Here in Govloop – and in the world of recruitment – we talk lot about rocking your résumé and writing creative cover letters. With good reason, because these are essential elements needed to grab the attention of potential employers.
I don’t see that changing anytime soon. However, I came across an article that reminded me résumés can come in many different fonts and formats.
Daniel Hebert, a recent graduate, set his sights on a position as a social media analyst with a particular company. He was truly determined that this job at this company had to be his…period.
So, he threw the conventional method of sending a cover letter and résumé completely out the window. Instead, he opted to blog about why he is the ideal candidate for the position. He’s now one step closer to his goal – he had an interview this week.
I have to give him credit; his twist on the traditional application process is creative.
Given the position Daniel wants, I can see why blogging was an affective approach. That said, there’s a fine line between creativity and craziness. Just search “I need a job” on YouTube and you’ll see what I mean.
What’s the most creative or craziest thing you’ve done to land a job?
Recruitment 411 is the official blog of the IRS Recruitment Office.
Last fall, I took an unpaid internship in an industry where I had no prior experience (at a point in my career when doing so would typically be unthinkable). A few weeks later, I joined the team in a full-time capacity. Employers like commitment, creativity, and chutzpah. I’ve heard similiar stories from similarly curious or committed job seekers. What saddens me about your post is the fact that it’s so very difficult for government to hire those persistent and passionate individuals who desire to serve the public because they don’t have the flexibility to circumvent the traditional hiring process to bring on the talent they need. That’s why internships, details, and term employment are so mutually valuable — it’s great for the agency AND the applicant.
One of the best ways to break into the international development field is to pack up and move to a developing country. Although I don’t think this is “crazy” per se, it’s not for everyone and only a few of my students in the last 10+ years have felt comfortable with this option.
This relates to a blog @GailSutton posted about why putting a current mailing address on resumes is still expected. Employers, as does everyone, prefer to work less hard to bring in the right person. Therefore, often the best way to find a position is to move to the area of interest without a job.
I haven’t done this….yet!
A few years ago — after interviewing for a job — I sent all three people on the interview panel hand-written thank you notes. Now, there was a time when that was not necessarily ‘unthinkable’ or ‘out-of-the-box,’ but after I landed the job, my new boss told me that note was the one thing that put me a notch above the other people who they were considering as finalists for the position. In this day and age of text messages and e-mails, personal touches are like diamonds…they are forever.