👋 15 Good Conversation Starters Guaranteed to Make Networking Events Easy

Beat the biggest problem people have with networking events.

Some ideas on how to break the ice at your next networking event or just on the street.

After a recent all-day conference, I was about to head home when a friend there, Natasha Shine of Rounds, said she was on her way down the street for the evening networking event at another all-day conference.

“Well… I’m pretty tired,” I told her.

“Come on, you’ll meet a lot of entrepreneurs,” she pushed back, and that was all it took.

Good thing I went.

I did meet a lot of entrepreneurs, including some in the job search and recruiting industries, plus others who were able to give me business feedback or even contact information for other people or companies that might be useful for me.

How did I do it?

1. Look for people who were standing alone so I wouldn’t need to interrupt any conversations
2. Start the conversation by asking how the conference had been, since I had been up the street at the first all-day conference

That’s it. It was an easy question to answer, and for the few people who had also missed the first part of the day like myself, they would just reply by asking how my own conference had been.

I've found that having a wallet full of cat pictures is a great conversation starter

— Brent (@Brentweets) August 23, 2016

How to start a conversation at networking events

For some people, reaching out to strangers comes naturally. For others like myself, it took practice and time to build up confidence to the point where I now enjoy it instead of getting anxious about it.

Things get a lot easier when you have an opening question that works, and once you realize that often the stranger in front of you is also looking for a way to reach out to you too, and is hesitating for the same reasons you are.

That alone is an interesting conversation starter: “Isn’t it funny how we’re both trying to think of something to say first?”

Here are 14 other good conversation starters to use when the time is right:

1) Keep it simple, introduce yourself and offer a handshake. “Hi. My name is … . What’s yours?”

2) If they’re wearing a nametag, ask them about their name.

3) If they’re wearing a nametag, say “Hi … . What do you do?” This isn’t my favorite opening line, but you’ll always get an answer.

4) Look for something you have in common with the person, and ask a related question. At the very least, ask what they think of the event you’re both attending, whether you’re referring to the speakers, the topics, or even just the room you’re in.

5) If the person has something very different about them, such as being a member of the opposite sex, much older/younger, etc., ask them for their specific point of view on an issue at the event i.e. “as a woman, how do you feel about the …?”

6) Ask what inspired them to come to the event.

How it goes 99% of the time I try to join a conversation… pic.twitter.com/J3BJYTQSDq

— Jesse Cale (@JesseCale) August 30, 2016

7) If you recognize the person from the brochure for the current event, say so and ask them about their role in the event.

8) If you recognize the person from somewhere else such as a previous seminar, tell them so, and ask them if they liked that other event.

9) If you’re at an event with many foreigners, ask where they’re from.

10) If you’re at an event with many foreigners, ask what they think of the location.

11) If you’re at an event for a professional association, ask what made them become a member when they did.

12) Compliment them, but only if you really mean it. Women love this, and love doing it e.g. “I love your hair/watch/purse/etc.”

13) If they have a personal brand accessory, ask the first question that pops into your mind when you see it.

14) If you have a personal brand accessory, ask them what they think about it.

Bonus suggestions

15) If there’s food or refreshments, offer to get them something.

From another friend of mine, career strategist Tim Tyrell-Smith:

“You find and connect with people when your eyes meet theirs.  You make a connection with your eyes, smile and approach with confidence.  And then you kick things off with a question.  A starter or introductory question needs to be open ended so that the other person is given a wide berth in which to answer.  To put their own spin on things.  Everyone likes to give their ideas and opinions.  The question also needs to be genuine.”

Try these ideas as soon as you can, and you’ll start to get comfortable with which ones work best for you.

You’ll know things have changed when other people start asking how it’s so easy for you to start a conversation.

5 Conversation Starters for Introverts: Networking and Meeting New People

Question of the article

Which conversation starter has worked well for you? Tell us in the comments.

Get more networking tips with 7 Quick Rules for Networking To Your Next Job.

I originally published a version of this article on the terrific Personal Branding Blog.

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😕 Depressed On Your Job Search? Take This Quick Test

Use this simple self-test to find out if your job search is keeping you down more than it should.

Photo Credit: JD Hancock

The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9 for short) was developed by Pfizer and “is used as a screening and diagnostic tool for mental health disorders of depression, anxiety, alcohol, eating, and somatoform,” according to Wikipedia.

While some self-tests are just gimmicks, a 2006 study to “assess the validity of the Patient Health Questionnaire depression module” had results that “support the construct validity of the PHQ depression scale, which seems to be a useful tool to recognize not only major depression but also sub-threshold depressive disorder in the general population.”

In other words, the PHQ-9 is useful enough that doctors will administer it to potential patients, yet simple enough that you can test yourself.

Ok im a very depress human being… i wake up at 11am i was supposed to go find a job but instead i take a sleepin pill

— -unstable- (@hannigramoou) August 10, 2016

While I’m not a doctor and this test shouldn’t be considered as medical advice, take it here below to judge whether you should talk to a doctor or otherwise get help for a state of mind that’s making your job search harder than it needs to be.

But before you take it-

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Free bonus: Download The Job Search Depression Report which contains this test and insights on how to manage if you're too depressed to look for work.

The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)

As you do the test, choose the best answer to each question and note the corresponding number of points, which you can add up as you go or at the end.

Over the past 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by any of the following problems?

1. Little interest or pleasure in doing things

Not at all: 0 points

Several days: 1 point

More than half the days: 2 points

Nearly every day: 3 points

2. Feeling down, depressed or hopeless

Not at all: 0 points

Several days: 1 point

More than half the days: 2 points

Nearly every day: 3 points

3. Trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or sleeping too much

Not at all: 0 points

Several days: 1 point

More than half the days: 2 points

Nearly every day: 3 points

4. Feeling tired or having little energy

Not at all: 0 points

Several days: 1 point

More than half the days: 2 points

Nearly every day: 3 points

5. Poor appetite or overeating

Not at all: 0 points

Several days: 1 point

More than half the days: 2 points

Nearly every day: 3 points

6. Feeling bad about yourself – or that you’re a failure or have let yourself or your family down

Not at all: 0 points

Several days: 1 point

More than half the days: 2 points

Nearly every day: 3 points

7. Trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching television

Not at all: 0 points

Several days: 1 point

More than half the days: 2 points

Nearly every day: 3 points

8. Moving or speaking so slowly that other people could have noticed. Or, the opposite – being so fidgety or restless that you have been moving around a lot more than usual

Not at all: 0 points

Several days: 1 point

More than half the days: 2 points

Nearly every day: 3 points

9. Thoughts that you would be better off dead or of hurting yourself in some way

Not at all: 0 points

Several days: 1 point

More than half the days: 2 points

Nearly every day: 3 points

Calculating your score

Once you complete the test, now add up all the points from your answers to calculate a final score. If you tally more than 27 points, you’ve either miscalculated or you recorded multiple answers for at least one question.

