Why A Highly Creative Resume Won’t Help You Land A Job
Highly creative resumes may be marvels to look, but odds are they unfortunately won't help you land a job, here's why.
This article is more than 2 years old
A trend in designing your own cover letters and resumes has been taking the internet by storm. Branded “creative resumes,” these job applications are being taken to the extreme level. People have tried personal branding, care packages, and elaborate displays to try and get employers to notice them. One particular creative resume went viral on TikTok, highlighting the cutthroat employment market many faces in 2022.
A young upstart, 22-year-old Lauren Partridge, posted a viral video about how she crafted her creative resume. After seeing a job advert for one of her favorite podcasts, she concocted a plan to ensure the hiring team acknowledged her cover letter and employment experience. In an oversaturated market with a precarious economy, the America that once promised well-paying jobs post-college does not exist anymore. Many freshly graduated twentysomethings are scrambling to have employers review their resumes, let alone hire them.
Partridge realized she had a small shot at getting the internship at her beloved podcast. She spent two days crafting an original, creative resume to capture the attention of podcast CEO Grace Beverly. The self-branded care package included Partridge’s CV, which was decorated with the podcast’s branding, thank-you cards, and other knick-knacks on top of a pillowy collection of pink tissue paper. The design is striking in its pink monochrome theme and showcases Partridge’s laborious effort in creating the package. “It feels like an ordinary CV isn’t going to get you anywhere,” Partridge stated, acknowledging the frustrating state of the American job market.
Partridge isn’t the only one feeling the deep agitation with the fleeting idea of the American dream. Many post-grads have struggled to find employment with their degrees, with entry-level jobs at companies nationwide receiving astronomical amounts of cover letters and resumes. In November 2021, the Institute of Student Employees conducted a survey to prove how difficult it is to obtain a job in the current market. The number of applicants for graduate jobs was at an all-time high, reaching an average of 91 applications per vacant opportunity. This is 17% higher than it was in 2020. This has led many to produce creative resumes, attempting to get employers to review their credentials and stick out from the swarm of applicants.
TikTok has been the premier social media platform for post-grads to show their creative resumes. People have done everything from making personalized gift baskets to printing their CVs on custom t-shirts. Though it’s impressive to see many taking job applications seriously, creating an exceptional, out-of-the-box resume doesn’t guarantee an applicant’s hiring. In fact, it could leave more room for error on the physical display. If typos are included on the CV, or it doesn’t look like it’s been proofread, the application will likely be turned away. Creative resumes could be a beneficial way to get an application thoroughly read by an employer, but substance and experience are still what a hiring team is looking for.
There’s no question that young Americans are at an employment disadvantage in 2022. Though creative resumes are an excellent way to increase a CV’s viewership, it doesn’t guarantee post-grads a job at their desired company.
