Do “Over the Top” Job Search Tactics Work?

If you’ve done any reading about “how to find a job” lately, you’ve undoubtedly heard about job candidates who try job search tactics that are a bit out of the ordinary.

The candidate who sends her dream employer a shoe with a note “Just hoping to get a foot in the door with you.”

Or the job seeker who sent a resume – as required – but sent it in pieces in order to “keep you guessing about my qualifications.”

But some “out of the box” job search techniques do work. How can you tell when the strategy you want to try will – or won’t?

Basically, the “cuter,” the more out-of-the-norm, the less chance you have. Sure, it might get the hiring manager’s attention, but do you really want that kind of attention? Do you really want the hiring manager to wonder “what was she thinking when she sent me her resume in stages?”

And, really, the “foot in the door” technique has been done. Over done.

So what type of clever job techniques work?

Here are a few you might consider:

Try a campaign on Twitter or LinkedIn. Let your followers know you’re looking for a new opportunity. Join groups (on LinkedIn) and ask pertinent questions and offer thoughtful answers to others’ queries. Follow companies you’d like to work for and give thoughtful replies to their own tweets or posts.

Create  personal business cards. Hand them out to everyone you meet.

If there’s a company you’d love to work for, and if you believe you have the skills and background it needs, think of a problem the company may have and tell it how you can help the business fix/solve it. Find the name of the hiring manager that has the power to hire you (for the type of job you want), and write the person with the solution and how you will be able to help the firm execute it.

Don’t forget to use staffing firms to help you find work. Staffing services such as Arrow Staffing can help you get a real foot in the door with a temporary assignment at some of the Inland Empire’s best companies. And, we’re happy to say, many workers go on to full-time, regular employment with our client companies. Contact us today!

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