By the time the job application landed in Heather R. Huhman's e-mail inbox, Christina Barkanic's chances of getting hired as a multimedia director seemed slim. "Typically, the last person to apply doesn't get the job," said Huhman, CEO of Come Recommended, a content marketing and digital PR agency in Washington, D.C. Then she opened the e-mail attachment.
Unlike the 50-odd resumes before it, Barkanic's application included a presentation spoofing the hit TV series, "Law & Order SVU." The multimedia presentation begins with an audio introduction from Barkanic -- an eerie, monotone monologue, set to the backdrop of a black screen, ending with the ominous declaration:
"These are their stories." Following an audio clip of Law & Order's unmistakable, rapid-fire gavel pound -- a slideshow begins, detailing Barkanic's credentials and accomplishments as if it were a legal dossier.
"I'm a big 'Law & Order SVU' fan so Christina's application really impressed me," said Huhman. 'I thought it was really cute and creative. And it made a lot of sense, especially for the video-oriented position she was applying for."
For Barkanic, it was a risky but necessary move. After six months of sending countless "generic" resumes without so much as "any feedback or a single lead," Barkanic said, "I knew the traditional approach wasn't working for me so when I saw the multimedia job opening, I brainstormed a way to, at the very least, get Heather's attention." Case closed.
Starbucks has raised more than $7 million with its 'Create Jobs for USA' program and expects it to generate 2,300 jobs.
