You have nothing to lose by breaking through the facelessness of job search.

"You mean I can really do ____ with my resume?"

"Is it OK in job search to ____?"

"I thought you weren't supposed to ____ in job search."

"On my resume what should I do about margins, font, similar?"

"But what will they think if I _____?"

I get these and other questions from candidates about job search. They reveal a fear of not doing the job search "right", an adherence to many unwritten rules.

That's not surprising given the myths and legends around job search, the newest being that AI is going to take everyone's job (not true but as always, keep adding to your professional skills).

I say, BREAK THE RULES especially today when so many of you in job search report that they get no response to your resumes and usual job search approaches. You have nothing to lose by breaking through the facelessness of job search.

Now I'm not talking about doing anything unethical or bizarre. And networking is STILL the best way to "get known and get nominated" for that open position. But here's what I've learned from my successful clients (success means getting interviews after revamping their resume): do the unexpected. Color outside the lines.

Approaches to try, some designed by candidates in search, some by me:

• Applying for the job after the deadline. A client saw a great job but the deadline was the day before. She applied anyway with her new more powerfully clear resume, and landed an interview. She's in their hiring process now. The deadline never came up for discussion. They like her and so far, want to hear more. Lesson: it can't hurt to try because the door may only appear to be closed.

• A client is a fan of a podcast led by a guru in her field. She watched 10 episodes, then decided to contact each episode's expert guest, asking them to connect with her on LinkedIn. Her message: "I found your comments and expertise to be very helpful at this stage of my career. Let's connect now and perhaps talk in the future?" Almost all replied and all replied positively. (If you're a speaker or podcast guest, you always wonder if anyone heard you...so how refreshing that she was in touch with them. They must have been delighted so it's no wonder they replied!) Lesson: remember that experts and "top voices" are real people who are open to connecting and even helping.

• A new grad who's a TikTok enthusiast has done a TikTok resume and is posting the link to it on LinkedIn, and I'll share it once she does. But now she wants to get the attention of her top target company. We talked about some novel ways of getting their attention: "Why not do another video, post it on Instagram and other platforms, this time with the reasons they should be talking with you? And why you want to work there, why you've chosen them? Use their hashtag in your post so it grabs their attention." Sure, she's made phone calls and is networking on LinkedIn with people who work there. But a TikTok that is about THEM? That will get her a response! Lesson: keep trying but do something fresh and personal.

• I've written about this approach before: Jack, a client, was 61 and in sales. With the help of a programmer friend, he programmed an iPad to play a video about him as soon as you opened the cover. It was a simple presentation in that it was really just a sequence of images, and it included very short sample success stories, many photos of him on the job and in his volunteer role, and keywords, in a quick-cut style and less than two minutes long. He then hand-delivered the iPad to a company where he dearly wanted to work and which had an opening, asking that it be given to Mary Smith (not her real name), Director of Sales.Within hours, he received an email from Mary Smith. "Your video was fantastic and the iPad is making its rounds throughout the whole company. When can you come in for an interview?" He had the interview, which he believes he never would have gotten by submitting a typical resume. While in the end both parties decided it wasn't a fit, he at least had a very personal chance to tell his story. (And he got his iPad back.) Lesson: take a risk, and you'll be more likely to get to the next step.

• My clients really like one feature of my resumes which includes adjectives about them given by current and former co-workers and colleagues. Will you find that section in others' resumes? No. And that's because even many career coaches like to do what's done before: it's safe. But I'm convinced human features like this short section show the candidates as more whole, more likable, and human to the hiring manager and team members -- and that all has strong appeal. Lesson: Even within the confines of a resume, do something fresh and thought-provoking that shows you are a fit.

Why does all this matter?

These and other unorthodox approaches -- comment below on those that have worked for you! -- do something subtle yet powerful: they communicate that the candidate believes in themselves. That confidence makes them appealing to the hiring company.

So get your target organization to say "WOW!" to you: do the unexpected in your search. It will pay off by you being noticed. And more likely to be invited in.

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