Scot Albert has been unemployed for six months. He’s sent out a lot of resumes and has landed a lot of interviews, but so far no job. With no work in his future he decided to try a unique method of job-hunting – put on a shirt and tie and stand on the corner with a sign seeking employment
“I had to think out of the box, had to be a little different than everyone else, kind of stand out.” With 30 resumes in his pocket, Albert hit the corner of 15th Ave NW and NW Market Street this morning to look for a job. As of 10:30, after an hour on the corner, no takers, but that’s not discouraging Albert. “Tomorrow I’m going to come out and do a little viral video and I’m going to put it on YouTube,” he tells us. “Everyday I’m going to do something different, a little out of the box and try to promote myself.”
Albert has experience in the legal arena, working with evictions and foreclosures for the last few years and now he wants to reinvent himself. He starts culinary school at the Art Institute of Seattle very soon and would like to find an entry-level position in that field, or the legal field that he already knows. Interested in getting in touch with Albert? You can reach him via email at scotalbert4 at yahoo.com.
Problem with a sucky job market is it creates desperate candidates, and employers don’t like desperate candidates.
When advertising/selling yourself, it’s better to look interested but also give the appearance you have other options.
Not quite a unique approach. There is a drunk under the Ballard bridge every day with a sign looking for money. I mean, you are really just looking for money right?
Way to go, Scot! Your ideas (especially with utilizing social media) are wonderful and your creativity is sure to set you apart. Good luck!
If I was hiring someone, I wouldn’t probably go up to a guy on the side of the street with a sign. Im sorry, but I want someone who WANTS my job and is going to pursue it. I know that many people (I have before) apply to everything that sounds good, but still. This seems too desperate for a hiring manager.
I highly doubt this is the only way this man is looking for a job…
To many of your points, I’m sure he’s applying through traditional means. I don’t think he fully expects to get a job at MSFT standing on a street corner.
Also, major kudos to Scot for continuing his education and looking to a field he has interests in – the culinary arts!
Good luck, Scot!
My advice would be that his sign is essentially his resume, and it’s really no better looking than the other “candidates” down the street who are just looking for a handout.
Make a sign that is worthy of a college graduate and you might get more hits…..
In December 2008 I was laid off. I too have a college degree.
After six months I wasn’t anywhere near to panic. I still had faith in my capitalist kidnappers that they would allow me the honor of working for them, that they, out of the goodness of their altruistic hearts would grant me the privilege of working for them.
After six months, after twelve months, after two years of sending out resumes and applications, of volunteering for charity, of going door to door humiliating myself in front of hundreds of so called employers, I am done.
I had always been a loyal servant of the American capitalist system but when the system serves only itself, leaving behind millions of loyal citizens, it is time for those citizens loyal to the people of United States to destroy that system.
I live in Ballard, have for twenty years, and for the rest of my life I will work to end capitalism so that we can have a better socialist future.
Scot I’ll see you in another 22 months.
Considering the fact that he’s experienced, why doesn’t he go through a temp agency? At least for the time being…
money earned, not money given freely
sounds like he is just trying to be famous. there has to be some sort of reality show he could get on to
sounds like he is just trying to be famous. there has to be some sort of reality show he could get on to
I just got hired full-time from being unemployed for almost 2 years. Best job pay/benefit-wise I’ve ever had (I have a degree also)!
Just keep sending out those resumes! If my lazy ass can get a job, so can just about anyone…
because even temp agencies don’t have a lot jobs right now – even for people with skills.
I was laid off in 2008 from a tech field. I hustled and did everything I could to keep my house and the family fed. I painted, traveled to LA and did construction with a friend, drove delivery trucks for others…. always talking to parents at the school, asking neighbors about their company’s and so on. Through this constant badgering and asking friends and acquaintances I got meetings in the field I have experience in. Meetings led to interviews and eventually a great full time job. I was 40 years old and very experienced. In this situation never give up hope.
Umm, you know people apply for jobs in socialist countries too, right?
Also,
“but when the system serves only itself, leaving behind millions of loyal citizens, it is time for those citizens loyal to the people of United States to destroy that system”
Not to be a total jerk, but given that the vast majority of citizens of this country are employed, why does it make it necessary for you to upend a system that seems, on the whole, to work just fine? How many people would your approach leave behind? Or is it just that it wouldn’t leave *you* behind?
As a recruiter something like this comes across as a PR stunt and little more. Of course there’s a lot to be said for PR. If this drives a recruiter or hiring manager to look at his resume or LinkedIn profile then it’s a success.
