A college graduate struggling to find a job in his chosen career field has come up with an ingenious alternative resume to attract the attention of prospective employers.
Scott Overend, 25, a Dublin Business School psychology post-graduate from Dublin, Ireland, realized in autumn 2017 that it was going to be tougher to find work in his chosen field of marketing and advertising than he initially thought.
While looking for work, he set up a blog and forum as a way to elevate his applications ahead of other candidates, and also generate some temporary income.
Resume: Scott Overend, 25, a psychology post-graduate from Dublin, Ireland, has created a parody commercial about himself to try and stand out to prospective employers
Self-funded: Scott sold his car to fund the commercial which is all about being ‘self-directed’
Game on: Realizing in autumn 2017 that he was going to need to up his game to land a job in his chosen field of marketing and advertising
However, Scott soon acknowledged he needed to ‘up his game’ if he really wanted to make an impact, so started thinking of new ways to use his initiative to drum up some attention.
Deciding that a parody style commercial would be the best way to show off his marketing skills, Scott’s main motivation was to show his passion for advertising to employers so came up with the concept of marketing himself in a ‘self-directed’ clip.
As the ad begins, Scott can be seen standing on the verge of a cliff, looking out into the disctance.
‘Direction, I had none. But what if I created my own ad campaign to prove myself to the best marketing companies and became… self-directed,’ he says off camera.
Taking on a dramatic tone, he adds, ‘With clear vision I would convert ideas from my brain into the physical realm, and I’d hire an actor to play me. He’d play me marching to the beat of my own drum, plowing my own field, all self-directed.
‘Can I self-direct, the direction of my own self or could I go even further, and write the scrolls of my own destiny.’
Lights, camera, action: Scott (left) acted as the director working behind the scenes in the film
And the beat goes on: He hired a muscly actor to play him, to poke fun at how the ideal Scott would look
High hopes: Scott now hopes the ad will attract the attention of creative directors in the advertising industry
And while the subject of Scott’s fantasy campaign is himself, in Scott’s imaginary spoof ad, a topless heavily tattooed muscly man plays him.
Played by an actor Scott can be seen marching down a road topless, figuratively and literally marching to the beat of his own drum, and also using his own body weight and strength to plow a field, before the camera cuts to real life Scott directing from the sidelines and stopping production to sign autographs.
The hypothetical scenario is far-fetched, but Scott hopes it will attract the attention of creative directors in the advertising industry.
‘They are the people I’m trying to reach,’ he admitted.
Scott sold his Peugeot 206 to fund the campaign, and says friends and family helped pitch in and lend their support where they could.
‘Both my cousins are actors in the video – fine actors at that,’ he shared.
Does he have plans to make another video in this style?
‘For a company, or brand? I hope so. Sadly I won’t be starring in them,’ he joked.