Just as employers hire confidence, so are they drawn to imagination. Nonetheless, I am constantly shocked at the incredible lack of imagination people put into their job hunts. Even supposedly "creative" people seeking the most creative positions often make their approach with the dullest techniques. And it seems to be that the more educated and experienced people are, the less imaginative they tend to be.
Part of the problem, of course, is that the business community mindlessly perpetuates an unimaginative system. Look at a want ad or call a manager to ask if there are any positions open and what do you get? "Send us a resume."
Letter-and-resume (by which I mean job history) is an anti septic approach that neither relates to the current problems of an employer nor lends itself to creativity. Of course there are people who artfully prepare their resumes with different typefaces or pa per stocks, but it's still a recitation of where they worked and when they worked there - none of which is all that important to a potential employer
Let's analyze what employers care about. They want someone who will fill a current need now and in the future. They want someone who will help them make a profit. They want someone who is confident. They want someone who will listen.
It is impossible to convey those qualities in a job history.
What to do then? The most important thing is to put yourself in the shoes of the person filling the position and relate to the person rather than the job.
The core element of professionalism is empathy. That is, project your mind into the minds of those doing the hiring and demonstrate not merely that you speak their language or fit the job description, but that you can empathize with their daily concerns and anxieties. Catch their attention and demonstrate that you understand their concerns; it is not enough to simply tell them you do. If you want a sales position, show that you can sell yourself. If you want a customer relations position, show some human concern.
How you do it is up to you and must be considered on a case by case basis, but here is a fairly well known example that illustrates the point.
About eight or nine years ago, a Los Angeles advertising copy writer who was seeking to move to the Northwest approached several major ad agencies. He did so by placing a mannequin's arm in one of those long boxes used for long-stem roses and writing on it, "I'd give my right arm to work for you."
I doubt that I would ever recommend such a degree of flamboyancy, but you can see the point. Not only did this mailing get instant attention, it clearly demonstrated that the man possessed a degree of creativity that is highly sought by ad agencies.
Such an approach probably would be unacceptable, for example, at an accounting firm, but it is possible to approach an accounting firm with something more imaginative than a letter and resume. After all, if the only thing an accounting firm cares about is getting the person with the most extensive background, the hiring decision can be made by a computer. But hiring decisions are not made by computers, they are made by people. And as I said earlier, people are drawn to imaginative individuals.
Here is another case history that demonstrates incredible imagination:
A former client decided that there was one particular Seattle Company for which he wanted to work. He launched an intensive program of research into the company, learning as much as he possibly could about it, including the fact that the CEO flew to New York every Sunday afternoon for a meeting with a branch office, and returned to Seattle the next evening.
This man booked himself on the same flight one weekend, then waited at the airport for the CEO to appear. When he did, this client got in line behind him at the boarding gate counter and requested a seat assignment right next to the CEO.
Not only did he have a guaranteed five-hour audience with the CEO, but thanks to his research, he was able to demonstrate a knowledge of the CEO's daily concerns that no intelligent or rational person could dismiss. He was hired within a couple of weeks of his return to Seattle.
An extreme case? Sure. An extraordinarily imaginative individual? You bet. Are you capable of similar initiative? I imagine you are. Just be sure it's professional.
