“You can either fit in or stand out but you can’t do both.”       -Seth Godin

Ladies and gentlemen I introduce to you Alex Painter. I met Alex years ago on a Realtor competition. He wore a bowtie then and he still wears a bowtie.

Yes he IS Gumin’ At You!

Alex is a different character, he’s creative, well spoken and generally the type of guy you want to be around. Alex was moving to Banff and wanted a job in the hospitality industry, but not just any job, an awesome job. Thinking there would be a lot of competition for jobs in Banff, Alex wasn’t going to make a resume like a shmuck, Alex needed to show potential employers who he really was. He needed to show them he was “Gumin’ at them!”.

He’ll tell you the idea came from a friends Dad who was trying to help him standout amongst all the other boring job applications.

“Chews Me!” it reads along with Alex’s contact information and a picture of himself. If you cut open the pack, his references are on the inside. To cap it all off included is actual spearmint gum*(see the comment section for the type of gum).

Off to Banff he went with several packs of “Chews Me” gum in tow.

How brilliant!!!

So the real question is did it work?

You better believe it. Of the first three places he dropped off “gum” at, two places offered him a job on the spot. Wow.

The next time you want a “cool” job, remember how many people are handing out resumes. If you want to standout to a potential employers don’t be afraid to do something that shows who you really are. Alex is a one-of-kind gentlemen who isn’t afraid to push the status quo of resumes and job applications.

In a world where we’re dying for creativity, it’s ideas like this that get talked about and shared. When you risk doing something different, usually you get the reward you were never expecting.

You want to keep people around you who aren’t afraid to push the boundaries on what is possible. You never know what the real benefit is until you try.

* – I actually have no idea what kind of gum he used, I assumed it was spearmint but who knows!  See the comment below…