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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Exclusive: Dreka Gates Talks Farm Life, Self-Mastery, And Her Wellness Brand
Dreka Gates is making a name in wellness through authenticity and innovativeness. Although we were introduced to her as a music manager for her husband, Kevin Gates, she has now carved out her own lane outside of music as a wellness entrepreneur. But according to Dreka, this is nothing new.
In an xoNecole exclusive, the mom of two opened up about many things, including starting her wellness journey at 13 years old. However, a near-death experience during a procedure at 20 made her start taking her health more seriously.
“There's so many different levels, and now, I'm in a space of just integrating all of this good stuff that I've learned just about just being human, you know?” Dreka tells us. “So it's also fun because it's like a journey of self-discovery and self-mastery. That's what I call it. So it's never-ending.”
Courtesy
If you follow Dreka, then you’re familiar with her holistic lifestyle, as she’s no stranger to promoting wellness, self-care, and holistic living. She even lives part-time on a Mississippi farm, not far from her grandmother and great-grandmother’s farm, where she spent some summers as a child.
While her grandmother and great-grandmother have passed on, Dreka reflects on that time in her life and how having a farm as an adult is her getting back to her roots. “So the farm was purchased back in 2017, and it was like, ah, that'll just be a place where we go when we're not touring or whatever,” she said.
“But COVID hit, and I was there, and I was on the land, and I just started remembering back to going to my grandmother's during the summertime and freaking picking peas and going and eating mulberries off the freaking tree in the bushes.
“And she literally had cotton plants. I know some people feel weird about picking cotton and stuff. She had cotton plants and I would go and pick cotton out of her garden. And she had chickens, and I literally just broke down in tears one day when I was on the farm just doing all the things, and I'm like, ‘Oh my gosh. I'm literally getting back to my roots.”
"I literally just broke down in tears one day when I was on the farm just doing all the things, and I'm like, ‘Oh my gosh. I'm literally getting back to my roots."
You can catch glimpses of Dreka’s farm life on Instagram, which shows her picking fruit and vegetables and loving on her animals like her camel Eessa. Her passion for growing and cultivating led her to try and grow all of her ingredients for her wellness brand, Dreka Wellness. However, she quickly realized that she might be biting off more than she could chew. But that didn’t stop her from fulfilling her vision.
Watch below as Dreka talks more about her business, her wellness tips, breaking toxic cycles, becoming a doula, and more.
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8 Things To Know About Aaron Pierre, The 'Rebel Ridge' Actor On Everyone’s Radar
Netflix viewers are rejoicing that "a star is born." James Bond fans are calling for him to be the "next James Bond." With starring roles in films like the Netflix hit Rebel Ridge and a lead voice role as Mufasa in the Barry Jenkins-helmed Mufasa: The Lion King to drop later this year, Aaron Pierre is proving he has arrived.
Much of the actor's previous work included a main role in the Syfy series Krypton, a recurring role in the Amazon Prime Video miniseries The Underground Railroad, and a starring role as Malcolm X in the National Geographic award-winning anthology drama series, Genuis: MLK/X. In 2021, he landed his first film role as the character 'Mid-Size Sedan' in M. Night Shyamalan's Old.
Three years later, Aaron's turn as Terry Richmond in the recently-released action thriller Rebel Ridge is being praised as a "star-making performance." And he is yet again showing the world that he more than has the range for longevity, even securing a main recurring role in Season 4 of the acclaimed Apple TV+ show The Morning Show, as reported by Deadline.
Whether you happened upon this article to learn more about Aaron's background or his career highlights, get to know a little more about the rising star below.
1.Aaron Pierre stands at a towering height of 6'3''.
Aaron Pierre in 'Rebel Ridge.'
Allyson Riggs/Netflix
Aaron's good looks and striking blue-gray eyes aren't the only physical attributes that have viewers captivated, it's also his stature. At 6'3'', Aaron spoke about how important it is to work with filmmakers in his career who understand that "physicality is not indicative of emotional intelligence" has been in his career so far.