Before checking your results, please keep in mind again that I’m not a doctor, and that the following conclusions aren’t medical advice, they’re simplifications of what I’ve seen from scientific sources.

0-4 points total

Minimal depression, if any. Nothing to worry about.

5-9 points

Mild depression. Re-test yourself in another two weeks. If the situation hasn’t improved, talk to a doctor or therapist.

10-14 points

You might be moderately depressed. Talk to a doctor.

15 points or more

Please see a doctor as soon as possible, you need help and I want you to get it. While you might think to ask your general practitioner or family doctor first, a psychiatrist is best equipped to diagnose people who might be depressed and decide on the correct treatment for what is actually a fairly complex health issue.

Job search is hard enough without the burden of depression, and the accompanying lack of self-confidence is hampering you more than you realize. Employers rarely make pity hires, and you don’t need to be one.

Question of the article

What do you find is most depressing about your current job search? Tell us in the comments. Use a fake name, if you feel the need to go anonymous.

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• 15 Causes of Job Search Depression and How To Prevent It
• 13 Signs of Job Search Depression
• Unsure About The Signs? Take The Test
• 9 Ways To Deal With Job Search Depression

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🔨 How Older Job Seekers Beat These Common Stereotypes

While almost every stereotype out there is true for some people, that person doesn’t have to be you.

Photo credit: Pascal

It’s widely believed that older people have a tougher time competing in the job market, in part due to the many negative stereotypes such as “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”

The key to overcoming stereotypes is demonstrating that they don’t apply. With that in mind, here are 15 of the most common assumptions about older job seekers, and how to overcome them.

Free bonus: The Midlife Job Search Report is a handy guide I compiled for older job seekers. Download it now.

15 negative stereotypes about older job seekers

1) Stuck in their ways

It’s often thought that older people are stubborn and stuck in their ways of doing things.

You can easily disprove this:

Show in your resume and work portfolio that you have the relevant training and skills to do the desired job according to the latest methodologies, emphasizing how you’ve evolved and improved throughout your career.

2) Can’t teach an old dog new tricks

My co workers teaching my older co worker how Facebook works

— Jayy Herrera (@marlymmmaryjayy) July 28, 2016

Similar to the above, the emphasis here is on the belief that age somehow prevents people from learning.

People who use this expression believe that nature has given an early expiration date to our brainpower and creativity. While it’s true that certain cognitive capabilities deteriorate with age, research in neuroplasticity has also shown that our brains can reorganize themselves and even generate new brain cells if we stay mentally active. Therefore, inability to learn new skills is usually caused by a bad attitude rather than bad “hardware.”

With the right mindset, you can add new skills to your repertoire at any age, show them off online, and your can-do attitude will surely impress employers as well.

3) Inflexible

It’s often thought that older people don’t possess the necessary mental fluidity to find flexible solutions to novel problems that show up in their daily work.

What a crock!

This stereotype has more to do with simple closed-mindedness than chronological age. Today’s culture is obsessed with novelty and innovation but in reality, the problems that most often occur in our day-to-day work tend to be quite standard and fairly predictable. Your years of experience can give you a perspective that younger, less-experienced minds simply don’t have yet. The older you get, the more you have seen and the more easily you’ll see connections between seemingly disparate things.

Debunk the inflexibility myth by telling relevant success stories in your job interviews.

4) Lack of adaptability

It is true that older people are more likely to question the necessity for change, as more experience will include more examples of changes gone wrong. But this doesn’t mean that they’re unable to go along with changes. Anyone can adapt once they understand the reasons for it.

Be open about the fact that you don’t fear change and that you see it as a natural part of work life. A resume with many previous roles demonstrates this, but even if you’ve only had 1-2 long-tenured career jobs so far, prepare job interview stories about dealing well with big changes on the job.

5) Lack of technological competence, computer literacy or ability to learn new technology

New technologies have drastically changed skill requirements in the job market, and older people are often thought of not being very tech-savvy.

While it may have been true in the early days of the Internet, this idea is definitely outdated now. Older people can handle the latest technology very well. In fact, maybe even better than younger people, since they tend to be much less distracted by social media than people who grew up with it.

Unlike soft skills, tech competence is very straightforward and easy to demonstrate: simply mention all your relevant skills in your resume, and showcase completed projects in your work portfolio.

6) Slow learners

Learning effectively has more to do with the methods used and the skills of the teacher, as opposed to student age.

While it’s often thought that younger people have an advantage when it comes to learning, studies have shown that it isn’t always so. For example, adults learn languages more easily than children because learning is a skillset on its own. Older adults can learn even at a faster rate because experience often gives them the intuition to focus on the 80/20 rule: the 20% of input that gives them 80% of the outcomes.

Set yourself apart from the competition by explaining to employers how you value learning and don’t fear having to upgrade your skills from time to time. Throwing in the fact that you have a track record of doing so (if it’s true) will also help.

7) Less productive

This stereotype stems in part from the belief that between themselves and their family, older people have more health problems to manage, which makes them take more sick days. Barring requiring you (and your family) to go for doctor checkups, there’s no reason for a recruiter to believe this should automatically apply to you. While productivity can be taught, a good, hard-working attitude is mostly a character trait that’s not determined by age.

If you’re a productive person, specify in your resume how your efforts have directly benefited your previous employer(s).

8) Less able to multi-task

Are you terrible at multi-tasking?

If so, then this is good news. According to a study conducted in Stanford University, workers who considered themselves successful multi-taskers actually perform worse than people who do one thing at a time, because frequent task switching disrupts your work flow, and makes it harder to organize your thoughts while filtering out noise.

But it gets even worse-

Researchers also found that multi-tasking can temporarily lower your IQ similar to smoking marijuana and possibly even damage your brain. Yikes.

Your best work is always achieved in a state of focus and doing one thing to completion, and you should explain that for your interviewers.

