When I read on LinkedIn that a young woman from Wilmington, NC had created a “cake resume” and sent it to Nike, it made me want a slice. I love attention-seeking gimmicks that break through the daily blah. Resumes are still necessary and relevant yet rarely gain attention. Most jobs at companies come from referrals or recruiters – not applications on a website.
When Karly baked up this ‘resume on a cake’ idea, it helped her start to achieve her job seeking goals – “how can I get the attention of leaders at larger brands so they’ll at least talk to me.”
What’s fun about this story is that I had met Karly before but forgot that we had connected. She worked for an agency I was working with and was a new team member. I always connect with everyone on LinkedIn after a meeting, and she and I haven’t gotten a chance to talk.
Unfortunately, the agency had to cut back on staff, and Karly started her creative job search. When I read her post on LinkedIn and saw the cake resume had received 132,000 views and 5,400 comments. I wanted to learn more.
Her Own PR Agent
Serving as her own PR agent, Karly turned this cake resume into an interview on CNN, The Drew Barrymore Show, The Today Show, Entrepreneur Magazine, and an upcoming Good Morning America segment. That is a pretty good ROI – return on the icing.
Karly likes to say, “I’m that girl who put her resume on a cake and sent it to Nike.”
So far, she hasn’t been hired by Nike. She is talking with them in hopes she’ll get an interview at the Beaverton, Oregon footwear and apparel company. The publicity has helped her connect to many folks, but she is still looking for that dream job.
Karly’s approach to finding a job is simple. She wanted to get noticed and start a conversation with people who are difficult to reach.
Try something different. It is hard to break through the stack of resumes when they are all printed on paper or PDFs. Try flour, sugar, and eggs.
If you are in marketing, you have more leeway to do something playful and original. Show a potential employer why you are different than the pack. A resume “tells a story” – a cake “shows the story” resume shows. She is showing her creative ingenuity through this guerrilla marketing tactic.
Talk to as many people as possible.
Find the people who work in a department or a brand that interests you. Could you find a way to connect with them? It might require baking a cake or using your network creatively. I’m going to introduce Karly to several people in my network who I think will value her background, skillset and moxie. That might not have happened if the cake story didn’t breakthrough and grab my interest.
Talk to recruiters, people who are friends of friends, and connections on LinkedIn. Help people help you by getting clear on what assistance you need. Consider a strategic networking document as the answer when someone says, “how can I help you.” What industry do you want to work in, what title are you seeking, what type of culture is essential, etc.?
Why is it so important to talk to lots of people?
Because you never know what someone will say that sparks an idea or opens a new connection. Or sheds light on a job you haven’t considered that fits your skills.
The Icing on The Cake
How you break through and connect to people is limitless. The best part of Karly’s approach is demonstrating how she can think on her feet and break through the attention challenge. For some, this gimmick may not fit who you are and how you roll.
I wouldn’t hire Karly because of the gimmick. But I would meet with her to see if she fits our team and has the qualifications needed. But she might get an interview or meeting that she wouldn’t have had she sent another digital or paper resume.
How will you rise to the occasion in your job search and grab attention?
Guest Blogger: Karly Blackburn is that girl who sent my resume on a cake to Nike. It went viral and serving as my own PR person, you can see me on serving as my own PR person. You can catch me on CNN. See the recorded ersion here or watch me on the Drew Barrymore Show Want to connect and chat about hiring me? Email me at karlypavlinac3@gmail.com
You can set up a time to chat with me about your marketing challenges using my calendar. Email me jeffslater@themarketingsage.com Call me. 919 720 0995. The conversation is free, and we can explore if working together makes sense. Watch a short video about working with me.
