Job Hacks: How To Get Hired Straight Out Of College Without A Resume

Graduate from college, send out your resume and then get a job.

Since kindergarten, we’ve been trained to color inside the lines, get good grades and follow the path that’s been set up, tread upon and worn thin by the tired soles of the uninspired.

We’ve been led to believe that our GPAs, internship experience and extracurriculars are what define us and our future. We’ve been bullied into believing our worth is based on the content of a piece of paper and, without a good resume, a good job is not in our futures.

However, the jobs of today are changing and so are the requirements. No longer are people hired from stacks of paper, but from their worth in the real world. They are scouted, plucked and found through other media, media that never existed before.

Twitter and blogs have become references. YouTube and Vine have become scouting arenas and startups are the new Corporate America.

Rather than looking at credentials, companies (especially young companies) are looking for raw talent. They want to see what you’ve done, what you can do and how you put yourself out there. They don’t care about GPAs or class standings.

They don’t care that you were class president or treasurer of your high school dance committee, and they definitely don’t care that you made honor roll.

They care about passion, innovation and what you’re doing now. Because resumes don’t express your motivation or your real-world abilities. It tells them what you’ve done, not what you’re made of.

While you may think that this is an advantage and that life just got a whole lot easier, think again. However, it is a new angle or another door for all of those who don’t present well on paper but have the motivation to succeed.

But just because you don’t need a resume anymore, doesn’t mean you don’t need to work hard. If anything, you need to work harder. But this time, your work will be noticed, not lost in a pile of thousands of other stapled pieces of paper.

So if you’re graduating from college, still in college or just unemployed, stop boosting up your resume and putting down fake references.

Go out there and prove yourself. Find the job you want and go after it until they have to hire you. If you’re still not convinced, here are just some of the ways you can get hired without your resume.

Connections, Connections, Connections

All it takes is just one person to know you, like you or want to help you. While it may seem unfair that those getting jobs are the ones with the right connections, it’s all relative.

One day you will meet someone or know someone who helps you get a job over the thousands of others who send their resumes in with no contact. Don’t be scared to ask for a favor. Use your connections, tips and relationships to your advantage.

Go out and make connections if you don’t have the right ones. Use your charm and your people skills to impress the right person and your resume won’t need a second look.

Grand Gestures

This technique is age-old, but much easier now. Companies respect initiative and doing something like putting together a rally, creating a marketing campaign for the company you want to work for or making an impressive website will not only show your worth, but get you noticed.

Being bold never ruined anyone's chances, because we all know that first impressions are the most important in the world of business.

Social Media – Twitter

In case you're unaware, Twitter is a huge marketing tool. If you’re looking for a job that involves your voice, wit or Internet presence, take to every available social media platform to show your skills.

If you want to be inspired, just look at Bryan Donaldson, the 40-year-old IT guy who got a job as a staff writer on "Late Night with Seth Meyers" after being noticed on Twitter.

The head writer and producer for the show followed Donaldson for some time then decided to look beyond the thousands of resumes, portfolios and packets from agents and hire the raw talent. Take a cue from Donaldson and put yourself out there, because you never know who’s looking.

YouTube

Do you even need an example for this one? Justin Bieber, Rebecca Black, Park Jae Sung (aka Psy) -- the list goes on. It seems like today YouTube is the ultimate job-making machine.

With hundreds of people being plucked for record deals, commercials and YouTube stardom, there’s no better place to show off your talent. If you’re good enough, the people will make sure your video is shared and seen.

Persistence

If you want something, go after it, even if it means making a fool of yourself. Let go of your pride and put yourself out there.

If there’s a company you really want to work for, don’t stop until someone from it meets with you. Get in contact with someone there, send emails, don’t stop until he or she is tired of dealing with you. The worst that can happen is that you don’t get a meeting and you move on.

Use What You've Got

Find your assets and capitalize on them. Use the proper channels to market them and stop at nothing.

Take a tip from Jen Selter, who used her most valuable asset (no pun intended) to amass a following of over 3,000,000 Instagram users. Because if she can take pictures of her ass and land a job, what’s stopping you?

Photo credit: Warby Parker