Ten Things Recruiters Won't Tell You

First impressions make a huge difference during a job interview. And you know the drill: Dress appropriately, make sure everything is clean and well-pressed, comb your hair and wear a winning smile. (Don't forget to brush your teeth!)

And in today's extremely competitive job marketplace – where hundreds of people may be equally skilled, at least on paper, for a single position – recruiters are focused even more sharply on first impressions. They are looking for subtle personality indicators, in body language and in the way you communicate, to determine if you are right for the workplace. Appearance is only part of the package.

Your suitability for a job is being judged from the moment you meet the recruiter. Yet if you're weeded out, you'll likely never truly know why. But HR professionals do.

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Eight Gutsy Ways to Grab a Job

In a tight economy with record-high unemployment, landing that juicy job means you'll be competing with lots of other people. So a little out-of-the-box thinking – in addition to career education -- can go a long way toward differentiating yourself from other candidates. Here are some unconventional tactics for setting yourself apart from a crowded field, based on reports of actual success stories gleaned from other blogs, websites and news feeds.

If you try one of these techniques, let us know what happened. But note: Results are the full responsibility of the initiator!

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