As someone who earns a living looking at resumes and deciding who does and does not get an interview let me offer up some advice:
1) Don’t appear desperate. This means don’t apply for every single job a company has open. If you have 5-10 years experience in a given field don’t apply for entry level roles in that same field. If you only have 3 years of experience don’t apply for a Director role at a Fortune 500 company.
2) Don’t invite age discrimination. Never list your graduation date on your resume. Employers will find that out when they verify your degree as part of the offer process but until that point there’s nothing to be gained from listing it. If a position calls for 5-7 years of experience don’t list every job you’ve had for the past 20+ years. This impresses no one. If a job calls for 5-7 years your resume shouldn’t go back more than 10 years. Having more years of experience at something rarely means you’re better at it. Also don’t list experience that isn’t directly related to the position your applying for. I’ve seen people with 10+ years of professional experience who still list their college retail jobs.
3) Give specific details of what you did. Don’t say that you managed a team. Say you managed a team of 5 people. Don’t say “Responsible for a large budget”. Say “Responsible for a $20MM budget”. Keep in mind “large” to one company could be trivial to another. The size and scope of what you worked on counts for a lot.
4) Demonstrate results. This is what really makes a resume stand out and gets you the interview. Don’t just say what you accomplished, show how it impacted the business. These days companies are trying to do more with less so being able to show how what you did positively impacted the business is a major way to get your resume to stand out.
5) Avoid fluff statements. Instead of saying “Exceeded sales goals” say “Surpassed sales goal by 20%”. Also avoid vague statements like “outstanding attention to detail” unless you can provide specific examples to back them up in your resume.
6) Don’t trust yourself or your computer. Get a friend who isn’t too familiar with your work to read your resume. If your resume doesn’t make sense to them it probably won’t make sense to a recruiter. Also have them proof your resume for spelling and grammar mistakes. Don’t trust spell checker to catch them.
7) Network like crazy. In every company I’ve worked for referrals are the number one source of hires. If you’re unemployed consider doing volunteer work, ideally with an organization related to your line of work. It may not help your resume but you’ll meet people who in turn may know people. Plus it will give you something to do besides trolling job sites and sending out resumes. Also make sure your profile on LinkedIn is up to date and make an effort to actively reach out to as many companies and recruiters as possible. Don’t simply apply for a job and then sit back and wait for them to contact you because the odds of that happening are very low. Also keep in mind not all jobs are actually listed. I’ve had plenty of clients who don’t bother to list their job openings precisely because they don’t want 300 resumes clogging their inbox. Instead they proactively approach candidates through referrals, networking, etc.
8) Tailor your resume to the job. Read the job description (and granted, most are poorly written!) and look at the top skills/requirements they’re looking for and then craft your resume to specifically show that experience. This is absolutely critical if your trying to change industries/professions. Recruiters may have 300+ people apply for one opening. You need to make it very clear to them how your experience is relevant so they don’t hit that delete key.
9) Don’t write your resume in the third person. Some people thinks this makes it sound more professional. It doesn’t, it just makes you sound insane.
Cyclocrossmechanic, thank you for the advice in regard to Resume’s. Moreover, I am Scot Albert the article was written in regard to my situation.Furthermore, I was as you stated trying to self promote myself in an out of the box vertical thinking manner. I managed to get three Job Interviews out of my forward thinking. However, I am not employed at this time and I do appreciate what you had shared in regard to Resume preparation.I have a bachelor’s degree but I will be going back to College next week to reinvent myself in the new field of Culinary Arts. I am trying to find a position that is related in some way to the subject matter I will be studying. Thank you once again for posting in regard to Resume preparation.
Wow – 3 interviews by way of standing on the street corner with a sign like that? Expect to see fierce competition for street corners with those wanting free money – this may become interesting! Neon-colored board paper, maybe some flashing lights, to draw attention. Finding work in New America takes a twist here in Ballard! Good work Scot – you may have started something here.
I you really believe that the system works just fine. Read one book.
Planet of Slums, by Mike Davis. Published by Verso 2006
ISBN 1-84467-022-8
It’s a short (226 pp.) easy read. If you don’t want to buy it, you can get it at the Seattle Library.
On the subject of work. Actually in a socialist society work would not be optional, and much harder for most people in the U.S. than it is now. For me work has all ways been a joyfull experience of creation. The question isn’t if you’re going to work. The question is to what ends.
Consider approaching restaurants and offering to do an unpaid internship. I had a friend who decided to leave the corporate world to do this and it worked for her though it wasn’t easy. She actually skipped culinary school entirely and eventually became a pastry chef at some of the top rated restaurants in SF.
just lie. i was u/e as of 9/09 and 2 months ago put that i was currently employed on my resume. i start a new job monday. it sucks you have to lie but employers are not hiring the u/e so i’ll have the same ethics they do.
When looking for a job, any method is very important.
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