9) Past their prime

If this were true, then it wouldn’t make sense that older workers tend to perform better than their younger peers in positions that require problem solving, organizational skills, attention to detail, listening and writing. So it can’t be true, even though it’s a myth that’s easy to accept in a culture that tends to celebrate youth everywhere we look.

As an older job seeker, keep in mind that you’re bringing experience and years’ worth of accumulated wisdom to the workplace that others simply don’t have yet. If you can outperform other (younger?) colleagues, but most importantly, have recent achievements to show on your resume and discuss with recruiters, you’re very much still in your prime.

10) Can’t keep up in a dynamic, fast-paced workplace

A hyper-connected workplace dictates a faster pace and puts pressure on us to get more done with less time. There’s not much evidence, however, that older employees tend to be less organized or more prone to getting distracted or overwhelmed.

Again, job interview stories let you demonstrate that this isn’t one of your weaknesses and might even be a strength.

11) Just don’t perform as well as younger employees

Some people think that older people have more of a sense of pride in a job well done than younger employees, but that’s garbage. Age has nothing to do with it, and there are both young and old employees who do their job well and those who don’t.

This is such a vague stereotype that the only way someone could be convinced otherwise is with hard evidence, and even then, it might not be enough to influence a hiring decision if a mind has been made up in advance.

While job interview stories of you working as well as, and well with, younger colleagues can help your case, you need to dig deeper. If you can find out in advance who your interviewer(s) will be, research their background for roles where they dealt with older colleagues successfully and use that to prove your point.

12) Unwilling to share knowledge, blocking younger colleagues’ success

My co worker said I always dress so nicely 🤗. It's cool when older women admire younger women

— Aida (@framedslim) July 28, 2016

As workers grow older, their increased experience gives them a capacity for better judgment. With better judgment they are often able to avoid costly mistakes that save the company a great deal of money, which adds to their value as a team member.

Most people are happy to share their wisdom with others because the mentor-mentee and master-apprentice relationships have existed for thousands of years and these teacher-student dynamics are deeply ingrained in our psychology. What most employers are looking for, is someone who can harmoniously fit into their team.

Some basic people skills will do the trick here, and this is something you can convey during your email/phone/etc. conversations with a potential employer. Specific examples are always best.

13) Difficult with younger bosses

It’s often thought that older workers have a hard time respecting bosses that are younger than them. You might find it tough to take orders from a person who has less industry experience than you, or is in the same age group as your child. This is very common.

To avoid a conflict-ridden relationship with a younger boss, keep in mind that age is just a number, and it applies to both of you. Respect that someone saw that this person had value to offer to the company or she wouldn’t be in the leadership role.

If you can demonstrate during the interview process that you are easy to get along with, have been in the past, and that you don’t buy into stereotypes, generational differences shouldn’t be an obstacle.

14) Older workers cost more to employ than younger workers

@KaiserNeko true, but from a business standpoint if a worker costs more just because they're older, they become less desirable

— Brandon (@BrandyBuizel) July 30, 2016

According to this myth, older workers cost more because they have higher salaries and retraining them (when needs change) isn’t money well-spent because they won’t stay as long, limiting potential return on company investment.

While older workers generally do earn more, that has less to do with their age and more to do with their work responsibilities, so giving someone younger the same responsibilities should require they be paid similarly. In other words, salary costs are roughly the same.

As for retraining older workers compared to hiring younger workers with the required skills, it really depends on how much of a career pivot is needed for the older workers and how much past experience is valued. Recruiting is expensive and prone to error, while retraining an existing employee is usually less risky if done right.

While everyone wants the most bang for their buck, the best you can do is target companies so well that your hiring will seem like a no-brainer for them because you have the skills they need including the ones they’ve begun retraining employees on, showing you’re clearly worth the budgeted salary for the position. Plus, being such a clearly good match will shorten their recruitment process, saving them even more money.

15) Hankering for retirement

If you’re 50+, does that mean you’re merely looking to kill time until the desired retirement finally arrives? Or maybe it’s time to retire the idea of traditional retirement instead?

People are living longer and healthier lives. Many have already chosen to work well beyond 60, 65 and even 70, whether for financial reasons or just to have something to do. Companies also lose out if too many talented and experienced employees must automatically leave the workforce at 65 or whatever the retirement age is where you live.

To diffuse any reservations they might have about you as an older job seeker, talk openly about your long term plans, and how “where will you be in 5 years?” is right there, succeeding at the company.

Question of the article

What kinds of stereotypes have you had to deal with on your current job search? Tell us in the comments.

READ NEXT: 9 Real Reasons Overqualified Job Seekers are Rejected

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The Midlife Job Search Report is a handy guide I compiled to help older job seekers.

This free download contains:

• 5 Common Mistakes Older Job Seekers Make
• How To Defeat Any Form of Job Search Discrimination
• 9 Real Reasons Overqualified Job Seekers are Rejected
• 40 Tips for Older Job Seekers That Actually Get Results

Click the image below to get access to The Midlife Job Search Report:

JobMob Insiders can get this free bonus and other exclusive content in the JobMob Insider Bonuses area. Join now, it's free!

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🏃 Would You Believe Real People Are Actually Finding Jobs Playing Pokémon Go?

How the world’s hottest mobile game is inspiring people to mix business with pleasure.

Photo Credit: JD Hancock

Pokémon Go has taken the world by storm since it was released in July 2016. In only a few weeks, it was installed on more devices than LinkedIn, and was being played more often than people use Facebook or Twitter.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Anything so popular is going to have an impact on people’s lives, and even their careers. Employees have already been fired for playing while working, including dangerously while driving a public bus.

Yeah, don’t do that.

On the flip side, here are some of the creative ways Pokémon Go players and fans have begun making a living from their favorite game, doing jobs that can be done remotely from anywhere in the world, even in countries where the game hasn’t officially been released yet.

Be in the game, not of the game

1) Account sellers

British Law graduate Sophia Pedraza quit her job as a private tutor making US$2,600 monthly to play the game full-time.

Her plan?

“To accumulate multiple phones so she can level up a bunch of accounts and sell them on eBay for more than $1,300.”

2) Account builders

Similarly, there are companies and regular people looking to hire freelancers to grow Pokémon accounts for them. They will literally pay you to play!

