Break Rules on Job Interviews

Are rules meant to be broken? Clichés like “think outside the box” or “be original” remind us that creativity is often rewarded in life. Yet, when it comes to job interviews, society encourages us to behave uniformly.

Think about it. Everything you’ve been told about interviews and applications revolve around one thing: being professional. Make your cover letter formal, wear conservative business attire and the immortal cliché: show them that you can work in a team environment!

In other words, you should do what everyone else is doing.

Did any body ever pay premium for typical or ordinary?

Tony Beshara, the author of Acing the Interview, has seen his share of unusual job application methods, ranging from funny to down right insane. And most of these unusual methods led to a contract.

"For a marketing job, the candidate bought a pair of baby shoes, wrapped one in a box along with her résumé and sent it directly to the hiring authority," Beshara remembers. "The box had a tag that said 'Let me get my foot in the door and you will be pleased.' When she went to the interview, she took the other shoe with her, which was a great way to start the interview."

Another applicant, who was hoping to get a sales position, sent his resume to the hiring manager with star tickets that fell out when you opened up the letter. On top of the letter, the applicant wrote, “Hire a star.”

There was also another case cited by Mark Stevens (A management expert). Stevens said, he once had an applicant that had great credentials, but the applicant failed the job interview. Stevens was disappointed to say the least.

The next day, Stevens received a package from the applicant. It contained a book on poetry and human loss – apparently, the applicant lost his mother during that week. In the book, the applicant asked Stevens for another interview. A couple of weeks later, the applicant was hired.

While these methods sound embarrassing and desperate, it allowed employers to separate these applicants from a pool of millions. In today’s competitive job market, you should capitalize on all opportunities to give yourself an edge over the other applicants.

Sources: Career Builder