Given the tough competition that we have in the job market with fresh graduates still perky to grab the spotlight and early retirees updating their resume with more experience, grabbing the job of your dream becomes more challenging than before. Today, it’s a matter of who can amaze the employer more and make a memorable impression. Thus, others result in pulling crazy stunts just to get that spot. But is going beyond the job hunting norm a good idea, and can it really help you get the job? This post will cover everything you need to know about applying extreme approach to career hunting.
Know when to stop
Although being the unique job seeker in the room can give you the spotlight, often, some people overdo it, causing the employer to have a negative impression on you. Executive coach Dr. Michael Woodward said, “If you act like a clown or do something ludicrous just to stand out, then it’s it’s disingenuous and can put people off.” Knowing the limit of your job hunting stunt will also be beneficial to your career seeking. Ask for advice from friends, family, or career experts online on how far you can push your idea.
Confidence is key
In hopes to immediately impress the employer, we always tell them other stories about our achievements, but always forget to show them how we can help. Remember that hiring managers are always looking for someone who wants to grow along with them and help them achieve their goals. Career expert Richard McMunn wrote on DrMichelleMazur.com that knowing your talent and skills, and being able to communicate them strongly to the interviewer helps an applicant to stand out from the overcrowded job market. In addition, the how2become founder said, along with an impressive resume, a job seeker must signal confidence throughout the interview.
Resume presentation is the bomb
The game changer of this whole job seeking maze is how you will first present your resume. It doesn’t have to be as tiresome as Alexander Velicky’s video game resume which took a whopping 2,000 hours to make, but it pays off spending more time creating and updating your CV to make it more comprehensive and appealing. Digital marketing manager Lisa Chatroop noted that it doesn’t matter how many times you will shoot the video, so long as you get everything right. “Feel free to highlight some quirky (read: memorable) accomplishments and be sure to smile!” Chatroop added.
Ask the right questions at the right time
Some applicants fall short in doing this crazy stunt whenever they are in an interview. A good way to show your confidence is by asking the hiring manager the right questions about anything you want to know about the company at the right time. Usually, they allow you to ask them questions at the latter part of the interview session. Ask more about their future plans, how they keep their employees engaged, or even the strengths and weaknesses of the last person who held the job. This will give you an edge over others who came to the interview, but never connected with the company.
Before thinking about pulling any stunt on that next interview you’re about to attend, remember the tips we’ve provided for a successful spotlight hunting. Overall, so long as you have a clear and concise goal, nothing can go wrong.
About the Author
Sookie Lioncourt got her dream job at the age of 22 because of her impressive video CV. Although it’s not as spectacular as Velicky’s video game resume, the hiring manager at her tech-based office was still impressed at her work and asked her to start immediately.