Unemployment rates might be dropping, but job competition is still fierce. Especially when there’s only one opening at your dream job and hundreds of applicants.
So, to stand out from the competition, you might need to kick your creativity up a notch. A creative application, resume or CV will catch employers’ attention and possibly land you your dream job.
It can be a risky move. Some employers prefer traditional applications. But, if you’re willing to take the risk, here are three creative ways you can get hired:
1) Promote yourself
Promotion isn’t just for big box stores. If you can successfully sell yourself, you’ll stand out from all the other bachelor degree graduates out there. This is especially true if you’re interested in marketing, sales, or any career that requires promotion experience.
There are several ways to promote yourself. Maintaining professional social media profiles and an online portfolio are a few of the most common. But you could go even further and follow the examples of Adam Pacitti.
Pacitti, a 24-year-old from the Isle of Wight, spent his last £500 on a billboard asking employers to hire him. He posted a photo of the billboard to Twitter, which instantly went viral. More than 7,000 tweets later and he’s a full-time viral video producer at KEO. He even used his first paycheck to purchase another billboard, thanking everyone for their impact on his job success.
If you don’t have $600 to spare, you could always create an entertaining and high-quality video to promote yourself on social media. Or, if video isn’t your thing, you can post copies of your work on relevant social media sites to entice followers to share your work.
2) Upgrade your resume
If you’ve already scored some interviews, you can also make a strong impression with a creative resume or cover letter.
Sewing enthusiast Melissa Washin embroidered her CV onto a thick sheet of fabric, carefully stitching every letter to perfectly mimic the original font. She even attached a colorful background to give the sheet some personality.
Jessica Nitti-Mahoney, a hair stylist in Denver, transformed a bottle of hand lotion into her cover letter. While the multi-purpose cover letter turned off a few potential employers, it also landed her a job at the Salon Orea in her hometown.
For those of you with a smaller budget, video CVs provide plenty of creative freedom. If you have an artistic flare, showcase your skill with quality doodles on the footer of your page.
3) Show your interest in unique ways
If you already have a dream company in mind, try showing your interest in them in non-traditional ways.
Logan Anderson, a 22-year-old from Louisiana, decked out her mortarboard with Hillary Clinton’s campaign logo. She posted a photo of the cap on Instagram, tagging Clinton in the post. When she discovered the campaign retweeted her message, she took the initiative to ask for a job. She was offered an interview the next day and started her first day on Monday.
I'm just as ready to graduate as I am #ReadyForHillary @HillaryClinton #LSUGrad #Hillary2016 pic.twitter.com/gm34zvjsWK
— Logan Anderson (@LoganD_Anderson) May 14, 2015
You could also use the company’s work to showcase your talents. Before applying to Pinterest, Jeanne Hwang transformed one of her Pinterest boards into her CV.
When she discovered her dream company was working on a LEGO themed game, Kendra Wiig built a model of the company’s mascot out of LEGOs and placed her job application inside it.
Marius Fietzek created a fully-functional adventure game to present his application for game developer Double Fine.
Every business has its area of expertise. So, if you can create something relevant to their work, you’ll do more than showcase your skill set; you’ll also display a deeper knowledge of the company itself.
If you really want to land that dream job, preparation is key. Before you break out your resume and hit the job sites, check out these 6 things you should always do before applying.
Looking to join a team of fun and friendly marketing professionals and a company with an empowering culture? Apply to ROI Online!
Photo by rawpixel.com on Unsplash