Mom saw on the news tht ppl were hiring others to play their pokemon go when they had work, she tried to persuade me to do this as my job…

— Gabby Conway (@gabby_conway) July 22, 2016

In the UK, you can earn £40 (about US$53) per hour to catch monsters for your clients, or you can set up shop on freelance marketplaces by offering to catch Pokémon for an hourly or fixed fee, such as on PeoplePerHour.

In India, a company is looking to hire a full-time ‘official Pokémon catcher’ with a monthly starting salary of ₹25,000 (about US$373).

3) Coaches

New Zealand barista and bartender Dave Currie quit his job to take a Pokémon Go vacation, touring his country while hunting for monsters to catch. He’s not the only one either.

He did so well that a few days after the above YouTube clip was posted, he received a job offer: “a gaming company in the US has offered me a job to be a professional Pokémon Go coach, which would entail me doing Skype calls with players from all over the world who wish to get tips from me and get ahead.”

Okay, be of the game too

What if you love the game but don’t want to make a career out of it?

While you can network with other trainers at PokéStops and Gyms, the chances of that leading to a job aren’t very high.

However, many people are using their non-gaming skills for jobs that are related to the game, its players and culture.

For example, drivers, joggers and anyone always on the move are offering egg-hatching services.

On Fiverr, sellers are offering to photoshop or draw you as a Pokémon trainer and sell you Pokémon Go tip guides.

On Craigslist, people are offering to drive or SAIL you around while you play, take you to places where specific monsters tend to be found, or run a Pokémon Go-themed party for you.

On Upwork, freelancers will do Pokémon Go-related designs, write related articles, even create related mobile apps.

Then there’s this:

My job today at work is to stop Pokemon go people from walking on the field during baseball games … lol

— juliana (@heyitsjoge) July 23, 2016

How Pokémon Go is impacting recruiting and job search in other ways

The game’s creator Niantic is also looking to hire thanks to the game’s popularity:

Job Listing Shows Niantic Wants Help with Pokemon GO Servers https://t.co/n7uG6Hf5Ab?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss

— Montserrat Gascó (@Montpeixet) August 3, 2016

In India, Microsoft is using the game to recruit developers:

Looking for senior full stack and android engineers for @MicrosoftIndia Pune location. Our office has 8 pokestops and 2 gyms #PokemonGO

— Vishwesh ᕙ(⇀‸↼)ᕗ (@vishweshji) July 12, 2016

The US Navy is getting in on the act:

Are you looking for a job and do you play Pokemon go?
I found a company that's hiring. pic.twitter.com/xt7dCEJzS3

— Josh (@sirjuicyjosh) July 23, 2016

Job seekers are mentioning the game in interviews:

I professed my love of Pokémon Go in an interview and still got the job. Dreams come true!

— Libby (@LibbyHollan) July 24, 2016

Around the world, there’s even a growing stereotype that Pokémon Go players are all unemployed slackers:

Pokemon Go get a job

— Beau Peter Brooks (@BrooksBeau) July 30, 2016

But I completely agree with this:

Gettin real sick of the "Pokemon Go get a job" hater nonsense. I have a great job, and I was still pumped to get a Pikachu. So shut up.

— Hope Weiss (@hweiss6691) July 24, 2016

Question of the article

Have you ever been tempted to quit your job to play a game, travel or follow some other passion? Tell us in the comments.

Subscribe to JobMob via email and follow me on Twitter for more unconventional job search tips that work.

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🙈 How To Overcome These Awkward Job Interview Moments

You too can squirm out of these 9 common job interview situations.

Photo Credit: Pascal

No matter how much preparation you have done, job interviews create stress and nervous behavior. We have all experienced some awkward moments in job interviews bring, so how can we overcome them and help ourselves beat the fear?

This is a guest post by Corinne Hutchinson.

Free bonus: The One Job Interview Resource You’ll Ever Need is a handy reference to help you prepare for any kind of job interview. Download it free now

1) You are late

How can someone who is coming for a job interview be "running late" by 30 mins and fail to inform the interviewer?

— Rajat Agrawal (@rajatagr) July 11, 2016

Running late, even 5 minutes, is not acceptable for an interview. It gives a bad impression plus you turn up flustered, giving yourself a rocky start.

What to do next time?

First, work out WHY you were late and take it from there. If it was traffic or the train was delayed, make sure on your next interview, you do a practice journey to anticipate the length and potential traffic jams. You could also leave at least an extra ½ hour earlier, find a coffee shop locally and sit and wait until it’s time. If you woke up late and turned your alarm off, get 2 alarms or go to bed earlier. You cannot afford to be late for an interview, anytime, so take the precautionary steps to avoid.

2) Limp or sweaty handshake

I had a job interview at the lib and the librarian went to shake my hand but i gave her a pencil instead fml I'm perpetually awkward 🆘

— Ahmed Eldesoky (@TweetsByAhmed) April 13, 2016

You turn up with sweaty palms and shake the interviewer’s before wiping your hands dry and cooling them off. The shame!

What to do next time?

Carry a handkerchief if you often suffer from sweaty hands and remind yourself to air and dry them before you even walk into the building, let alone the interview room.

3) Eye contact

You maintain good initial eye contact with your interviewer but then comes a moment where you are both staring at each other and you do not feel comfortable blinking or moving your glance away first. Your eyes start to water and you start to squint. You lose track of your thoughts.

What to do next time?

Remind yourself that your interviewer could be as uncomfortable as you and that the interview is a two-way street. If you feel your eyes about to water just blink and regain eye contact. Try not to spend the entire interview looking at the walls, ceilings and the interviewer’s clothes but do not be afraid to look away either.

4) Answering a question incorrectly

You are so nervous that you did not listen properly to the question, you begin to answer it but incorrectly and have gone off on the wrong tangent. Halfway through, you realize your mistake but still carry on and ignore the issue. You squirm and it effects your confidence for the rest of the interview.

What to do next time?

Be honest. If halfway through the question you notice that you’re talking about something totally irrelevant, stop yourself, apologize and remind the interviewer what their question was and then begin to answer it accordingly. It will show them that you are confident to own up to mistakes and confidently turn it around.

5) Slag of previous employer

Went to a job interview and they asked me why I left Pollo Loco I had to lie to them cuz I didn't wanna make Pollo Loco look bad

— Ałex (@alex_wtf_bruh) December 29, 2015

You’re asked why you left your recent employer and you go into huge detail about how terrible your manager was and the issues surrounding your leaving. Uh ok – epic fail. You really do not need to drop in this air of negativity as you come off worse all around.

