You know what you need to do when you are job hunting. You search for job opportunities on the Internet, browse the company sites, fill up the general information in an application format and add your curriculum vitae.

Once you are done with this, what do you do? You probably wait. There are chances that your resume may go into the black hole, maybe it gets lost in a pile of hundreds of resumes or it may find its way to the desk of the hiring manager.

But, what happens when there are 5000 applications being submitted for the same job? At the same time, you cannot take it that you are just another whose application is jostling with that stack of resumes.

When it really matters to you, can you find a way out to stand out from that crowd?  

There is definitely a way out for you. All you need to do is have a big dose of creativity and work a little extra. But, if you find that the current job makes you go above and beyond your application, you can try out some unconventional methods to make your way to the interview.

Go beyond the white paper

If you have been associated with a creative industry and now if you want a change and want to apply to an especially creative company, the pattern of your resume must be different from that of traditional black and white resume. You can make your resume like a part of your portfolio- that only highlights your accomplishments and quality.

You can find out several examples where graphic designers turn their curriculum vitas into a beautifully designed infographic. And professionals associated with marketing and communications prepare ad campaigns with a tagline to focus their skills. If you want to have some examples, you can check out the stunningly creative resumes on Instagram.

Well, this type of approach cannot be the right fit for every company and position. But, it can turn out to be a great technique to make your curriculum vitae stand out. In a nutshell, stand out from the sea of resumes of others out there.  

Form a tailor-made application

Your curriculum vitae shows the value you have brought to your previous companies- but what interests the current employers about you  is how you can bring value to their companies. Therefore, try to respond to the questions thrown at you. It will be better if you create a presentation highlighting their specific requirements and show ways to solve them.

Take for instance, if you want to apply for a high-level marketing profile, you can better send several campaign ideas, target segments and a financial forecast to land an interview with the company.

This kind of customized presentations is not meant for the professionals associated with the creative fields. If you want to apply for a sales job, you can choose a new sales pitch with a forecast for the Return on Investment. At the same time, if you are in an accounting or operation, take a look at the financials of the company or the competitor’s financials and set a strategy to help them lower their overall expenditure or improve their leverage. If you have that expertise, impress them with your idea.

Use a website or a video

It is true that an employer can know about you many things from a paper. But there is another way out through which your employer can reach you can gather information about you. And that way is to use a website or a video. These mediums are great to highlight your skills. It is truly effective when you are job-hunting from another state and wanting the employers to meet you upfront. The best possible way is to make a YouTube video and talk about your previous experiences, give insights into your industry and offer several ideas that you would like to enforce in your future position. If you have your blog, post the video to it and insert the link in your curriculum vitae and forget not to mention your email ID.

Who knows, you may get a call for an interview from the manager for demonstrating your knowledge and creativity. Utilizing this type of medium is a great opportunity to showcase several sides of you and your talents. Simultaneously, it helps potential recruiters find out how your personality will be a great resource for their organizations.

Whatever techniques you take up for the perfect job, the key to success always depends on the quality that should transcend the quantity. It is simply not worth creating 20 creative videos. So, you should only target several jobs you think will be the right choice for you and there you should focus your efforts only. If you successfully follow these tips, you will easily land an interview in no time.

Richard White works as an editor at Yellow Brick Path. He enjoys varying his work and researching new and different approaches to his work. He shares an interest in career counseling and recruitment. Follow him on Twitter.