That’s understandable, but some of applicants’ more, um, unorthodox moves have just made interviewers wonder if they’re playing with a full deck. According to a new survey of about 2,000 hiring managers, here are 10 ways recent candidates got their attention, although not necessarily the job. He or she:

• …found out where the hiring manager was having dinner and picked up the tab.
• …lit a corner of her resume on fire to show her “burning desire” for the job.
• …had his small daughter call in advance of the interview to thank the hiring manager “for giving her dad a job.”
• …had a cake delivered to the interviewer with the words “Congratulations! [Candidate’s name] got the job!” written in frosting.
• …answered his phone during the meeting, then told the interviewer the call was from another employer who wanted to discuss hiring him.
• …sat on the floor next to the company mascot and asked the interviewer to take a picture.
• …tried to wow the hiring manager by reciting the history of the company. Alas, the candidate’s version was totally inaccurate.
• …had her resume gift-wrapped.
• …showed the interviewer pictures of his relatives working at the company many years before.
• …sent the hiring manager a coupon for a free meal at a local restaurant.

The survey found that most interviewers welcome a follow-up phone call or email, as “it indicates enthusiasm and initiative,” adding, however, that less is more: “Bombarding the hiring manager with phone calls or emails can come across as desperate, annoying, or even creepy.”

The best way to make a great impression seems to be simple, old-fashioned courtesy. CareerBuilder reports that some of the hiring managers in the survey said “the novelty of receiving a handwritten thank-you note was enough to make the candidate stand out.”