What to do next time?

Make sure you have prepared an appropriate response as to WHY you left your company and ensure any of your answers to questions asked do not revert back to negative comments regarding your previous boss, colleagues or company. If you do, by mistake, start to talk about something like this, apologize straight away, take a deep breath and wrap up your answer with added positivity.

6) Waffling and repeating yourself

Getting stuck on a point, waffling around it and repeating the same thing in different ways is common behavior as a result of being nervous. Once you start, and you know you’re doing it, it’s pretty hard to nip it in the bud. It is also frustrating for an interviewer to listen to, so be more aware.

What to do next time?

By preparing yourself with the answers to a variety of interview questions and by feeling more confident in your ability to be able to answer them in different way, you will more likely avoid the waffling. Practice answering questions with friends or family and make a conscious effort to tail off your answer to come to a final point and complete it without repeating the answer in several ways. Practice makes perfect

7) You swear

Sometimes when you are passionate and excited it is easy to let a swear word out.

What to do next time?

If your interviewer has portrayed more prolific terminology, do not allow yourself to slip to their standards – remain professional at all times. If you swear by accident for whatever reason, do not make too much of a big deal about it but do not ignore it. Again, best to apologize and simply explain how you are so passionate about the situation. Once you’ve made an apology, regain your composure and finish your answer. Owning up to a mistake and displaying a graceful recovery speaks wonders.

8) Your phone rings

Pro tip: Even if your job interview is done remotely/over video, don't let your phone ring 3 FREAKING TIMES before silencing it. #srsly

— Bill Burke (@billplaysdrums) November 24, 2015

You are mid-way through answering a question or worse, the interviewer is talking and your phone rings. Doh! A common mistake but also one that many people should now be in the habit of dealing with.

What to do next time?

First off, turn off your phone before you enter into the building. Secondly, if the phone rings, apologize quickly, find your phone and turn it off asap. Don’t even look at the screen and especially DO NOT answer it! Explain that you were more wrapped up with preparing for the interview than worrying about turning your phone off.

9) Your fly was down

You leave the interview and notice that you are flying low 🛬 and have been the whole time… The interviewer is probably not going to mention it but let’s just hope that you were well covered up while seated and they didn’t notice.

What to do next time?

Don’t worry too much – this is more of an embarrassing mistake than having the job riding on it. But no matter how much of a rush you may be in, you need to get into the habit of drawing your zip up. 🛫

Question of the article

What was your most awkward job interview? Tell us about it in the comments.

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About the author

Corinne Hutchinson is a professional marketer and career advisor working in the online recruitment industry at TipTopJob.com, an international network of job boards covering 61 industry sectors, 172 countries and over 400,000 active jobs. She has written articles and advised jobseekers on searching and applying for jobs since 2005.

READ NEXT: 15 Nerve-racking Job Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

Quick laugh: most awkward interview ever (The Office, UK version)

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📝 111 Smart Resume Section Headings and Titles

The list is divided into sections, just like your resume, to group the related headers together for easy reference.

Photo Credit: Kathryn Decker

You might want to bookmark this for reference later…

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Free bonus: The One Resume Resource You’ll Ever Need is a handy reference to make your resume get you more job interviews. Download it free now

Objectives, Summaries and Goals

Career Goal
Objective
Career Objective
Employment Objective
Professional Objective
Summary
Career Summary
Professional Summary
Summary of Qualifications

My new resume includes a section called "THINGS I CAN PRETEND TO DO".

— Paula Pell (@perlapell) May 19, 2016

Work and Employment

Employment History
Work History
Work Experience
Experience
Professional Experience
Professional Background
Additional Experience
Career Related Experience
Related Experience
[Industry] Experience – replace [Industry] with the name of yours, such as ‘Accounting Experience’
Freelance
Freelance Experience
Army Experience
Military Experience
Military Background

Education and Training

Academic Background
Academic Experience
Programs
Courses
Related Courses
Education
Educational Background
Educational Qualifications
Educational Training
Education and Training
Training
Academic Training
Professional Training
Course Project Experience
Related Course Projects
Internship Experience
Internships
Apprenticeships
College Activities
Certifications
Special Training

Extra-curricular

Activities and Honors
Affiliations
Professional Affiliations
Associations
Professional Associations
Memberships
Professional Memberships
Athletic Involvement
Community Involvement
Civic Activities
Extra-Curricular Activities
Professional Activities
Volunteer Work
Volunteer Experience

Skills, Expertise and Proficiencies

One of my friends put "memes" under the languages spoken section of her resume as a joke and submitted it bc she forgot to change it im cry

— Trevor ☭ (@trevcommie) June 29, 2016

Credentials
Qualifications
Areas of Experience
Areas of Expertise
Areas of Knowledge
Skills
Career Related Skills
Professional Skills
Specialized Skills
Technical Skills
Computer Skills
Computer Knowledge
Software (as in, ‘software you are familiar with’)
Technologies
Technical Experience
Proficiencies
Languages
Language Competencies and Skills
Programming Languages

Achievements and Accomplishments

I accidentally just submitted a resume that had "putting in eye drops while driving an automobile 75+ mph" in the achievements section

— Garrett Kruger (@DGKrug_) July 6, 2016

Licenses
Presentations
Conference Presentations
Conventions
Dissertations
Exhibits
Papers
Publications
Professional Publications
Research
Research Grants
Research Projects
Current Research Interests
Thesis / Theses

Awards and Recognition

can i put "notable knight: courage" on my resumé under the awards section

— fiona kelly (@FIONZ_) July 3, 2016

Honors
Academic Honors
Accolades
Endorsements
Achievements
Accomplishments
Awards
Distinctions
Fellowships
Scholarships

Credibility and Proof

Portfolio
References
Testimonials
Recommendations
Web Portfolio
Writing Samples – as in, ‘where to find them’
Websites – as in, ‘Created’ or ‘Designed’)
Social Media Profiles

Status

Availability – as in, ‘when I will be available’ if you’re currently unavailable (e.g. student) but need to apply in advance

Fell asleep before the plane even took off. Can I add that to my skills section on my resume?

— Camden Scott (@cammiescott) May 10, 2016

What’s missing?

Did you notice that the following weren’t in the list?

