Katie Couric's Notebook: Resumes
With the national unemployment rate hovering at about 9 percent, there are roughly 14 million people out there in need of a job. Some companies say they've received hundreds of applications for just a single opening.
CareerBuilder.com reports that in order to stand out from the pack, job seekers are getting creative.
One man sent a shoe to his prospective employer with a note that read, "I want to get my foot in the door."
Another handed out personalized coffee cups, so no one would forget his name.
One in five managers says they've received one of these unusual trinkets from applicants.
It might sound a little weird or creepy, but experts say these gimmicks can work, if used sparingly and with some common sense.
After all, you don't want your resume to end up with that paper coffee cup - down in the circular file.
That's a page from my notebook.