Sometimes creativity is rewarded, and sometimes it isn’t. When you’re looking for a job, it’s hard to tell whether you should try a more creative approach. Your tactics might impress a potential employer, or they might cause the interviewer to toss your résumé into the “No” pile.

        Linda Duke, president of San Rafael, Calif.-based Duke Marketing, says a nontraditional approach can help your job search. Her suggestion: roll up your résumé and put it inside a shoe. Tie the shoe with laces, and write, “Now that I have a foot in your door…” on a note, and attach it to the shoe.

        “That is how I landed my job with Noah’s Bagels back in 1993,” she says. “Noah Alper, the founder, actually made me wait and came out to greet me and hired me on the spot.”

        She suggests for a chef’s job, try sending a Croc, because some chefs wear that brand, and they are inexpensive. Or a chef’s hat with a note that reads, “Keep me on top of your head.”

        However, a recent survey indicated that even creative types say these tactics would not impress a hiring manager. A survey released in February by Menlo Park, Calif.-based The Creative Group indicated that about half (52 percent) of marketing executives said they view unusual job-hunting tactics, including the shoe idea, as unprofessional. Other tactics mentioned in the survey were sending a baseball mitt (“I want to be part of the team” was the attached note), a bowling pin (“I’ll bowl you over”) and a résumé as six puzzle pieces.

        The survey of 250 phone interviews also indicated that only 2 percent of marketing executives said the unusual or gimmicky résumés may increase a candidate’s chances of getting hired. The Creative Group, a division of the staffing company Robert Half International, places advertising and marketing freelancers in short- or long-term creative jobs with companies.

        Tera Sunder, chief people officer of Cafe Rio Mexican Grill, says she’s not sure how acceptable these tactics would be in the hospitality industry.
        “I was a recruiter for 16 years,” she says. “I most likely would disregard. If they need to have that much flash to get the attention, my assumption would be that their experience does not speak for itself.”

        Duke disagrees. Her company’s clients include Rubio’s Fresh Mexican Grill, Java City Fine Coffee, Il Fornaio Restaurants, and others.

“I used to work in the career center at college and used these for several jobs over the years,” she said. “Some students I have taught have also used these, and they work great.”

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