A former client told me this story.  She worked for a major fine china manufacturer, and she said that the human resources department at her company once received a resume that had been engraved on a plate that was manufactured by the company (I can’t even begin to imagine how much money that would have cost).

Apparently, this person was very interested in working at this company, and he thought he’d do anything he could to get noticed.

Clearly, he did manage to get noticed; his resume/dinner plate made the rounds of the offices at the company. Unfortunately, he couldn’t back up his gimmick with the skills or experience that the employer required. Because his resume did not demonstrate that he had the kind of skills and experience the employer was seeking, he never became a serious candidate for the job.

While tricks and gimmicks may get you noticed, they usually don’t get you noticed in a way that turns you into a serious candidate in the eyes of the employer. Standard resume formats may not seem exciting or sexy, but unless you’re in a highly creative field, (assuming your resume is well written) a standard resume is exactly what employers need to determine whether you are a good candidate for the job.

Nothing replaces a solid work history expressed clearly on a well written resume.

Get plenty of resume ideas that do work.