Dear Soon-to-be College Graduate and Future Strategist

From Ethan Perushek and our friends at mono.

You have no doubt been furiously updating your resumes and applying to numerous internship programs. As you polish up those cover letters and prepare for interviews, I’m here to give some advice on how to make the most of your next few steps, and show how you’re the most irresistible hire out there. I’ve got six tips:

1. 1. 1. First things first, reach out to those connections, whether it be through LinkedIn, email, Facebook, or your family (seriously, my sisters had some really, really good connections for me). Of course, be respectful of people’s time and use your best judgment before hitting send, but from my experience people in this industry are willing to help, because we’ve all been in your shoes. Ask to grab a quick morning coffee (be sure to be on-time, and always offer to buy them the coffee). Most likely your coffee meetings will open doors to other solid connections in the industry. Your brain and skills come first, but a good word for you can be just as important as what’s on your resume.
      1. 2. When applying for internships make sure the unique parts of you stand-out more than just your ad-relevant background. Strategy teams look for people with fresh perspectives, so whatever part of your personality or experience you think will help you stand out, make sure to let that shine! For example, if you spent time working in Ghent, Belgium, or maybe you studied viola in college, or you have a passion for restoring pinball machines; leverage that ish! Chances are those experiences will help you be remembered more than anything ad-related.
         1. 3. Be ready to have an opinion about current advertising campaigns and cultural trends, and be prepared to back it up. At mono, we love to ask prospective interns what they think about current work from mono or the industry as a whole, or shifts in culture or technology. It’s vital you have an opinion that’s well thought out and unique so we know you’re actually tuned into what’s happening in the world around you. Being able to show you can think critically about work beyond good/bad is super important. And being able to connect that to the world we live in is critical. We will always ask why, so be ready.
            1. 4. When applying to agencies make sure to personalize each cover letter and application. Are you copy and pasting? They can probably tell. No need to do a complete rewrite for each, but make sure you add a personalized touch to properly frame up your background. For example, if you’re applying to a digital agency don’t spend a bunch of time talking about TV strategy. Remember, HR and talent management teams get hundreds of resumes. How will yours stand out?
               1. 5. Do your research on each agency. Know what makes each specific company tick. The best thing for me about mono was that I was able to quickly diagnose what about this place I loved and was able to speak to that. Go to the company’s website, read their mission statements and look at their work. Chances are with your strategic mind you’ll be able to see some common threads, so pull on those suckers! It’s one thing in an interview to be able to say ‘hey I liked this commercial you did’ but it is much better to say ‘I really love what you guys stand for and here’s how I think I can help further that.’ That’ll get you some major brownie points.

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 6. Be confident in your strengths, and open about your weaknesses: strategists are good at reading people and will know in an interview if you’re overconfident or nervous. All these things are okay, you won’t be judged too hard, I promise. But be proud of what you have already done — which is no doubt incredible — and share that. On the other hand, be open about the fact that you don’t know it all and have gaps in your knowledge. You’re fresh out of college, we don’t expect you to know it all. Having that level of self-awareness is an enviable trait for a young strategist.

I hope these help guide you in the coming months and I wish you all the luck in the world. Oh, and one more thing, during this whole mess of months of applying, and finishing college and all that, make sure to take time for yourself and have some fun. Some self-love goes a long way to make sure you are being your best self in those interviews.

Go crush it out there, and I’m sure I’ll work with y’all soon.

Sincerely,

Ethan Perushek is an associate strategist at advertising agency mono. He grew up in a design-centric household but was more apt at analyzing than the execution. Moreover, having studied Art History and English Literature in college, Ethan brings a deep appreciation for art, language, history, craft and storytelling into his strategic thinking. The liberal arts are at the center of Ethan’s strategic process as he tries to think laterally to connect all the dots needed for the perfect brief. Ethan uses this mindset to help serve brands like Google, Krylon, and Manitoba Harvest, as well as with numerous new business pitches. 

Ethan now spends his personal time playing tennis, hockey and video games, as well as spending time around the lakes of Minneapolis with his family and friends. Ethan is a graduate of Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin where he fell in love with a liberal arts experience that led him to work for an art gallery in London, studying post-humanist texts and the transactional relationship of gamer and video game.

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