Sending a Shoe to Get Your “Foot in the Door”

Recently we came across an article at Career Builder about the interesting things applicants do to get noticed. We’ve mentioned time and time again that most hiring managers receive as many as one thousand resumes, making it hard to get noticed no matter how great your qualifications.

Some applicants have decided to take matters into their own hands, by developing “out of the box” strategies to get noticed by employers. It’s an interesting idea, but is it one you should consider?

Probably Not

Employees that are able to effectively think out of the box are considered prized workers. Companies like Microsoft provide logic puzzles designed specifically to see if the applicant has that ability. Yet as impressive as it is to be able to think out of the box, you probably shouldn’t use it during your job search.

Inappropriate Behavior

Most out of the box techniques for getting noticed are considered profoundly inappropriate and unprofessional. Sending someone a gift to get them to see your resume is a sign of desperation. Doing something extremely unusual will only serve to make the hiring manager uncomfortable. Trying to contact the interviewer directly will only make you seem creepy.

Realistically, there are not a lot of out of the box ideas that are going to be effective, and most – by all professional standards – are inappropriate. Sending a shoe to “get your foot in the door” is cute, but if the business has any rules about accepting gifts, you may be putting the employee at risk for getting fired all because you want to get the job, and now they are left with a shoe they cannot use.

When is it Acceptable?

The only time you should consider one of these out of the box tactics is when it is something related to the job. Like it says in the article:

“Whatever tactic you choose to use, make sure it’s relevant to the position you’re applying for,” Masiewich says. “If you choose a tactic that you think will grab a hiring manager’s attention but doesn’t tie into the job, the industry, or what you’re about, then it can come off as just seeming strange and weird instead of creative and clever.”

In general, there are very few unusual and out of the box tactics that are going to be relevant to most jobs. Only sales comes to mind, and possibly marketing (although that is questionable). Beyond those two, outside the box tactics only serve to make you seem like an unusual person, and that can be a dangerous label to have assigned to you. Except in rare circumstances, avoid these out of the box tactics.

Take Away Interview Tips

• Show you are an out of the box thinker with your words, not your actions.

Networking the Easy Way: Ask Your Friends

“Excuse me sir. I’d like to tell you about this wonderful new product that recently hit the market. It’s called ‘Me,’ and every company needs it. ‘Me’ can do a number of projects on its own, including (but not limited to) sorting, filing, bookkeeping, coffee brewing, decision making, leadershippage and hardworkery. Now, I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking: ‘How can I afford such a fantastic product?’ Well, rest assured that ‘Me’ is not only incredibly affordable – it is also incredibly desperate. Order now and get a trial offer of two free weeks of ‘Me.’ If you don’t like it, send it back without losing a penny out of pocket.”

Hooray! Networking!

People that are excited for networking don’t need advice on how to network. It comes natural. It’s like a second language to them. They had out business cards like it’s charity work and can introduce themselves to anyone like they’ve been BFFs for over a decade.

For everyone else, networking is difficult. It’s frustrating. It’s humbling. Most people don’t like networking. Yet if you are unemployed, networking accounts for over 50% of employment. It is unavoidable.

Finding a More Comfortable Way to Network

Going to events with networking time is not for everyone, nor is introducing yourself to strangers on the street or at social events. Luckily, there are other networking avenues. Perhaps the best one for you is to simply ask your friends and family for introductions.

Your friends and family have friends of their own, and they are likely to know people that work in your field. Utilize them. Ask your friends and family to simply introduce you to people they know that work in your field. Then, when you meet them, you have a connection that you can talk about so that it is not simply a blind introduction. You know about them, they know about you, and you both know the person that introduced you. Networking in this manner is far less painful, and you may even meet people that you grow to like, simply because your friends have good taste.

Networking is always going to be a little bit difficult for those that it does not come to naturally. Ask your friends to make some introductions for you, and hopefully you find that style of networking to be a little less painful.

Take Away Tips

• Your friends have friends.
• Ask your friends for introductions to people in the field.