I read a fantastic article today on USNews called Why Gimmicks Are No Good In a Job Search. It is a really brief post by Michael Wade which highlights the pitfalls of using gimmicks to get the attention of an employer. His main point, made through a powerful sales analogy, really hits home.

Ultimately, it comes down to trust. In his own words:

Are you going to try to impress the interviewer? Sure, but be wary of any answers or job search techniques that smack of gimmickry. For the most part, people are not fools. They know when they are being gamed. The second they sense a hustle, trust shoots out the window.

What I really liked about this piece is that is perfectly illustrates the importance of standing out from the crowd through your own experiences, education, skills and personality. Using tricks may get you noticed, but they won’t take you all the way. You need to build a relationship in order to get the job.

Over the past five years I have heard about all sorts of job search gimmicks and while the vast majority caused the applicant to get noticed by an employer, very few were interviewed and even fewer landed the job.

Avoid gimmicks. Stand out for who you are, not for some trick.

Related posts:

1. Who Are You?
2. 4 Ways To Help An Employer Find Your Resume
3. Job Search Gimmicks: The “TwitterShouldHireMe” Saga
4. Job Hunting – 2009 Style
5. Updating Your Resume Style