Jobseekers Adopting New Tactics

As the labor market gets tougher, job applicants are trying new tricks to stick out from the crowd, a survey says.

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With the labor market tightening, jobseekers are adopting unusual tactics to get attention, including everything from writing cover-letter poems to offering recruiters a foot massage, according to Careerbuilder.com.

More than 10 percent of 3,388 hiring and human resource managers in a recent survey said they've seen more job applicants using unique approaches this year than in the past, the Chicago-based online job board said.

The examples cited by respondents included a candidate who brought a broom to an interview and offered to "clean up the waste and corruption in the office." While one applicant offered a poem about the job in her cover letter, another promised to give the employer a foot massage.

The survey did not indicate whether the approaches succeeded.

Jason Ferrara, a senior career advisor at CareerBuilder.com, said candidates only have a short window to make a lasting impression on potential employers.

"Those who apply resourcefulness and an inventive approach to their job search may have a better chance of standing out in the minds of hiring managers," Ferrara said in a statement. "The key is making sure you are maintaining an appropriate balance of creativity and professionalism so you are remembered for the right reasons," he said.

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