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Hiring managers recall strange job seeker tactics

July 31, 2015

What are the strangest stunts job seekers have tried? CareerBuilder asked more than 2,000 hiring managers the most unusual ways candidates have gotten their attention but not necessarily the job.

Here is what CareerBuilder found:

  1. Candidate found out where the hiring manager was having dinner and picked up the tab.
  2. Candidate lit a corner of their resume on fire to show their “burning desire” for the job.
  3. Candidate had his daughter call the hiring manager in advance of the interview to thank the hiring manager “for giving her dad a job.”
  4. Candidate had a cake delivered to the hiring manager with the words “Congratulations! [candidate’s name] got the job!”
  5. Candidate answered a call during the interview stating that another company was calling to discuss a job offer.
  6. Candidate sat on the floor during the interview and asked the hiring manager to take a picture of him with the company mascot.
  7. Candidate tried to impress the hiring manager with the history of the business, which was incorrect.
  8. Candidate had her résumé gift-wrapped.
  9. Candidate showed pictures of their relatives working at the company many years prior.
  10. Candidate acted like a game show host.
  11. Candidate brought a bag of props into the interview and pulled them out as they were relevant in the questions/answers.
  12. Candidate sent the hiring manager a coupon for a free meal.

“Job seekers know they’re competing with a lot of other candidates, so they’re trying more unusual tactics to stand out from the crowd,” CareerBuilder Chief Human Resources Officer Rosemary Haefner said. “For example, one candidate made a “Top 10” list of reasons to hire him. But while these tactics may succeed in impressing hiring managers, what ultimately determines if they get the job is having the necessary skills and experience hiring managers are looking for.”