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In today's competitive hiring market, job candidates are constantly seeking innovative ways to stand out from the crowd and make a lasting impression during the interview process. While a polished resume and impressive credentials are crucial, presenting creative strategies can elevate a candidate's chances of leaving a memorable mark on prospective employers.
Below, 20 Forbes Human Resources Council members offer a range of imaginative and unconventional approaches that job candidates have employed to captivate the attention of interviewers and make a great first impression. These creative strategies will help candidates navigate their interview opportunities with confidence and set themselves apart in a sea of applicants.
1. Printing A Giant Resume
A colleague of mine applied for a job. He felt like he had all the experience out there. So he went ahead and printed a 5x3-foot resume and mailed it to their office. He also put it outside their front door and said, "You may have missed this." He then got the job and still has it. Amazing story and guy! - Matt Strauss, RiseKit
2. Bringing In New Information
My favorite example is a candidate who, researching me as her interviewer, thought she found negative information about me on the internet. Thankfully, it was a case of a similar name, but I appreciated that she had the courage to bring it to my attention and it made the interview personal. She ultimately got the job and I became more intentional about periodically doing name searches! - Valerie Rainford, Elloree Talent Strategies
3. Sending A Direct, Thoughtful Message
We had a candidate send a thoughtful and well-researched message in response to a LinkedIn post made by a member of our leadership team. He was immediately contacted for an interview and wowed the entire staff. We moved him through the interview process as quickly as we could. It was obvious his excitement for us was as genuine as our excitement for him. Creativity + initiative = amazing. - Jeremy Stick, Ph.D., SafeBase
4. Writing An Honest, Confident Cover Letter
While it may seem ordinary, I had a candidate send an amazing cover letter that opened the door for an interview and landed her the job offer. In the letter, she took the job posting and showed what skills were required that she did not have but then demonstrated transferable experience and gave relevance to that experience. Her confidence in every aspect stood out from the beginning. - Kelly Hutchinson, Big Communications
5. Researching The Company
I had a candidate who lacked some of the skills for the position, but this person had clearly done research on the company, asked very good questions and connected strengths to the role. The candidate's candor about skill gaps was even more impressive. Their honesty coupled with well-prepared questions and genuine passion for the company impressed the team. Showing passion, energy and integrity goes a long way. - Maria Leggett, AvidXchange
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6. Presenting A PowerPoint
Many years ago, I was in the job market, and at that time, my focus was to communicate what I can bring to the table in line with the vision of the company. I never focused on or spoke about what I possess but focused my discussions on how and why I can be a change agent. In fact, I did not carry a resume but instead had a PowerPoint presentation with a few slides. - Prakash Raichur, Taghleef Industries
7. Being Honest And Humorous
We had one candidate put on his résumé that he was a failed standup comedian. It made us all laugh, and he got the interview and finally landed the job. - Richard Polak, American Benefits Council
8. Sticking To Tradition
The most creative strategy is to keep to the traditional interview performance. The winning strategies are simple: sounding smart, presenting arguments to support professional expertise and competencies and listening to the interviewer. The true sign of intelligence is demonstrating your expertise while maintaining a positive attitude and excitement when discussing your work and yourself. - Dr. Nara Ringrose, Aquila Nuclear Engineering
9. Being Confident And Prepared
The candidates who stand out are the ones who reach out directly and summarize their strengths and experiences relative to the responsibilities of the job while demonstrating how they can add value. Confidence is critical. Next, being prepared for an interview with knowledge about the company, a presentation, work-related examples, references or even a 30-60-90 day plan also stands out. - Liz Corey, Velosio
10. Engaging And Connecting With Team Members
One candidate stands out to this day. During a final in-person interview he was genuinely engaging, connecting and caring throughout. Every person that he engaged with was met with the same authentic, genuine person who took a moment to be kind, say hello and ask about them. He did get the job. He was highly skilled and his soft skills put him over the top in the end. - Julie Hankins, NNIT
11. Compiling A List Of Accomplishments
In my previous world, I had a candidate create a detailed list of strategic accomplishments and compared it to the actual execution. This was fantastic, as this gave me the opportunity to really dive deep into my organization's annual deliverables and compare them to the candidate's actual experiences. - Ryan Tofte, BioPlus Specialty Pharmacy, A Carelon Company, Elevance Health
12. Creating A Visually Appealing Resume
A candidate applying for a server position submitted their resume as a replica of the restaurant's menu. It was creative, detail-oriented and illustrated that the applicant knew the restaurant well. They were hired. - Patricia Sharkey, Sharkey HR Consulting, LLC
13. Developing A Sample Business Plan
One of my favorite examples is a candidate who did his research and brought a 90-day business plan to his interview with the hiring manager. While there was a lot he didn't know about the business, this showed his initiative, drive and interest in the position and led to some great conversation between the two of them. He was the only candidate who did this and clearly stood out. He was hired. - Hazel Kassu, Sudduth Search
14. Presenting Quarterly Action Plans
Multiple candidates I've worked with have created quarterly to annual action plans instead of the traditional 30-60-90 plan. Especially in mid-level management roles, those candidates stood out as individuals who would require less direct management and also as potential team members poised for more rapid growth. Those candidates almost always will get the job based on those presentations. - Alexander Otero, Konabos
15. Having A Candid Conversation
Though it's not the most creative, I have interviewed candidates that just show up and be themselves. They did not go through the list of where they went to school, or what they have accomplished but rather just had a conversation with me. There is an art to organically having a natural conversation that will speak to your character, how poised you are and where you see yourself. This candidate landed the job. - Heather Smith, Flimp Communications
16. Offering Constructive Criticism
During a second interview with a candidate, the candidate started the call with a bit of feedback for the company regarding our branding, our website and the content we published about the company. They said, "The company and its culture are so much more than what you present to the market online." Needless to say, they were hired and their thoughts improved our recruitment efforts overall. - Halai Shukran, Pluribus Digital
17. Building A Personalized Website
A candidate created a personalized interactive website showcasing her skills, experience and fit for the role. The site included video testimonials, a tailored portfolio and a quiz for the hiring manager. The candidate's creativity, initiative and attention to detail impressed the team, and she landed the job. Her unique approach demonstrated her passion and commitment, setting her apart. - Siddharth Sharma, JP Morgan Chase & Co.
18. Reaching Out Before The Interview
Candidates who reach out prior to their interview to start building a rapport before the meeting stand out. I love it when candidates get the ball rolling by sending project work, portfolios, bios and testimonials. There’s usually a nice flow to conversations with candidates who have this level of motivation. - Leigh Yanocha, Knopman Marks Financial Training
19. Recording A Personalized Video Message
A personalized video message can make a job candidate stand out in the hiring process. For example, I’ve seen candidates create a video that showcases their knowledge of our company, the value they’d bring based on their experience and their alignment with our mission and purpose. It is impactful not only because it’s engaging and memorable, but it also demonstrates a strong cultural fit. - Neha Mirchandani, BrightPlan
20. Attending A Networking Event
Years ago, I was hiring to fill a role for a very competitive internship. A candidate did her research and learned I was attending a networking event. She sought me out, walked up with full confidence and a stretched-out hand and introduced herself, telling me she was applying for the role in the morning. I was so impressed. I did make her jump through a few hoops, but in my mind, I’d already hired her. - Lisa Shuster, iHire
