Ever wonder why some people get the cool jobs – even if you have better experience and credentials? Here’s an example of a guy using creativity to snag a great opportunities.
HeadBlade President Todd Greene was looking for someone that could handle social media for the company. He said he was looking for someone like himself, someone who was passionate about the product. He posted the job on Craigslist and got tons of resumes. But one stood out above them all, by far. Eric Romer was himself a “headblader,” and had been using the product and even blogging about it on his own. Within a day of the Craigslist entry going public, Eric put up the following web page: HireMeHeadBlade. Now that’s a creative way to get the attention of an employer!
Want to guess who, out of the hundreds of correctly submitted resumes got the job? Yeah – it worked. Eric now has a new site up: HeadBladeHiredMe where he’s continuing to tell the story.
So what are you doing to stand out from the crowd? I’m hearing of people sending resumes wrapped around an ear of corn, on a business card DVD, delivered with a dozen roses, or by standing in the boss’ parking spot at 6:40 AM. Now is the time to be creative – pull out all the stops and let potential employers know why you are someone they won’t want to miss.
Thanks to 48Days.net member Brian O’Keefe for alerting me to this story.
Dan Miller's Blog 
January 5, 2010 at 2:07 pm
Dan,
I enjoy continuing to get your newsletters. Last year, I interviewed with a company that specializes in large capital campaigns for churches and non-profits. I love it!
The CEO admitted that the opportunity came down to me and one other applicant. He said that I got the job mainly because I continued to call and inquire and express my interest in working for his company. Nothing too creative on my part, just old fashioned determination.
Blesssings to you and your family.
Jeff Cluxton
January 6, 2010 at 1:06 pm
Hi Dan –
Well, years ago I was journaling and asking God what to do with my life, since my oldest child would soon graduate from high school. In many different way, the topic of learning to play the pipe organ kept coming up. One suggestion was a man in the meat department at the grocery store, one was a friend at church, one was while I was reading my children a story, one was the weather man on TV. I chose to believe it was from God for two reasons: 1) I had seriously asked for direction; 2) it was so bizarre I thought it had to be from God. Although I still had doubts that maybe I was fooling myself, and that I was maybe listening to the wrong voices. That was in 1996, I think. The walking out of this was very scary. But I took one step at a time.
Just one bonus that happened was that God wiped a huge regret out of my life, because I was able to finish my college degree in music. When the door opened for me to return to school, some people said I was being selfish. But one friend in my Bible study group said “Maybe God is giving you the desires of your heart.” I graduated in May of 2007 with my Bachelor’s Degree in Organ Performance from the University of Florida (yes, I saw superhero Tim Tebow on more than one occasion), and then God opened the door with a graduate assistantship to get my Master of Sacred Music degree from UF. I got my master’s and became a grandma in 2009! I am now the Director of Music Ministries – and Organist – at a Lutheran (LCMS) church. I direct and accompany three choirs and a praise band. This church installed their pipe organ in 1996. One of the funny things is that I didn’t really even particularly like the pipe organ, but was primarily a pianist. Now the pipe organ is my principal instrument, and I love it, although I still love the piano. (They are two TOTALLY different instruments.)
At age 54 🙂 I feel that I have been blessed beyond belief since Our God is able to do more than we can even think of to ask for – and, like Dave Ramsey says, “Better than I deserve.” That’s God. He is SO MERCIFUL! And now I have been plopped down at the beginning of a huge learning curve. And I feel there is music and books to write. I really need to start journaling again (now that I have ended 5 years of going to school full time), since I believe God wants to do more through me, and I want to pay attention and be in that dance, since there is nothing like it.
Another wink from God is that the Rose Parade this year had two floats with caliopes and one with a pipe organ. I didn’t even notice the pipe organ until later. The thing that caught my attention was the Ten Commandments, and the three crosses at Calvary. And then, there it was, the beautiful pipe organ made of flowers and plant material. And the float was by the Lutheran Laymen’s League – from the LCMS church!
God Bless