Hobbies
Interests
Personal Interests
Miscellaneous

That’s because none of these sections should appear on your resume unless you have a very specific reason to add them, and I don’t mean ‘as filler to make it a whole page.’

READ NEXT: 9 Tips for a Surprisingly Helpful Hobbies & Interests Resume Section

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• 60 Resume Achievement Writing Ideas and Expressions
• 500 Positive Resume Action Verbs That Get Job Interviews
• 35 Resume Filenames Recruiters Won’t Respond To

Click the image below to get access to The One Resume Resource You’ll Ever Need:

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👥 How To Stop Identity Theft From Losing You New Jobs

If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Photo Credit: JD Hancock

Imagine that after applying for a job online, you suddenly get an enthusiastic response. A human resources manager from a top company is interested in your candidacy. Turns out you might be just the person they’re looking for. All they need from you now is some personal information for a routine background check to make sure you qualify.

Naturally you feel excited about the prospect of working with more interesting clients and earning a better salary. So, in hopes of securing a position, you provide them with your data without thinking too much into it. After all they are a reputable company working with important clients.

Or are they?

Unfortunately, job markets have been infiltrated by criminals who seek to exploit your trusting nature and collect your personal information with fake job ads. Identity theft is a common cybercrime and it can wreak havoc in your financial life or damage your personal reputation.

Luckily there are some warning signs to watch out for.

Another job rejection and got hit on an employment scam. Not a good week so far. #jobsearch2016

— Not Tom Cruise (@tom_lam) June 29, 2016

If you don’t want to experience the stress of spending your whole afternoon canceling credit cards, setting up fraud alerts and nervously checking your account balances, then keep in mind the following tips to protect yourself from cybercrime and don’t let it affect your job search.

Pay attention… there’s a quiz with a real scam to test your knowledge at the bottom of the article.

4 red flags that should raise suspicion

1) Poor language use

Common sense tells us that if something sounds too good to be true, it almost always is. Similarly, if something just seems too awkward to be real it’s also probably a fraud. Frequent spelling mistakes, poor grammar and strange sentence structures are usually a clear sign that the person who wrote the job posting is definitely not from the company they claim to represent.

2) Non-company domain names

Another red flag is raised when the “hiring” company uses someone else’s website or domain name in their listings. For example,  when contact information in the job posting has a Gmail address. Why wouldn’t they use company email? A real human resources employee would never request communication via a private email address.

3) Requests for sensitive information

An application form that asks for a lot of sensitive information is yet another telltale sign that something isn’t right. Requiring your bank account number, credit card number, your mother’s maiden name, or even a four-digit PIN code is almost certainly an overkill.

Stop and think about it for a moment.

People looking for a job are in need and tend to do anything if they think it’s going to help them get hired. Fraudsters are aware of this psychological weakness and expect you to forego your skepticism when your hopes get up. Ask yourself, why would they really need so much information up front? Does it even make sense?

If still in doubt, it doesn’t hurt to call the company to verify if the job posting is legitimate.

4) High sense of urgency

Fake job listings also create a sense of urgency because the job is supposed to start in a couple of weeks. And therefore they request that you should give out your sensitive information immediately. Sometimes it can be true that the company is in a hurry. But keep in mind that creating a sense of urgency is also an age old marketing technique to get us to take action more quickly. Don’t let your inherent fear of missing out stop you from thinking things through and doing your research.

Even if most job seekers would prefer to have companies seek them out than the other, usual way around, be more cautious when a recruiter contacts you out of the blue about a position you haven’t applied for.

i just got a weird message about a job i didnt apply for but im going along with it. probably a scam but if its funny i will screenshot it

— Yaya Martin (@SUNSHIN3_) June 16, 2016

Especially if they ask for sensitive information, you should again call the company and check if that recruiter is indeed a company employee or representative. And safeguard your information until then, in particular your Social Security Number (SSN or other ID number, depending on your country).

Only give out your ID information to vetted contacts

In a way, your SSN is the key to your personal world. It’s your most important identity asset. A skilled hacker can use it to do significant financial damage such as hijacking your credit accounts, opening new ones, going on a shopping spree, obtaining illegal products and services and even commit all sorts of crimes while pretending to be you. In the worst case scenario, this could even put your life at risk.

If you must share it, only do it after verifying that the request is legitimate in the first place. While online job boards do what they can to remove fake postings you can never be 100% sure that they haven’t missed something. Ultimately, you are the gatekeeper of your personal information and the best way to protect yourself from identity thieves is to be skeptical and limit access to your sensitive data as best as you can.

Quiz

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

lmao isn't this that job that is a scam or whatever lol pic.twitter.com/uqPQizNX5X

— Kaleb (@kalebdj) June 28, 2016

Why you MUST notify companies of potential corporate identity theft

If you suspect a job scam, a quick google or Twitter search of the company’s name might be enough to confirm or remove your fears.

Thought I finally got a major job hook up and it takes one google search to find out ITS A SCAM!!!

— Tommy Le (@Tgodly97) June 17, 2016

But what if the fake job posting appears from a real company, including their logo, address, etc., while still showing some of the warning signs mentioned above?

A google search might only help build the phony ad’s credibility if it’s supposedly from a company you hadn’t already heard of.

Your best option is to reach out to the company directly to get confirmation, but NOT with the contact information used in the ad. Rather, look for different contact information found online. If a job scammer can post fake ads, they can also create fake company websites with the same contact information used in the ads.

Avoiding applying to a scam would be a win for you, but there’s an even better reason you should call companies about this: doing a company a favor upfront is a fantastic way to get yourself in the door.

Doing a company a favor upfront is a fantastic way to get yourself in the door Click To Tweet

Calling a company to ask about your resume will often get a standard response from a receptionist, but calling a company to say that someone may be stealing their corporate identity with a job application scam will be taken much more seriously.

That call is also more likely to get you through that reception gatekeeper to someone who can actually do something about the problem: an HR person who is aware of current company job openings, the exact person you would want to talk to there. They would know if the ad in question is fake, and if you explain how and why you found the ad, they just might be interested in you for a real job opening at the company.

Latest update on job advertisement scam: pic.twitter.com/61bc5m5wTb

— PETRONAS (@Petronas) June 25, 2016

READ NEXT: 3 Reasons Job Search Spam Should Scare You

Another take on the job scam from the tweet in the quiz:

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🎁 33 Unique Items Sent To Recruiters by Job Seekers

Have a recruiter you want to impress or thank? Here’s some inspiration.

