In today's job market, it's always good to find ways to stand out, and the more creative, the better. In the realm of creative ways to get a job, I'll never forget the time I met an awesome up-and-coming media queen named Renita Burns years ago. She was young, smart, and a go-getter whose reputation among the editors preceded itself. Why? Because in her job application for an editorial position at the magazine I was working for at the time, she formatted her resume to look like a popular section from the publication. Not only did it impress my boss, but it raised the bar for many of us on the staff. I worked with Burns for several years, and she excelled as a content producer and social media strategist before becoming an analyst.
If you've been hitting walls on the job search front or simply want some inspiration on how to get the attention of top recruiters and companies, be inspired by these 5 stories:
Add a Bit of Shock Value or Visual Allure to Your Resume
If you can risk it and are in an industry where a creative resume is a tad more acceptable (i.e. tech or media versus financial services or education), you might want to try switching up the format to showcase your graphic arts or design skills. You can go the wilder route, like one candidate for a head of marketing job at Basecamp did back in 2017, and list your reason for quitting or leaving each job. You could also get a little wackier and print your resume on the back of a chocolate bar like this candidate or send it as a message in a shoe box to bring life to the "foot in the door" like this candidate.
But seriously, some candidates include infographics and even video resumes and have found success in landing their dream gig. You can also make small tweaks like bold headers, using a sans serif font (versus the usual serif fonts like Times New Roman), or color instead of black-and-white. Experts recommend ensuring that what you include in the design of your resume is relevant to your skills and the job your applying for. You also don't want it to be perceived as gimmicky, rude, unprofessional, tacky, or distracting from the whole point of a resume.
Submit a Campaign or Proposal Idea
Though some candidates might shy away from this—believing that a company might just take their idea and skip hiring them altogether—providing a proposal or solution to a problem the company is facing can sometimes put your resume at the top of the pack. This could be especially ideal for that dream job within your industry or one in which you might have contacts or a good lead.
The first step is to research the company and find out ways you'd impact change via the prospective job. You want to be sure to just give them a taste of your professional abilities as to spark interest, and you can use the proposal to elaborate on your abilities once you've gotten the job interview.
Put Out an Ad
Back in 2014, a Google hopeful put up a billboard right outside the Canadian offices to land a job and was contacted for an interview. Not willing to go that far? Try using Craigslist, LinkedIn, Upwork or other web platform to let recruiters know you're looking for work, you want a specific position, or you're just the best talent to work for the company. You could even try running an ad on Facebook, a tactic that this guy says brought him success and got him interviews.
Go Viral
If you have a knack with social media, lead a brand built on purpose, have a niche talent, or are great with marketing or entertainment, why not use that to draw employers to you? For example, this candidate's whiteboarding video went viral on LinkedIn and got her not only media attention but the eye of hiring professionals. While a guest on Jimmy Kimmel's late night show, actress Tiffany Haddish raved about her love for Groupon and then became their spokesperson shortly after. Remember James "Patti Pie Guy" Wright, whose 2015 video literally singing the praises of the soul songstress's new pies went viral? He's since gone on to build a relationship with LaBelle, create endorsements for other products, tour with Faith Evans and Tamar Braxton, and launch his own solo singing career.
Sis, get creative and find authentic ways to showcase who you are, make connections with your industry's influencers (in real life and on social) and build a community. Turn the tables and make the opportunities come to you.
Host a Recruitment Party
The video hosting options for events are quite reliable at this point, and if you can connect with a recruiter or someone who works in the human resources industry, why not partner with them to host a recruitment party? (Dig into your network, school alumni association, frat or soror chapter, church, or other group you're part of. Trust me, you know somebody, or at least somebody who knows somebody. Hey, a classmate of mine from Hampton U who was a broadcast major now runs an amazing career consultancy after years of working in corporate recruitment. See? Dig in.)
Invite your network, share tips, and offer value. Make it known that you're on the market and are open to new opportunities, and share insights with others who are job seekers. This is a great way to kill two birds with one stone—put yourself out there and be of service at the same time. Recruiters are always looking for ways to reach great professionals—and save money and time in doing so.
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Adrian Marcel On Purpose, Sacrifice, And The 'Signs Of Life'
In this week's episode of xoMAN, host Kiara Walker talked with R&B artist Adrian Marcel, who opened up, full of heart and authenticity, about his personal evolution. He discussed his days transitioning from a young Bay Area singer on the come-up to becoming a grounded husband and father of four.
With honesty and introspection, Marcel reflected on how life, love, and loss have shaped the man he is today.
