SpotJobs reveals crazy ways people have been hired

HAVING trouble landing that job? If you want to stand out from the crowd you could try one of these tricks. Be warned: individual results may vary.

The craziest ways to get yourself hired

HAVING trouble landing that job? If you want to stand out from the crowd you could try one of these tricks. Be warned: individual results may vary.

SpotJobs, an employment site focused on low- to medium-skilled roles, has revealed some of the more “creative” ways its jobseekers have gotten noticed.

In one example, Sri Lankan international student Varshan Nathan was struggling to find a job while he waited for his permanent residency.

Applying for a role with a sports agency, he sent his letter along with a pair of sneakers and a note which read, “I’m in it for the long haul. Hire me and you won’t be disappointed!”

Mr Nathan received a call from the HR team that afternoon — not to give him a shoeing, but to offer him a job. (He was the sole candidate.)

“Recruitment is a time-consuming process. When you go the extra mile, you bypass the other applicants and go to the top of the pile,” said SpotJobs founder Lewis Romano.

Mr Romano said it wasn’t about being “cheesy” or resorting to gimmicks. “It’s about putting yourself out there, being creative and getting noticed,” he said.

“You’ve got to think about it from the recruiter’s perspective. It’s a time-consuming process when there are hundreds of applicants for a role.”

In another case, Sydney mortgage brokers Advance Loan Directions advertised for a “vivacious and well organised” employee who was “extremely adequate in all forms of social media and branding”.

Owner Connie Mavrides said she received more than 100 applications but before she went to shortlist them, one applicant changed all of her social media handles to read “employed at Advance Loan Directions”.

Ms Mavrides set up a meeting and immediately hired her. “That was quite a gutsy move, and it was specific to the job function of social media manager,” said Mr Romano.

“That’s one of those instances where it could have gone one way or the other. It takes balls.”

Mr Romano said his favourite example was an applicant for a senior position in a recruitment company. One of the job requirements was experience in “finding the right candidate in a swift amount of time”.

When he went to the interview, the applicant brought 10 resumes with him of other suitable candidates which he had found online.

“We’re delighted when we hear instances such as this, but that’s not to say everyone should try it as a quick win,” Mr Romano said. “Only use a tactic like this if it shows you’re the best person for the role.”

Originally published as SpotJobs reveals crazy ways people have been hired