Whether you're pursuing an investment banking role or a corporate finance position, impressing a recruiter can be especially difficult during times of high unemployment in the finance industry. But if you're currently searching for a job, it's worth the effort; staying on a recruiter's radar can mean you'll be in the know about new job openings.

There are plenty of unusual ways to impress recruiters. Peter Deragon, financial services practice leader for North America at Stanton Chase International, an international executive search consultant firm, says he likes keeping up with candidates through blog posts or e-newsletters they create. "In displaying their niche expertise, they exhibit their educated perceptions of the equity or fixed income markets, the economy, and their ability to 'predict' or anticipate trends," Deragon says. And it's not always necessary to write about industry-related news -- just keeping recruiters engaged is important. "Financial services people tend to be active, athletic, and travel well -- so [writing about] adventure is always appealing whether it be running marathons, kayaking, climbing, ski or snowboarding, they relate," he says.

Here, we've asked recruiters in the finance and accounting industries for more unusual ways that candidates have used to get their attention and stay on their radar:

Prepare an Accomplishment or Deal Sheet
Instead of a resume Andrew Reina, a regional director for Ajilon Finance Solutions in New York, says some job seekers bring in specific handouts that detail their skills and accomplishments during an initial meeting. Focusing on accomplishments provides more detail than a traditional resume and helps you convey why you could be a good fit for a particular position. Use the sheet to list key metrics that are function-specific, he says. "Financial services folks will want to bring a deal sheet which will list out the types of deals they worked on," says Reina.

Help the Competition
Making introductions between recruiters and fellow job seekers or letting others know about open positions where you're not a fit can help you come across as a valuable resource for recruiters, says Amy Dresser, a partner at Homrich, Klein & Associates, an Atlanta-based executive search firm that works with accounting and finance professionals. "I have also had candidates that were willing to meet with another candidate about setting up a business," she says. If you're looking for a senior-level accounting position, show recruiters that you're not afraid to connect them with other CPAs in your network -- even if they can be competitors for jobs.

Come With Specific Interests
Being generic about what company and position you're aiming for can irritate recruiters -- not make you seem more easygoing. For example, show interest in liquidity or cash management versus simply stating that you're looking for a treasury role. Since recruiters are looking for the best possible fit on behalf of the companies they represent it's really important that they are able to assess what you excel at right away, says Liz Harder, president of the American Association of Finance and Accounting. "It's especially helpful when candidates have done their homework and have targeted specific companies that they are interested in pursuing," Harder says, who also founded Austin-based Harder Consulting, an accounting, finance and banking recruiting firm.

Keep in Touch the Old-Fashioned Way
Since many recruiters are often deluged with emails, varying how you stay in contact can help you standout when it comes to building a relationship and showoff communication skills. One thoughtful way Ajilon's Reina says a candidate can stay on his radar is by dashing off a note. "For me it's more of a personal touch when you get a handwritten note."

Another option is following up with a phone call, which can also be more personal than an email, he says. Reina says he's impressed when finance candidates call to share any updates about their job search or to ask about foreseeable opportunities. A phone call also lets you sneak in personal details about your life that can help build your relationship.

It's not enough to just connect on LinkedIn, adds Derek DeWinter, a partner at San Jose-based DeWinter Associates, which focuses on recruitment for senior level finance and accounting positions. "Social networking world has masked the very obvious -- we work with people we know, we like, and whom we have solid and deep relationships with."

Let Your Guard Down
Candidates who are honest and genuine about their skills during a meeting with a recruiter are most impressive to Dolly Dawson Thomas, co-founder of Houston-based DDI Recruiting, a placement firm for finance professionals. As a recruiter, Dawson Thomas wants candidates to be down-to-earth even if they've ascended the corporate ladder throughout their finance career. Candidates who are "not over-confident" are easier to work with and place in new roles, she says.

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With so many recruiters sharing their networks with one another, impressing one finance recruiter with your skills can also mean that you'll gain inroads with other placement professionals. However, if you continue not to hear back from a specific recruiter or they are not being responsive, continuing a relationship may not be a good use of your time, says Harder. "If you don't have a rapport with that recruiter you need to find someone else," she says.

Related Articles:
-- Getting Noticed by Executive Recruiters

-- Working With Executive Recruiters