On ‘Life’s Subtle Signals’
Much of the conversation centered around purpose, sacrifice, and listening to life’s subtle signals. “I think that you really have to pay attention to the signs of life,” Marcel said. “Because as much as we need to make money, we are not necessarily on this Earth for that sole purpose, you know what I mean?” While he acknowledged his ambitions, adding, “that is not me saying at all I’m not trying to ball out,” he emphasized that fulfillment goes deeper.
“We are here to be happy. We are here [to] fulfill a purpose that we are put on here for.”
On Passion vs. Survival
Adrian spoke candidly about the tension between passion and survival, describing how hardship can sometimes point us away from misaligned paths. “If you find it’s constantly hurting you… that’s telling you something. That’s telling you that you’re going outside of your purpose.”
Marcel’s path hasn’t been without detours. A promising athlete in his youth, he recalled, “Early on in my career, I was still doing sports… I was good… I had a scholarship.” An injury changed everything. “My femur broke. Hence why I always say, you know, I’m gonna keep you hip like a femur.” After the injury, he pivoted to explore other careers, including teaching and corporate jobs.
“It just did not get me—even with any success that happened in anything—those times, back then, I was so unhappy. And you know, to a different degree. Like not just like, ‘I really want to be a singer so that’s why I’m unhappy.’ Nah, it was like, it was not fulfilling me in any form or fashion.”
On Connection Between Pursuing Music & Fatherhood
He recalled performing old-school songs at age 12 to impress girls, then his father challenged him: “You can lie to these girls all you want, but you're really just lying to yourself. You ain't growing.” That push led him to the piano—and eventually, to his truth. “Music is my love,” Marcel affirmed. “I wouldn’t be a happy husband if I was here trying to do anything else just to appease her [his wife].”
Want more real talk from xoMAN? Catch the full audio episodes every Tuesday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and don’t miss the full video drops every Wednesday on YouTube. Hit follow, subscribe, and stay tapped in.
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Colman Domingo’s Career Advice Is A Reminder That Our Words Shape Our Reality
When it comes to life, we are always here for a good reminder to shift our mindsets, and Colman Domingo just gave us one we didn't know we needed.
In a resurfaced clip from an appearance at NewFest shared as a repost via Micheaux Film Festival, the Emmy award winner dropped a gem on how he has navigated his decades-spanning career in Hollywood. The gem in question? Well, Colman has never identified with "struggle" in his career. Let that sit.
Colman Domingo On Not Claiming Struggle
"I’ve never said that this career was tough. I’ve never said it was difficult. I’ve never said it was hard," Colman said. "Other people would say that—‘oh, you're in a very difficult industry. It's very hard to get work and book work.’ I’m like, I’ve never believed that."
Instead of allowing himself to be defined by other people's projections about their perceptions of what the industry is or was, Colman dared to believe differently even if his reality was playing catch up with his dreams:
"Like Maya Angelou said words are things. And if you believe that, then that's actually what it is. Actually I've just never believed it. Someone told me some years ago, they said, 'I remember you were, you're a struggling actor.' I'm like, 'I don't.'"
"I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living..."
He continued:
"Even when I was bartending and hustling and not having opportunities or anything, I never believed that I was struggling because I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living and creating and being curious."
Colman’s philosophy of attaching to living instead of struggle has blossomed into an enduring career. He first made his mark on stage in acclaimed Broadway productions before transitioning to the screen, where his star began to rise in the 2010s following his role as Victor Strand in Fear The Walking Dead. From there, his presence only grew, landing memorable supporting roles in If Beale Street Could Talk, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and the hit series Euphoria.
In more recent years, Colman has stepped fully into the spotlight with standout leading performances in Rustin and Sing Sing, both of which earned him widespread critical acclaim and Academy Award nominations for Best Actor.
With all that said, Colman's advice is no doubt powerful, especially for those who are chasing their dreams, building something from the ground up, or have question marks about what's next in their careers. Words shape our realities, and how we speak about our journeys even in passing matters.
Words Create Our Reality & Colman Is Living Proof
"I tell young people that. To remember the words that you say about yourself and your career are true. So, I choose to make it full of light and love and it's interesting and every day I'm going to learn something new even if it looks like I don't have what I want but it's important to be in the moment... you really build on the moments moment to moment.
"And you're looking back at your career as I've been in it for what 33 years and you're like, 'Wow, that's what I've been doing.' And I've stayed strong to that so I think that is truly my advice."
Let this be your sign to give your path a reframe. When the path you're on feels uncertain, the journey is still unfolding. Like Colman said: "I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living."
That's a Black king right there.
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