When asked what attracted him to his Rebel Ridge character Terry Richmond, the actor told Men's Health:
"Jeremy [Saulnier] had written Terry Richmond with an elite, intimidating level of physical prowess. At the same time, he is so centered, grounded, and emotionally intelligent. That he paired those traits—and arguably made a statement in doing so—was exciting. Something highlighted to me, early in my journey, was my height and my size; I was told that some people may not be able to envision me as a character with the capacity to be emotionally intelligent."
2.Yes, his baritone voice is glorious, but did you know Aaron Pierre is also British?
Aaron was born and raised in London. According to IndieWire, Aaron grew up around "culturally diverse children from immigrant families" in public housing in West Croydon. His environment ignited within him the drive to follow his desires in the pursuit of his calling.
"How all of us in that area were raised was, ‘It’s plan A or plan A. If you want something, you have to put all your eggs in one basket, and that way at least you know for certain whether it was your calling in life. And that’s a really scary thing to do."
3.Aaron's known to do a monologue or two.
Though the camera loves him, Aaron's first love is the stage. In fact, Aaron, who describes himself as "a nerd," studied playwrights like William Shakespeare and John Steinbeck and got lost in the pages of Greek tragedies. Aaron got his first taste of theater through a high-school production where he acted as a narrator.
Years later, he studied at Lewisham College in London for two years before training in Toronto and then an additional three years at the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art. Aaron went on to star in Othello in 2018, gracing the Globe Theatre in London as Cassio.
4.What is Aaron Pierre's ethnicity?
Aaron Pierre as Terry Richmond
Allyson Riggs/Netflix
When it comes to his ethnicity, Aaron resembles the melting pot he grew up in. Aaron is of Jamaican, Sierra Leonian, and Curaçaoan descent. His mother is Jamaican, and his father is Curaçaoan-Sierra Leonian. The English actor is also the eldest child of three siblings.
5.He is 'deeply in love' with martial arts.
Aaron's martial arts affinity goes beyond what you see in the movies. In fact, the actor shared with Men's Health that not only is he a "student of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and boxing," but that he is also "deeply in love with martial arts." He continued, "What I love about martial arts is, firstly, how deeply humbling it is. I love the family. I love the camaraderie. It feels like a unit or a team."
6.His top four favorite films are just as layered as he is.
Per an interview with Letterboxd, Aaron revealed some of his favorite movies in their recurring series, "Four Favorites." The Brother actor named The Departed, American Gangster, The Lion King, and the feature directorial debut of his frequent collaborator, Barry Jenkins, Medicine for Melancholy as his "Four Favorites."
7.Aaron is best friends with Kelvin Harrison Jr.
Best friends Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr. link up at the 'Genuis: MLK/X' premiere.
Jemal Countess/Getty Images for National Geographic
To be young, Black, and in Hollywood is probably not the easiest path to navigate, but luckily, Aaron has a best friend in fellow actor and frequent collaborator Kelvin Harrison Jr. Kelvin dished to IndieWire about his support system in Aaron:
“Aaron’s always looking out for my best interest and making sure I feel safe and empowered, and I think a lot of that comes from how his parents raised him and his sense of identity. He has a very strong sense of where he’s come from, and that fuels a lot of it. He’s not taking on roles to figure himself out.”
Aaron and Kelvin both starred in Genuis: MLK/X as the civil rights icons themselves and will also star as Mufasa and Scar in the forthcoming live-action Lion King prequel, Mufasa: The Lion King.
8.Aaron Pierre says he got into the best shape in his life to play Terry Richmond.
In preparation for his character Terry Richmond, Aaron pushed his body to Marine Corps shape, and the work continued while filming on location in Louisiana. Per Men's Health, thanks to a warehouse set up by the director, Aaron was putting in work with "grappling mats, boxing bags, gloves, pads, wraps" and, of course, some weights. In the process of getting into action hero shape, he also did extensive weapons training and became a yoga fan. He added:
"We would spar. We would practice choreography. We would do drills. It was strength training, but I had to really work on being dynamic. This was one of the first times it fully set into me that flexibility is a strength, because without flexibility, you can’t engage with your strength to its fullest capacity. That’s one of the things I learned from this and have doubled down on since then. I’m a big Yin Yoga lover now."
We love a man who knows there's strength in flexibility.
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