Photo Credit: Pascal

Enjoy!

(And if you laugh, share this article with at least one friend to give them a laugh too)

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

(If you answered yes, tell us what you sent in the comments)

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1. Breast-shaped Cupcake

Several days after interviewing a young woman for an open position, I received a “thank you” card. It read:

“Thank you so much for considering me as a candidate to fill the position. Please accept this gift as a token of my appreciation and look forward to speaking with you soon.”

I proceeded to open the small box which accompanied note and found a cupcake in the shape of a woman’s breast. I called the interviewee to let her know her token had confused me.

Embarrassingly, she explained that I had received the cupcake intended for her husband.

She withdrew her application.

Lyman A. Montgomery, Lyman Montgomery Success Network

2. Origami Eagle

I applied for a job that was “detail oriented.”

I sent my resume along with a highly complex origami eagle I had made from a folded square of paper [pictured above].

I got an interview, and then a second interview, and then I got the job!

Benjamin John Coleman, Origami Bonsai

3. Vial of Visine

One of the most memorable things sent to me from a job seeker was a vial of Visine attached to his resume.

I received a ton of resumes for an open position and I did indeed get red eyes looking though all the resumes.

The Visine was a clever differentiator that made that candidate stand out. Because of that I brought him in for an interview.

Tedd Rodman, Aveksa

4. Autographed New England Patriots Helmet

Nicest gift I’ve received was a full sized New England Patriots Helmet with QB Tom Brady’s signature.

The gentleman wasn’t even a candidate. Obviously I gave him an hour on the phone talking about his career and the best way to tackle going about a job search … The gentleman worked for one of the baseball card companies. So sport memorabilia was something he had plenty of access to, and in turn used it to his advantage for networking.

He had been given my name as someone he should contact, hence he sent the helmet as a “foot in the door.”

John W. Ferneborg, The Ferneborg Group

5. Railroad Spikes

Once knew a young man named Spike who wanted a job in the entertainment publicity market.

His first mailing included actual railroad spikes painted silver. That was impressive.

Where he blew it was in the follow-up. He sent huge sponges with a note that read, “In case my first mailing got you too excited.” You can imagine how my then-boss, a woman, felt about that.

Spike was erased from her databank and has never been heard from again.

Tom Kidd, Pres Pak Public Relations

6. Newborn Baby Pictures

One guy sent me pictures of his newborn baby. Wasn’t sure if he was a proud papa or just trying to trick me into hiring him.

Rich Matteo, @CornOntheJob

7. Big Packet of Beef Jerky

Funniest [gift] was big packet of beef jerky… very odd gift, but luckily I do love me some beef jerky!

This was from a candidate that I had a nice meeting with for a search. It was on a Saturday and after the interview he was taking his son to his local state fair. We had joked earlier in the interview that you could always find someone selling great beef jerky and the latest wonder mops. Being witty, he sent me a few packs of jerky.

It gave me a big chuckle!

John W. Ferneborg, The Ferneborg Group

8. Caricature Thank You Card

Had an accurate caricature portrait as a TY [thank you] card. The caricature thank you card is on my profile, it was pretty cool.

Melanie Benwell

9. Resume in Playboy Magazine Centerfold Format

A female applicant sent a resume in a format like the Playboy Magazine: Height, Weight, Measurements, Most Likes, Least Likes, etc. The whole thing except without the photo.

Under “biggest turn-ons”, she said that she liked intelligent people.

She misspelled intelligent.

The whole thing was classic. I kept it to this day. It was written on a typewriter at a time just before computers came into the workplace.

Rich Arzaga, Cornerstone Wealth Management, Inc.

10. Picture of a Key

A candidate once sent me a picture of a key with the caption Thanks for opening that door for me. I thought it was simple but smart.

Duane Roberts, @DuaneRoberts

11. Balloons, Flowers, and a Cake

I have balloons and flowers and a cake this morning.

Cindy Ausman

12. Bag of Mixed Nuts

Once, we had a completely unqualified candidate that was determined to interview for one of our jobs.

After she showed up at our office a few times without an appointment, and after being told repeatedly (very nicely, I might add) that she was not a good fit, the corporate HR department finally had to get in touch with her and tell her to stop.

Her response?

She sent us a bag of mixed nuts with a note that said “I’m not nuts…I just really want to work for you!” Clever, but still doesn’t give you the skills I’m looking for.

This was definitely the most memorable thing I’ve received…but not in a good way.

Michelle Bogner

13. Basket of Chocolates and a Bottle of Vodka

Had a candidate interviewing for a management level IT spot.

His mother sent me a gorgeous basket with chocolates and a bottle of vodka with a note that said “Thank you for helping Ralph with his job hunt. You will need this before it’s over.” I did, he didn’t get the job and was high maintenance.

I sent his mother a thank you note and said I was sorry he did not get the offer.

She sent a note back that said, “me too”.

Sandra McCartt, @SandraMcCartt

14. Robe

A robe.

Bill Schultz

15. Schwag

The only physical thing besides flowers/cards was logo-related like sweatshirt/hat/bags/mugs.

Shannon Myers, @slcmyers

16. Bag of Fried Pork

A bag of fried pork rinds with a note saying he’d crunch all our problems away.

Jane Perdue, @thehrgoddess

17. Handmade Card

This might not be unique but I considered it a “treasure”.

A candidate sent me a handmade card with her beautiful handwriting expressing her heartfelt thoughts and appreciation for believing in her and securing for her a job that she desired. I haven’t seen such personalized cards, better still being handwritten, in years since the advent of emails and social media.

I felt so pleased and proud – it really made my day and wiped away my earlier frustrations. I was so proud that I showed it to my colleagues – just to share my little joy…

Ellen Cheong, JonDavidson Group

18. Wine Filter

One job hunter … sent a wine filter with a note about not having to Filter any more candidates.

John Sumser, @JohnSumser

19. Dog Biscuits

I was recruiting creatives for an advertising group within the Ralston Purina Pet Product Company.

A resume accompanied some dog biscuits which were uniquely designed and packaged —demonstrating this particular candidate’s take on how dog biscuits could be marketed.

Valentino Martinez

20. Baby Bottle

I owned a company with my wife. We advertised in the NY Times looking for a copywriter.

The ad read: “Mommy/Daddy track agency looking for a copywriter.”

