Lighter side: Desperate job-seekers get weird
July 21, 2009 by Sam NarisiPosted in: Assessing the right candidate
With more people looking for jobs, it’s natural that some will get creative in their approaches to getting HR’s attention. But are a lot of them getting the wrong kind of attention?
So far, 2009 has seen no shortage of strange job search tactics — 18% of hiring managers have seen candidates go to unusual lengths to get a job, according to a recent CareerBuilder survey. That’s up from 12% at the same time last year.
Some of the strangest methods managers reported:
- One candidate sent a resume tucked inside a shoe — he wanted to “get his foot in the door.”
- A desperate job-seeker staged a sit-in at the company’s lobby to get a meeting with the manager.
- One manager received a resume from a job-seeker while his car was stopped at a red light.
- One guy sent the boss a cake with his own face and credentials painted on it.
- A candidate figured he could start at the bottom and work his way up — so he started washing employees’ cars in the parking lot.
- One crafty applicant told the company’s receptionist he’d scheduled an interview. When the manager arrived he confessed that he’d just driven by and decided to stop in.
How would you react to one of those gimmicks? Would you grant an interview or tell the candidate to stick to tried and true job search methods? Let us know in the comments section below.
Tags: CareerBuilder, job search gimmicks, survey
July 10th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Well, you have to give a few of them some credit for creativity and marketing strategy (resume in the shoe, cake with credentials). But I think the person faking the appointment and having a sit-in took it from the realm of creativity and into the realm of dishonesty, unprofessionalism and annoyance. And even though washing employees’ cars showed a level of willingness to work and prove themselves, touching the property of another without their consent is pretty risky.
Honestly, I appreciate a fresh and creative approach, but it’s not going to make me any more (or less) inclined to hire that particular candidate. It’s all about job fit. They either do or don’t. They’re either qualified or they aren’t. And the goal is to select the person who is the most qualified who will fit in the culture of your company. How they “get their foot in the door” is less important than whether or not they can deliver.
July 10th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
We recently had a guy stop by our office who was interested in an executive-level job. He was angry that he had submitted a resume and no one had called him. He scared our Receptionist by asking tons of detailed questions about who screened resumes and then demanding to have a meeting with our CEO or COO. He then told her he was just going to “stick around for a while” and hung out in the Reception area. He finally left. We had a meeting about it later and decided the next time anything like that happens the Receptionist will call the police (we don’t have a security person). If any candidate like that actually thinks he will get an executive-level interview by acting like a complete moron, he must be crazy. I think this job market is making some people lose their sanity. While I feel for those who are out of work, candidates need to use some common sense.
July 17th, 2009 at 8:01 am
I’ve had people lie about having an interview scheduled as well and I’ve always taken this as an imposition on my time and total disregard for the truth on the candidates part. This shows a lack of character/morals and ethics to me.
I thought the “Foot in the Door” was a creative idea, but I agree with R.B. – it boils down to skill set and experience matching the qualifications of the position. I respect those candidates who are not in your face, and let their background speak for itself.
July 17th, 2009 at 9:39 am
Resume in the shoe… very clever. The sit-in and faked appointment… not so clever. Too bad those applicants didn’t talk to a trusted friend or mentor who surely would have talked them out of a bad choice. As for KP’s executive-level stalker – I would call the police too.
July 17th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Re KP’s example – imagine how he would be to work with. I’ve heard of similar behavior (OK, actually worse behavior) but that was on the part of mentally ill clients, not job seekers. Just for starters, he behaved like a control freak/bully and I wouldn’t want to deal with that on a daily basis. Probably desperation was part of what drove him to that behavior but it makes a terrible impression, to say the least.
July 17th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
P.S. Wanted to say I liked the shoe and cake ideas, not the sit-in or faked appointment. These actions reflect what one might do on the job. Be persistent with clever ideas, OK – be obnoxious or threatening, not OK.
If an employer were hiring a sales person (including somebody who would need to lead, influence people to change their thinking, ask for donations, etc.) those original (shoe and cake) approaches indicate some new ways to approach tasks. The other ideas are also kind of original, but not in a good way.
July 23rd, 2009 at 7:21 am
I’d hire the car washer.
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:27 am
We had a mechanic candidate that come to our shop with a broom and started sweeping the floor.
August 12th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Is it wise to tell an employer if you’re desperate for work?
I mean, it has some-what of an advantage. Because, well first of all, I’m desperate, and I’m at the point where as soon as I get a job I will do anything and everything to show up on time, work my tail off so so so hard, strive to be absolutely #1, and have a long-term mindset for keeping the job.
Very good article though, pretty hilarious.
August 21st, 2009 at 2:08 pm
I have to agree with MR. When people lie to me about having an interview scheduled or that they are “returning a phone call” when I know perfectly well they aren’t, it makes me resentful that I have had to waste my time with someone so unscrupulous.
What most of them don’t realize is that I’m the first one to meet them and the hiring manager takes my impression into consideration before calling a candidate in for an interview.