The problem with trying to be "different" from everyone else in an interview or job search is that you might be tempted to be someone you aren't or do something that is out of character. If you do this just to get the job, your co-workers are going to be disappointed on your first day when they figure out that the person who interviewed is NOT the same person who shows up to work for the company.
Instead I would argue that it is better to stand out from the crowd as opposed to just trying to be different or something you are not. To do this you really need to have a few things line up.
1) You better know your crowd. If you are trying to stand out, you better look around to see what you need to do to be remembered. I think of the razor commercial that is pretty recent. About six guys all wearing blue suits, white shirts, and similar colored ties are sitting against the wall waiting for their interview. The one guy across from them looks above their heads, runs to the bathroom to shave his head, and it makes sense when the boss comes out to see the next interview and is bald himself. The others were simply too focused on being nervous to have any idea what they might need to do to stand out.
2) Put a smile on your face at all times. Sure, this may seem cheesy. But again, I chose the inserted picture for today very intentionally. Just being happy when others aren't can be an advantage. Have you ever notice if you smile at someone their natural reaction is to smile back? You don't have to say a word. Whether you are greeting the receptionist as you enter the building to interview, the HR person who speaks to you for twenty minutes before a panel interview, or even the CEO of the company as a final interview, start with a smile. You will be amazed how it can put someone at ease. Even on the phone your smile can come across. I dare you to try it sometime. When you answer the phone or take a call for a phone screen, smile as often as possible. It affects your demeanor in a good way and can even calm your nerves to focus on why you're better than everyone else for the job.
3) Be consistent. You can actually be "different" and have it be a positive contributor to standing out from the crowd. That is if being different is something you do all the time. I have another haircut example for you. Sorry for two haircut stories in one blog. My wife gives my son a mohawk haircut at the end of every school year going into summer. I often worry just a little if we're sending the wrong message as people that don't know him may rush to judgment. The thing is, now that he has done it every year for the past 3-4 years, people have come to expect it. They ask him ahead of time if and when he is going to do it again. Even his teachers and principals are in on it now. They get a kick out of it and know that he is a good kid, a good student, and a true leader in his class. He doesn't do it to be different and make any kind of statement. He just thinks it looks cool, it is a fun way to mark the passing of another school year, and the positive response he gets from it far outweighs any criticism or friends jabbing him for his funky 'do.
At the end of the day I recognize it is a fine line to balance between being different for the sake of being different and standing out from the crowd. What I can tell you unequivocally is that if you don't try to do either at some point you will simply be in the crowd. I for one am not content with that idea. Hopefully you are not either.
Have you ever done anything to stand out from the crowd during a job search?
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