Land Your Dream Job in These Unconventional Ways
When you’re on the hunt for your dream job, sending out resume after resume to no avail can discourage even the most optimistic of job seekers. Sometimes a dash of creativity is all you need to set yourself apart from others in the candidate pool. Consider one of these unconventional methods to get noticed and land your dream job.
1. Advertise Yourself
Take out ad space to let potential employers know that you’re a highly qualified individual seeking your dream job. Plaster your name, skills and contact information on a billboard in your neighborhood, or take out ad space in the local newspaper to print your resume. Consider subway posters, T-shirts, bus benches and online advertisements as well.
2. Blog about It
Create your own blog to share your thoughts on industry articles, or develop a website that shows off your qualifications, achievements and work portfolio. Don’t forget to include a professional version of your resume on the blog or website.
3. Solve the Employer’s Problem
Read press releases or industry journals to discover a technical issue a potential employer faces. Create a business proposal that solves the problem, and present it to the employer along with your resume. This shows recruiters what value you can offer the organization. For example, Melaleuca is a wellness company with a mission of enhancing lives. If you approach a Melaleuca recruiter with a detailed proposal for improving corporate wellness, you’ll have a leg up on the competition.
4. Create a Video Resume
Get creative with a video resume. The two- or three-minute clip should show off your confidence and explain your professional goals, work experience, accomplishments and reason for wanting to work for the potential employer.
5. Volunteer Your Skills
If you want to land your dream job, consider negotiating a deal to work for free on a temporary basis to prove yourself to an employer. Contact industry publications, trade magazines or local newspapers, and offer to write a column that shows off your expertise on the subject.
6. Use Modern Technology
Show how resourceful and tech-savvy you are by saving your resume, cover letter, recommendation letters and portfolio documents to a flash drive. Leave the device with the hiring manager after you interview, or create several to hand out to recruiters at a job fair.
7. Enlist Help from Others
Ask friends, relatives or previous co-workers for help with job leads. Find out if anyone knows about current job openings, network with industry professionals on social media, and inquire with former professors or colleagues about writing letters of recommendation. Consider holding a contest for the person who helps you land your dream job; offer the winner concert tickets, a bottle of wine or a free dinner.
While all the other equally qualified candidates are sending out cover letters and resumes, you can get a jump on the competition by letting your creativity shine. Make use of one of these unconventional methods to catch a potential employer’s eye and snag your dream job.
