Job seekers are using unusual gimmicks to grab the attention of potential employers, such as in one case sending a shoe along with a resume to get a "foot in the door," according to a new survey released Wednesday.
Nearly one in five hiring managers report seeing more unconventional tactics this year, compared with 12 percent who said so last year, according to the study by CareerBuilder.com, an online jobs site.
Faced with the highest unemployment in 25 years, candidates are trying a variety of tricks, including:
- handing out resumes at stoplights
- washing cars in a company parking lot
- staging a sit-in in a company lobby to demand a meeting with a director
- sending a cake designed as a business card with the job candidate's picture on it
- handing out personalized coffee cups
- going to the same barber as the company chairman to ask the barber speak on his behalf
One job seeker attached a shoe to a resume as "a way to get my foot in the door," according to the survey.
"The search for employment is taking longer and is more competitive than it has been in past years," said Jason Ferrara, senior career adviser at CareerBuilder. "To compensate, some candidates have turned to extreme tactics."
But he cautioned: "While unusual job search antics may attract the attention of hiring managers, they need to be done with care and professionalism so that candidates are remembered for the right reasons."
The online survey was conducted for CareerBuilder by Harris Interactive among 2,543 full-time hiring managers and human resource professionals between Feb. 20 and March 11, 2009.
