We’ve all heard plenty of stories about the candidate who burst into the room singing show tunes or did backflips in the hallway to get an employer’s attention. And sometimes almost any unconventional move will get the job done, simply because defying convention shows optimism and courage. But if you plan to take this route, think carefully beforehand. There are plenty of ways to step over the line with creative, clever, and traffic stopping moves that can either win the day, or backfire…badly.

Here are two versions of the same basic idea, one great and one not so great. Which will you choose? And which will you avoid?

The Cake Challenge

Version A: Creating a cake or chocolate bar with your resume printed on it, and sending your informative treat to the interviewers office.

Version B: Sending a basket of muffins, fruit, or just a regular cake to the interviewer’s home address.

Hint: Printing your resume on a food item is difficult and requires some thought and logistical skill. Simply presenting a food gift to an interviewer as a bribe is thoughtless and crass. (Also, FYI, don’t send anything to a home address when you haven’t been officially given that address.)

Show Tunes for the Win

Version A: Including a link in your resume to funny video of yourself playing a guitar and singing a song of your own creation about why you should be hired.

Version B: Bringing your guitar to the interview and playing the song live for your employer…then forgetting the words and hearing your voice crack as you fumble through the song until your interviewer asks you to stop.

Hint: Winning your interviewer over with your performance skills can be brilliant, funny, and innovative. But performance is a serious thing, so choose the right time and place and put on a real show– Don’t just clown around.

Acting Like You Work here Already

Version A: You overhear your interviewer addressing a problem on the phone, or struggling with a technology issue, or you see someone in the workplace trying to carry a heavy load of boxes or wrestling with a broken copy machine. You stop what you’re doing in order to help.

Version B: You march in on the day of the interview and present your employer with a bulleted list of everything that’s wrong with the company—Everything that you, apparently, know how to fix.

Hint: Being helpful is humble, smart, honest, and extremely likeable, not to mention a great way to quietly show off. But help and criticism aren’t the same thing. Know the difference.

For more on how to stand out and get attention without being escorted out of the building, contact the Texas staffing and job search pros at Expert.