In a sometimes discouraging job market, it doesn't hurt to put yourself out there and think outside of the box while on the job hunt.

This is the mindset Pensacola resident Joe Phillips took to Palafox and Garden streets Thursday afternoon when he stood in a suit and tie wearing a sandwich board that read "Experienced business manager for hire."

Phillips stood at the downtown intersection from about 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. He brought resumes with him and included his cellphone number and email address on the sign.

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"I was talking to my buddy, brainstorming about ways to get attention and how to guerilla market for interviewing and job hunting because online, it's hard to exposure," Phillips said of the idea. "And my buddy said, 'Hey man, wasn't there some guy in New York that went out and put a sign on and had people come interview him?' And we looked it up and lo and behold, there it was. We said, 'Let's go do that.'"

Some drivers encouraged Phillips and gave him the thumbs up, others laughed and mocked him. Phillips, who had never done anything like that until Thursday, said that's what comes with putting yourself out there.

"The whole process was humbling. It's hard to put yourself out there," he said. "I think whenever we as people go through hard times, I think we need to really be brave and really step out and do things we wouldn't ordinarily do to get results we wouldn't ordinarily get."

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The unusual marketing tactic may pay off for Phillips, who said he secured 10 to 15 interviews based on the five hours he stood downtown. He said he was even invited into a downtown office building and interviewed by a company on the spot.

"What's interesting is, when I was getting close to leaving, someone in one of the downtown buildings saw what I was doing and they sent an employee down to get me and gave me a two-hour interview on the spot," said Phillips, who told the News Journal he's worked off and on for different employers for years, primarily in the internet-based marketing field.

Crestview native Scott McKenzie was one of the motorists who applauded Phillips. McKenzie said he can relate to the toll a job search can take on a person, especially when you feel overqualified for certain positions.

"As a service member who was out of the Navy at one point in my career and looking for work, it almost seemed at one point that I had to attempt a tactic such as that," McKenzie said. "The methodology behind 'how to hire someone' is grueling and some people just deserve a shot."

Phillips admitted he's been worn down by the grind of a lengthy job search and has struggled for several months to find work. Even if his efforts Thursday don't land him a job, he said he hopes people who drove by and saw him were inspired by his hustle.

"I really want people to be brave and put themselves out there," Phillips said. "We all have trials and tribulations and struggles in life, and if you can look those things square in the face and say, 'I don't care how tough it is, I'm gonna get up and try again.' That's the way you don't fail. You just never accept defeat and you don't quit."

Jake Newby can be reached at jnewby@pnj.com or 850-435-8538.