The 25-year-old, who delivered donuts to a Silicon Valley boss, has his resume hidden inside.

Now, another unusual way to get the attention of employment managers is to go viral. Sneak your resume into a box of donuts.

In 2016, when Lukas Yla pursued a big tech dream from Lithuania to San Francisco, he quickly realized that landing work in Silicon Valley was easier than he said.

Lightning struck me as I bite a freshly baked craftsman’s donut. Who can resist opening a box of delicious snacks?

Thus, the millennial marketing specialist with five years of experience set out on the task of making delicate style uniforms, a list of his dream employers, and secret notes within a donut box under his belt. YLA then spent over a week disguised and hand-ribbed donuts to every company on his wish list.

“I ended up delivering 50 boxes and addressing the marketing director,” he said. BBC at that time. “In many cases, receptionists would give the donuts straight to the recipient right away. Sometimes they would be called to the reception. I could hand over the donuts and explain why I was really there.”

Once they finally open the box, they will be greeted with his resume and a link to him, “Most resumes will be in the trash. Mine – in your belly.” LinkedIn profile. To increase the likelihood of success, he even leaked the extreme measures he had for the press.

The marketing hopeful recorded at least 10 interviews. But he says luck He continued to expand his European career as a failure to secure a work visa and later worked as director of Uber’s rival Bolt.

A few years later, YLA stunts are back viral. Social media users are reviving Donut Box resume hacks as a sign of how dark the job market is and inspiration for desperate job seekers.

“Great marketing, and sometimes breaking the rules (with style) is a reminder that that’s exactly what you need,” one Facebook post that earned around 90,000 likes, I’m writing.

It’s more difficult than ever to bag entry-level roles.

Millennials are the most educated generation in history, and Gen Z is closely behind. Still they Financial outlook and potential for employment It’s much more dimmed than Gen X alumni alumni.

And the internship landscape has changed, some offerings Six-figure salary– It’s a far cry from the daily unpaid coffee fetch days that millennials (including me). In fact, it’s becoming increasingly impossible to step into the door after school or after college.

Just 10 years ago, 94% of students either landed or received further education one year after graduation, according to data from the UK Department of Education. In 2024, only 59% of graduates worked full-time 15 months after graduation. Many people are turning to unemployment benefits survive.

Similarly, Over 4 million people The American Zers are currently unemployed. In China, the government as of February, One in six young people I’m unemployed.

It’s no wonder that over half (57%) of the 2025 class feel pessimistic about starting a career. investigation For 1,925 members of the cohort from the job platform handshake. This is an increase from 49% in the previous year.

Gen Z job seekers are getting creative – and it’s working

ZERS, who has won the war for their work, thinks out of the box with hacks like YLA to get competitive.

After six months of effort to land the gig failed, one young job named Basant Shenouda said luck She pursued I volunteered to them to have a meeting held by recruiters and the opportunity to hand out her resume. She ended up landing an internship on LinkedIn.

Another gen of candidates, Ayala Ossovsky; I was wearing her Her pizza jointly worked posted a college baseball cap and pitched her experience when customers asked about it. She secured the gig Cisco.

“The market is bored with such incredible talent, so it takes some creativity to stand out from the crowd,” Ossovsky said. luck.