – 125 with advertising executives with advertising agencies and 125 with senior marketing executives with companies were conducted to uncover their preference for how candidates apply for jobs. Over half (52%) of marketing executives and one-quarter (26%) of advertising executives said they view unusual job-hunting tactics, such as sending a potential employer a shoe “to get a foot in the door,” as unprofessional. The results also showed that 46% of advertising executives considered gimmicky resumes acceptable, while 34% of marketing executives felt it distracted from the information.
Most Unusual or Creative Tactics Used By Job Seekers
- “The job seeker sent a bowling pin and said, ‘I’ll bowl you over.’”
- “One candidate took a picture of himself with every one of the client’s products and sent three photos a week for an entire month.”
- “The applicant sent six postcards, and each was a piece of a puzzle. When you put the puzzle together, it was his resume.”
- “One person sent an egg carton with faux eggs and a message saying she ‘delivered fresh ideas daily.’”
- “The applicant sent his resume on a big hamburger roll, saying his ‘brains were on a roll.’”
- “Someone made wrapping paper out of aluminum can ends and put her resume inside.”
- “A candidate sent a baseball mitt to be part of the team.”
- “The applicant had her name printed on golf balls that got into the hands of executives who were hiring.”
- “A candidate sent a piggy bank with his art samples inside. I called just to find out how he got his artwork into the bank.”
- “One applicant used an office building across the street to place a sign with his qualifications posted.”
- “One person put up posters of himself in the garage where the executive parked.”
- “An applicant made an interactive, computerized presentation, showing she knew our clients and the work we do.”
What’s your most creative way that you’ve gotten a job, or most unusual approach that someone has taken to get an interview with you?
