12 Most Unusual Job Applications

Applying to jobs can be stressful. There's always the fear of embarrassing yourself in front of a potential employer.

CareerBuilder surveyed hiring managers to find some of the most outrageously unusual job applications. Some of these make John C. Reilly and Will Ferrell's characters in Step Brothers seem like top-tier applicants!

Aside from the crazy examples in the slideshow, employers also warned some of the biggest mistakes they see include things like typos on resumes, an inappropriate email address and resumes that include a photo. Remember, you're applying for a job, not a TV sitcom.

Check out the slideshow below to see the 12 most unusual job applications hiring managers have seen:

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• Creeper Status

  Candidate called himself a genius and invited the hiring manager to interview him at his apartment.

• TMI

  Candidate's cover letter talked about her family being in the mob.

• Just In Case Of An Alligator Apocalypse

  Candidate applying for a management job listed "gator hunting" as a skill.

• Typo

  Candidate's resume included phishing as a hobby.

• Sing-A-Long

  Candidate specified that her resume was set up to be sung to the tune of "The Brady Bunch."

• Skills: Speak Penguin

  Candidate claimed to be able to speak "Antartican" when applying for a job to work in Antarctica.

• The Unprofessional Photo

  Candidate's resume had a photo of the applicant reclining in a hammock under the headline "Hi, I'm _____ and I'm looking for a job."

• Was It At Least Easter Time?

  Candidate's resume was decorated with pink rabbits.

• Why Do You Want This Job?

  Candidate listed "to make dough" as the objective on the resume.

• We All Have Our Proudest Moment

  Candidate highlighted the fact that he was "Homecoming Prom Prince" in 1984.

• Oops!

  Candidate applying for an accounting job said he was "deetail-oriented" and spelled the company's name incorrectly.

• This May Be A First For Some Employers

  Candidate's cover letter contained "LOL."

From our partners

• 25 Signs You're A Hot Mess | Thought Catalog - thoughtcatalog.com

Comments

[bfrjds1981]

02:02 PM on 07/22/2012

Under sex I would put No, been married 29 years now, forgot how you do it.

[TisKishnsing]

01:56 PM on 07/22/2012

funny

[viciousvirago]

01:32 PM on 07/22/2012

All of the resumes from hell were funny, but the illiterate one was the funniest to me. Out of the thousands of posts I've gotten, I'd say about 78% had misspellings in them. Could be typos, I'm guilty of that, but I kinda doubt it.

People do not know how to spell today; they use spellcheck and to heck looking something up in a dictionary, which probably l0% own. I do and I use it when I cannot remember simple words. Hard ones are no problem, it's the simple things I cannot spell, damnit.

[Wake Up Call]

01:48 PM on 07/22/2012

I've seen much funnier applications. Two in particular come to mind. One guy asked to know if there was going to be a drug screening, and specifically what day it would be on so that he had enough time to get clean for it. On another application, the person wrote "pimp" as a former occupation, and then listed several references with cell phone numbers as his "hos". Seriously.

[viciousvirago]

05:54 PM on 07/22/2012

If you say it's true, then it is. I believe it. I've run across so many strange types in the United States, I think we asked them all to immigrate here so we'd be amused.

The pimp one is priceless, simply priceless. I'm going to write that one down in my diary. Thank you.

[thebarbecuemast]

08:40 PM on 07/18/2012

if it gets your in the job market make your apllication stand out-if its weird and your different you may get the job.

[tws9652]

12:14 PM on 07/22/2012

It allso heps if yer rezoomay iz filt wit rongly spelt werdz, bad grammerz and noe punktuashun.

Than yull git the jawb shur enuff!

(KIDDING, DUDE!!!)

[SteveP9090]

01:48 PM on 07/22/2012

It all depends on the job you're applying for. That's where common sense kicks in. If you don't have that, then your choice of jobs is limited.

Also, proofreading your resume is essential. Use spellcheck, then let an educated friend or family member look it over.

[RuthieBabe]

02:49 PM on 07/18/2012

I used to work in the Human Resources office of a local university. We handled the employment for work study and staff. Next door to our office was a Workforce office and, quite often, they would send their clients down to our office to see what we had open. It was my job to help the walk-ins with the applications. A lot of our applicants did the process online but the walk-ins from Workforce usually didn't have those skills and they didn't understand what a resume was. I spent a lot of time with them, trying to work up some kind of resume out of what little skills they had, knowing that only one position was available for the 25+ people who were applying. The ones from Workforce were desperate for a job, any kind of job, and would ask me if they had any chance of finding something. It was heartbreaking to hear the stories. One lady took my hand and thanked me for being so nice to her. Other places had been rude. I finally left that job because I couldn't take it any more. These were decent, honest people who were on hard times. The pain and desperate hope in their eyes was overwhelming. I would go home and cry at night because I couldn't give them a job.

