That’s how long it took Alexander J. Velicky to create a video game résumé with the hope that it would score him at least an interview with his dream company, Bethesda Game Studios.
Velicky is but the latest job hunter who’s garnered national headlines for the lengths to which he’s gone just to land a job. He joins the likes of such other intrepid employment seekers as Liz Hickok, who decorated her house with her résumé spelled out in Christmas lights; Brandon Stuard, an Ohio deputy sheriff who rented a billboard emblazoned with a Please Hire My Wife message; and Paul Nawrocki, who famously donned a suit, tie and sandwich board in the middle of midtown Manhattan when his unemployment benefits were on the verge of running out.
6 comments:
This is a great article for people who are either in or fresh out of college, and are looking for ways to more easily enter the work force. Today, it is extremely difficult for anyone to get jobs, no matter what industry they are in. Because of this, I am not surprised that many people are attempting to pull "crazy stunts" in order to get the attention of their desired employer or company. I think this article gave really great advice on how to handle the urge to pull a crazy stunt in order to stand out. The article was very helpful because it gave clear, positive tips on how to stand out without making a fool of yourself. The idea of re-writing your resume is great and companies will definitely notice someone who comes in with a resume clearly written with their specific company in mind. I have also found how important it is to ask questions and be genuine in interviews. If all else fails, and someone feels as if attempting "crazy stunts" is their only option, they should go back to the drawing board and assess the materials they are presenting to companies in interviews.
I'm sad to learn that Alexander J. Velicky didn't get the job, because his video game resumé was awesome, but it's good to know that even a well-intentioned and entertaining "stunt" like that didn't work. Ultimately, not only do you need the skills that a job requires (as Velicky demonstrated with his resumé), but you also need to be a person that the company thinks will fit well into their culture and will benefit them in the long run. The tips in this article all seemed pretty standard, but #4 (Volunteer for a Career Cause) is the one that stuck out to me. Are there really volunteering opportunities that pertain to every industry? Would those opportunities really connect you with people who can do something to help you get a job? I'm not sold on that idea. I went to dosomething.org, as the article suggested, to take a look at the opportunities they have, and while the opportunities seem like great ways to give back to the community and to do your part to make the world a better place, I really doubt that any of them could get you a job in many industries. However, volunteering is still a great way to spend your time while you are in the middle of a job search, especially if you don't need to get a retail job or something to make ends meet. It's a great way to show that you want to do something worthwhile with your time, and that you are selfless and want to make a difference in some way.
This is one of the many articles that has come through the Green Page about interviewing and resumes. This one reminded me of the article a few weeks ago about the crazy things people did to try and draw attention to themselves. I think it's sad that people in today's society actually think that they will get hired if they send an arrow, a plastic foot, or a vial of blood to a company along with their resume. I feel like all of the tips this article gave were common sense things that you should know when hunting for a job. The bigger your network and the more proactive you are about your job search, the higher chance you have of getting noticed. Also keep in mind the kind of image you're portraying when you pull a crazy stunt in order to get noticed. Do you really want to be known as the person who sent a vial of blood in to the company in an attempt to get a job?
Funny that this article is posted in our profession, because often the way that we get jobs or interviews is by showing off the crazy stunts (executed safely) that we, or our co workers have done. While crazy stunts are in the most part probably a bad idea, I do think that it is import to distinguish yourself in a way that is appealing to your potential employer.
I think it is sad how nowadays people have to really stand out from rest of others who want the same job. I also feel bad to hear that Alexander J. Velicky did not get the job even though he put that much of time and effort just to get some attention. I think this article offers important information to people who are looking for and will be looking for jobs in few years. I never heard of people who did all those 'crazy' things to get the job, but at least for me, I thought it was brilliant and was another way to advertise one's ability. In terms of the tips for getting job other than doing 'crazy' attempt, the first and the fourth comment really struck me because I strongly agree with them. I have seen so many people who have great education background and abilities, but just can not get any job. When I was considering what would be the problems with them, I thought that they just tried to get a job from wherever that will accept them, thus turning the exact same resume. I think it is important to know the differences and problems of each company and emphasize that I can be helpful to what each specific company is looking for. Also, I have heard of a situation where a person worked as an intern at the person's dream company and the people in the company liked his personalities and skills a lot, so they hired him at the end of his internship. I think although it is important to be standing out a peculiar and creative, it is also important to appeal the company as capable and important person.
Some of the "crazy stunts" really don't make much sense. Doing something like a video game resume, which is directly connected to the sort of job you are trying to apply for makes sense, some of the others, not so much. Which does make me wonder what people were thinking when they attempted some of these stunts, because they didn't really seem to showcase anything about themselves besides how desperate they were for a job.
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