3 Ideas to Land Your Next Job
Co-Authored by Joshua Siva, Co-Author of BOLD: Get Noticed, Get Hired
With 2015 upon us and in full swing, everyone seems to be busy tying up loose ends, reflecting on 2014 and looking ahead to all of the great changes they'll be making this year. Thinking about how most of us spend the majority of our day working, if your job isn't something that you enjoy then there's really no better time to put that change at the top of your list.
But let's be honest, over the past few years the job market has been a challenge for most, so here are a few fun, novel ideas that hopefully get the creative juices flowing so that you too can get noticed and ultimately get hired:
1. Attach Your Resume to a 6-Pack
Enter Brennan Gleason, the creative guy from Vancouver who answered two simple questions: what's something that people would like at the company I'm applying for, and how do I attach myself to that? Voila -- he decided to brew some homemade beer and print his resume on the 6-pack carrying container for his beer.
As expected, it was a huge hit that not only landed him the job but also gained Brennan a good amount of fame amongst the major media outlets. Beer is just one example, but it could be anything that you decide to attach your brand or credentials onto.
Check out the interview we did with Brennan:
2. Light Up Your House with Your Link
It's right around that time of year where your holiday lights may still be up or are freshly packed inside somewhere that you can quickly dig them out. Regardless, Liz Hickok was a seasoned corporate professional from Georgia who was looking for a new job. With her family's lights handy, she decided to post a little message on the front of her house that was sure to catch the attention of anyone driving by her heavily trafficked street.
Fast-forward a few days and in addition to the media coverage, she was landing interviews left and right which ultimately led to her next job. So whether it's a bunch of LEDs strung together, a billboard on the highway or even an ad in the local city flyer, be bold and put yourself out there.
3. Just Do the Job You Want
There may be no better way to prove you're the best person for the job you want than to actually go out there and just do the job. Avi Lichtschein did just that when he decided he wanted to work for the Silicon Valley startup and mobile payment processing company, Square.
When applying for the entry level sales role he wanted didn't work out, he decided to take matters into his own hands and literally go out to the street and prove he could generate interest in the Square service. After gaining a bit of traction, he forwarded the success back to the company, which was blown away by his initiative. Sure enough this got Avi noticed and hired. Heck, he took out the biggest risk in their hiring process by proving he was effective and could get the job done so it was a no-brainer for them to bring Avi on.
Whether you want to break into sales or another function within a company, try to find a way to prove you can do the job you've applied for and share your results. If you can actually do the job, you too should not only get hired, but should be able to hit the ground running on day 1!
These are just 3 interesting examples of how others got creative to stand out from the competition. You too can and should think outside the box even if it's something simple to give you an edge. And let's be honest, if nothing else, you'll be sure to get a really great dinner or interview story out of it just like the three stories above.