[eagletrent242]

10:02 AM on 07/22/2012

Is there any reason you posted this?

[selfenchanted]

12:53 PM on 07/22/2012

Because she wants to help others no matter how flawed they are. Good on her.

[blueknight41]

02:31 PM on 07/18/2012

the number 7 pic looks like he be ready for gay porn lol

[Yorksgal]

02:10 PM on 07/18/2012

I have conducted a lot of interviews and people call me hard nosed and have called me on, and gone over me to hire people. When they have done that they have found out that the person was not a good fit for the job. I look at the resume and application, but I also look at the person and what makes them tick and if they would be a good fit for the position. Yes, I have been wrong too, but for the most part you just can't tell from an resume and application - people are not always good at selling themselves.

[KIVPossum]

01:49 PM on 07/18/2012

What about the article today under 'crime' where the guy admits to pedophilia and bestiality in the interview.

[Sally Dogood]

01:45 PM on 07/18/2012

One morning I flew from Richmond to NYC for an interview at 1 PM. They made we wait 2 hours for the first guy. And 1 hour for the second. Not once did they apologize for being late. Missed the return flight. Got home at 5 AM the next day. The following day they called and offered me the position. I passed.

If they are that disrespectful going in, it would only get worse once there.

They very well may be a fine disorganization. A brand most would recognize.

[A 1 Percenter]

02:00 PM on 07/18/2012

sounds like a reasonable decision on your part!

[Huntergp02]

01:33 PM on 07/18/2012

The issue I have with Job Interviews, but I don't know a better way, is that you're basically hiring the best BS'r for you position. Someone might be naive enough to put LOL on their app but they could be a genius in the position, but because they are an open person that doesn't BS on the app you write them off.

[garystartswithg]

01:54 PM on 07/18/2012

i used to hire and most people in my less than humble opinion do it backwards. they sort through not looking for excellence but for reasons to put the applicant in the no hire pile. the whole system is a sham -- the no hire pile often includes people with obviously ethnic names, anything that could be politically affiliated (i won a glbt award at work and don't list it on my resume because it could be used against me), i even knew one woman that being a black christian woman would only hire other black christian women -- and she asked flat out -- which is fully illegal.

[SteveP9090]

02:00 PM on 07/22/2012

No genius puts "LOL" in a cover letter where it matters. That particular applicant was obviously not smart enough to write a proper letter for the job he was applying for. Furhermore, a genius isn't going to be applying for any job where "LOL" in a cover letter is acceptable.

[Huntergp02]

11:56 PM on 07/22/2012

I said a "genius in the position" not a bonified Einstien.  It could have been a position for a Fashion Designer for a new teen clothing line.   Someone putting LOL might have a little more insight into the teen scene.   Just a far out example, but hope you get what I was going at.

[David in Dallas]

01:27 PM on 07/18/2012

In 1985, I was responsible for hiring staff for my company's new offices in Paris, France. Unemployment was high. We received hundreds of CVs for 15 jobs. I recall one arrived on biright orange paper. The applicant had drawn a cartoon sketch of himself with a caption "no money for photograph." He said he was a Cuban refugee and apolitical. (That seemed to be a contradiction.) Probably out of frustration, the remainder of his CV was full of humor. He passed the interview and became a successful employee. I have that application framed and hanging in my office today.

[A 1 Percenter]

02:02 PM on 07/18/2012

You're a rare sort! Nice story good ending!

[Shikamaru]

01:18 PM on 07/18/2012

I don't believe "Phishing" was a typo, especiallying considering the placement of the keys on the Keyboard. They definitely meant Phishing... which means to aquire sensitive data.

[brownfrown]

02:34 PM on 07/18/2012

Or they like to go to Phish concerts? If the manager was another Phish-head - you'd be hired on the spot :)

[Shikamaru]

03:51 PM on 07/18/2012

This is true.... Do phish still play???!  I remember 10 years ago, working with a phish head, He was hired as my assistant for this graphics design company we worked for... let's just say...he didn't turn out to be a good hire. 

[Admiral Sunshine]

01:10 PM on 07/18/2012

None of these are as ridiculous as including "Huffington Post Writer" on your application.

[jettymichael]

12:42 PM on 07/18/2012

Comical. Stop insulting our intelligence.

[cfisher6]

12:41 PM on 07/18/2012

I've always wanted to make a Dwight Shrute style resume--ie ____ Trivia. Athletic and Special Skills resume; I think it would work too!