The successful candidate sent us a baby bottle.

Josh Moritz, Creative Partners

21. Large Cakes

My most memorable of all gifts was at an interview with a Controller for a cake company.

He brought me 4 large beautiful cakes as a gift. I brought them back to the office and my team was loving this guy for the generosity and great flavors!

John W. Ferneborg, The Ferneborg Group

22. Branded Applications

Applications fully branded to the company (meaning they look and feel like a company marketing document [from the interviewer’s company]. These applications stand out and have 90+% interview rates).

Rebecca Rapple

23. Mini-Fuller Brush

A successful candidate was a Fuller Brush sales person who wanted to work in advertising.

He wrote a great letter and included a mini-fuller brush as a thank you for reading his letter.

Josh Moritz, Creative Partners

24. Actual Paper Resume in an Actual Envelope

A candidate sent me an actual paper resume in an actual envelope and sent it through the regular mail. Weird.:)

Tracey Cress, digital concepts incorporated

25. Brighton Watch

I have received flowers, Starbucks gift cards and once I received a Brighton watch from a job seeker. These were all after I placed them in a job.

Stacy Pursell, The VET Recruiter

26. Resume with a Cover Letter with Three Drawings

While in college, I sent out a resume with a cover letter of me with three drawings as a Clark Kent-looking photographer, one with a notepad and a hat with a press pass in the hat-band (very ’40s Clark Kent) and with fingers flying over a TYPEWRITER’s keyboard (gives you an idea of the era).

An artist friend drew it, I MIMEOGRAPHED the resume and cover.

Not one response.

Two years into my journalism career, I did a newspaper (4 page tab size) with the lead story of me looking for work and my work illustration (writing and photos).

Again, not one response out of 500 sent out. Sent out about the same number for the drawing cover letter.

A short time later, I had an interview for a music writer in Texas. The publisher said he wanted someone creative and my plain resume wasn’t creative. He pulled out my newspaper and the cover sheet he had kept. He said, “You need to be as creative as these people.” I asked him if he had even read the name on the material he was showing, He said no. I said, “Why didn’t you respond when I sent you that material?”

I never got the music writer position.

Richard Kelleher, Marketing Sociologist

27. Cookies

One applicant brought in home made — and delicious! — cookies when applying for a position.

She followed up by saying she hoped we liked the cookies (as baking was listed under Activities in her resume), because she’s half as good at making cookies as she would be at being a Marketing Manager.

She didn’t ultimately get the job, but her effort was positively noticed and helped to get her an interview.

Sara Sutton Fell, FlexJobs

28. Resume in a Chinese Food Delivery Box

I had a candidate send me their resume in a Chinese food delivery box – they folded the resume in the shape of a fortune cookie – they were applying for a marketing job and wanted to show how ‘clever’ they were.

I have to say it stood out in uniqueness but the resume substance did not live up to the clever packaging.

Lisa A. Doorly, Portescap

29. GI Joe Action Figure

I got a GI Joe action figure from a candidate proclaiming to be “The fighter of clean and usable code (Java)”.

Darryl Dioso, Resource Management Solutions Group

30. Designer Candle

My niche is the creative world, so my “gifts” are eccentric! The nicest logical type of gift was a gorgeous designer candle sent Fed Ex overnight by a candidate I had just placed.

Suzanne Levison, @619Suzanne

31. Tea-bagged Resume

I once had a resume sent to me with a tea bag stapled to it. There was a note attached saying something like “take the time to make yourself a cup of tea before you read this. This will be the most important document you read all day.”

The guy was very arrogant, both on the phone and on paper and did not get the job. Also, the fact that the tea bag was stapled meant it was unusable, it ripped when I tried to get it off!

Samantha Lacey, Omni RMS

32. Something to hang on the wall

In my former life as a recruiter, I did receive gifts as far and wide as candy, flowers and cigars to dinner and show tickets. However, one thing I’ll clue you and your readers in on was something I learned for my own “chances to be memorable” (which is why you send something anyway) in my growth as a career expert.

I’ve now made a big impact by sending to folks who I want to stay in the short-term memory of something they can hang on their wall.

That includes my picture, my book, and if they were someone I met, a picture of me actually with them. People hang up these shadow boxes as if they were an award or something, which not only keeps me in front of them, but also allows them to speak of me when someone asks “What’s that?”

The trick for job seekers is to come up with something similarly wall-worthy that has class and appeal that will keep that person top-of-mind.

Darrell W. Gurney, CareerGuy

33. Threatening Letters

The most extreme item I’ve ever seen sent was actually multiple items, from a man who’d heard about an opening for a marketing and PR person at a local charity and decided to demonstrate his expertise at grabbing people’s attention.

He went to the charity’s website and found the names and business contact info for everyone on their board, the people he figured would be making the final decision on the hiring. Then, cutting out letters from a newspaper, he sent each board member a series of letters.

The first had just his first name “John.”

The second read “John Smith.’

Then “John Smith Is,” “John Smith Is Going,” “John Smith Is Out to Going to,” and “John Smith Is Going to Blow.”

Then apparently thinking he was clever enough to avoid creating a problem message, the next letter added two words rather than one. It read: “John Smith Is Going to Blow You Away!”

Which is when the police showed up at his door. Before he had the chance to send out the next letter with his resume that explained just how his expertise was in fact going to blow everyone away.

Barry Maher, barrymaher.com

Had used a recruiter to find new jobs. She worked hard and got me so many interviews. I ended up going to a direct hire, sent a amazon gc

— jay (@jaydestro) June 10, 2016

Free bonus

If you want a handy resume and CV resource that you can keep on your smartphone or print out for easy reference, this special bonus is for you.

This free download contains:

• 111 Smart Resume Section Headings and Titles
• 60 Resume Achievement Writing Ideas and Expressions
• 500 Positive Resume Action Verbs That Get Job Interviews
• 35 Resume Filenames Recruiters Won’t Respond To

Click the image below to get access to The One Resume Resource You’ll Ever Need:

JobMob Insiders can get this free bonus and other exclusive content in the JobMob Insider Bonuses area. Join now, it's free!

READ NEXT: 21 Funny Resume Stories

I originally published a version of this article on Noomii.com: 27 Wackiest Gifts Sent By Job Seekers To Recruiters.

Subscribe to JobMob via RSS or email and follow me on Twitter for more ideas on how to have recruiters remember you.

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