The Web has simplified the hunt for employment, much to the relief of job seekers everywhere. But the relative ease of applying for work has arguably made things more complex for employers, who can be inundated by
irrelevant or flat-out
bizarre submissions. Now, though, some companies are using digital platforms in their favor, expressing their culture and needs in creative ways and tasking applicants with proving their worth prior to an interview.
Drawsome Intern: Ad agency
Muse Amsterdam harnessed the
popular power of the app
Draw Something in a recent hunt for intern candidates. Rather than submit a straightforward CV, young creatives were directed to download the app and log in as a “Drawsome Intern.” Player-applicants could then sketch a word of their choice, knowing Muse recruiters would be browsing for the most “beautiful, stupid, and genius drawings” in the bunch. The artists behind the most compelling sketches were invited to apply to the internship. This ingenious recruitment method helped Muse cut back on
inbox clutter while giving its recruiters a glimpse into each applicant’s creative prowess.
Pinboard Recruitment: In search of a standout creative director, London-based
Work Club did what any self-respecting digital agency would do: they built a
listing on the platform of the moment, which, at the moment, is
Pinterest. The agency created the pinboard “Work Club is Looking for a New Creative Director” and populated it with a series of pop culture references, mostly
stills from
classic movies chosen by the staff. Each image was captioned with a related quip about the available position and some of its requirements. All told, the captions reveal a clear picture of Work Club’s culture, and speak to the type of CD who might fit in.
“Join the Flock” Viral Video: Twitter hardly needs to stir up excitement for its brand among aspiring engineers, who are well attuned to the
world-changing company. Still, during its 2012
Hack Week—a weeklong
innovation event at Twitter HQ—higher-ups provoked employees to make the “best/worst recruiting video of all time.” The challenge was met successfully by employees Ian Padgham and Jeremy Briggs. The
resulting video, which cost nothing to make and required no new equipment, purposefully features the clumsy editing, staged interactions, and cheesy catch-phrases that so delight viewers of
B-movies and budget infomercials. The video struck an instant chord with viewers, garnering nearly 500,000 views in just two days.
