Scratch And Sniff Resumes?
First off, the word “wacky” should not be used in any form of writing. Second, this Yahoo Hot Jobs article - Wacky Job-Seeker Stunts - lists some . . . zany gimmicks for attempting to land a marketing/advertising position:
- Puts up posters of himself in your company parking lot.
- Attaches pineapple scratch-and-sniff stickers to his resume.
- Announces his candidacy with a singing telegram.
- Sends lottery tickets with her resume.
- Rents a billboard that you can see from your office to list his qualifications.
- Bakes cookies with icing to write several reasons why she should be hired.
- Delivers pre-paid Chinese food, including a fortune cookie with his name and number.
Yeah, it doesn’t work (emphasis mine):
Less than half of the executives surveyed — 46% in advertising and 34% in marketing — said they might consider an applicant with a gimmicky resume, and only 2% of marketing execs and 8% of ad execs said gimmicks would help a candidate get hired. In other fields, where creativity is a less critical job skill, a candidate who sends a shoe “to get a foot in the door” will probably be dismissed as unprofessional, recruiters say.
Standing out is one thing, singing telegrams are another. I’m always amazed that candidates don’t do the simple things to land a job like simply calling in to a company if they provide a number. A well-written resume with a focused cover email goes a long way. A network contact may have an in or know somebody in the company.
Again, it is amazing how candidates will focus on gimmicks when content is king.
Of course, they were marketing positions.
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Today’s wacky stunt post reminds me of one of my early job interviews with Frankel & Co,. then the Chicago promotional marketing agency that handled the huge MacDonald’s account. The folks at Frankel practically invented the in-restuarant marketing craze (games like Monopoly, Clue, etc.).
The people I met were definitely left brained, and the offices I saw were full of chotskis, plastic wind-up toys and other fun-filled items. Loooked like a great place to work!
After several face-to-face interviews at various levels, I was granted an audience with Bud Frankel himself. Despite having (I thought) proven my passion, experience and ability to take on the marketing role they sought to fill, there was one more hurdle.
Mr. Frankel looked up from my resume and, apparently, an internal candidate scoresheet and asked, “How would your co-workers describe you? What one word would they use”
How I wish I had rented a blimp with a flashing message to pass by his window or sent him a fruitcake in the shape of a hamburger!
I gulped, and took my best shot. “Passionate,” I offered. He thanked me, I flew home, and when I checked up the next day found I had not gotten the job. I grilled his secretary (yes, that was the title in those days) and discovered I had failed Bud’s final test.
“You should have said CREATIVE,” she offered, “You had the job in the bag.”
Not, apparently, in the MacDonald’s bag.
Classic, Eric. One word make-or-break interview question…that is old school! The company should have put Bud first in their process - it would have saved time wasted on all the other interviews.