Heart your Potential Employer this Valentine’s Day!

Posted By: Heather Fairchild In: Job Seeker - General

If you want to land a new job in February it wouldn’t hurt to show your future boss a little love. You don’t have to do anything that would be grounds for a lawsuit or earn you an office reputation though. Try these tips to show some love before you show up for your interview.

Mmmmm & Mmmmms – Nothing says Valentine’s Day like chocolate. Take advantage of the sweet sales M&Ms offers on personalized candies. Choose your colors add an image, URL and/or custom slogan. I would do something like “Hire Heather” or “Fairchild for the Job!” Put the candies in clear packages and print out a sticker label that has your name, contact info and skill set. Pass out the pouches at places you would like to apply and networking events.

Mail in a Mug – A creative tactic to initiate contact is to mail a would-be employer a coffee mug. You can skip the stuffed animal but stuff your resume in the package instead. Send it signature required and track the package on your phone. Shortly after you’ve been notified that it arrived while the gesture is still fresh, call and follow up with a quick word about what you can do for their company.

Befriend them with Flowers – Nothing makes an office buzz louder than a flower delivery so make the grapevine gossip about you. After the holiday the prices of fresh flowers plummet and you can always find vases cheap at the thrift store. Snatch up a couple bouquets and print out copies of your resume to drop off at the reception desks of your choice companies. When people walk by they’ll stop to see who the flowers are from so make sure to attach your contact info in the card.

Love it and Live it – Research companies where you would like to work and find out what’s important to them. Most big businesses list mission statements, charitable contributions and volunteer involvement on their websites. Find out which companies support the non-profits that are important and get involved. Help the world while you boost your contacts and credibility at the company.

Open your heart to the opportunities that are out there. You don’t have to wait until a position is open to prepare to apply. With a little love and creativity you can control your destiny this Valentine’s Day.
 

What flavor M&Ms are your favorite? Let me know in the comments below.

By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a multimedia developer with experience in web, film, photography and animation as well as traditional fine arts like painting and sculpting. In addition to writing for Beyond.com, she is co-founder of a design and promotion company. Heather’s spare time consists of making puppets, teaching Sunday School, building Legos and doing science experiments with her children.