Job Seekers are Employing Unconventional Methods to Land New Positions, According to CareerBuilder.com Survey
CHICAGO, March 4, 2004 - How do you get noticed in a stack of resumes? More than one third of full-time, employed workers surveyed by CareerBuilder.com say they used non-traditional methods to catch a potential employer's attention and successfully land a new position. Responses ranged from advertising qualifications at a college football game to sending a goody basket with a resume to juggling during an interview.
"In today's competitive employment environment, you have to think out of the box," said Rosemary Haefner, Senior Career Advisor for CareerBuilder.com. "Using a creative approach to market your skills and experience not only helps you to differentiate yourself from other candidates, it demonstrates that you are someone who can bring fresh ideas to the table."
IT'S ALL IN THE PRESENTATION
Unique packaging of the resume proved to be an effective job search tactic for some workers. Examples:
- One candidate wrote his resume on a basketball to apply for a position at a sporting goods company.
- Another individual sent a resume in an ice-cream carton made by the prospective employer.
GOING THAT EXTRA MILE
Other respondents said their willingness to go above and beyond what other candidates were offering was their key to success. Examples:
- One woman said she would work for free for two weeks to prove her value.
- Another candidate showed up to the interview with a comprehensive plan to help the company improve customer service on a global scale.
STRAIGHT TO THE TOP
Making a direct plea to leadership gave some candidates a foot in the door.
Examples:
- A few candidates reported sending a resume, portfolio and letter of introduction to the CEO's home address.
- Another candidate invited the company owner to a baseball game to network in a more relaxed social setting.
PERSISTENCE PAYS
Survey respondents also said that demonstrating enthusiasm and commitment aided them in the selection process.
Examples:
- Respondents reported showing up to the place of business daily to see the hiring manager, some waiting up to six hours.
- Others called the hiring managers repeatedly to reinforce credentials and reiterate why they were most qualified for open positions.
To view the results of other CareerBuilder.com surveys, visit the Industry Trends section of CareerBuilder.com's online Press Room.
Survey Methodology
The CareerBuilder.com survey "Plans for 2004" was conducted from November 18, 2003 to December 4, 2003 of more than 1,900 employed full-time workers. To collect data for the survey, CareerBuilder.com commissioned SurveySite to use an e-mail methodology whereby individuals who are members of SurveySite Web Panel were randomly selected and approached by e-mail invitation to participate in the online survey. The results of this survey are accurate within +/- 2.23 percentage points (19 times out of 20).
About CareerBuilder.com
CareerBuilder.com is a leading online source for maximizing recruitment dollars and optimizing job searches with superior products, customer service and technology. With a unique combination of national, local and niche audiences, CareerBuilder.com makes it easy for recruiters to reach the most qualified candidates with industry-leading market research data and support. Job seekers can search for the right job from more than 400,000 continuously updated postings, representing more than 25,000 of the top employers in virtually every industry, field and location. Together with Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE:GCI), Tribune Company (NYSE:TRB), and Knight Ridder, Inc. (NYSE:KRI), CareerBuilder.com includes the Web's top newspaper sites - the most trusted employment sources in recruiting. For more information about CareerBuilder.com products and services, call 888-670-TEAM or visit http://www.careerbuilder.com.
CareerBuilder Media Contact
For all media inquiries and interview requests, contact:
Jennifer Grasz
(P) 773-527-1164
(E) jennifer.grasz@careerbuilder.com
