My Experience Interviewing for VaynerMedia

A few months ago, I paid a visit to my parents in Green Bay, Wisconsin. During my stay, I happened to be scrolling through my LinkedIn account when a post by Gary Vaynerchuk caught my eye. In this post, he was actively seeking content creators to join his team. Seizing the opportunity, I promptly filled out the application, opting to skip the cover letter due to time constraints.

Remarkably, just two days later, a representative from VaynerX reached out to me. They conveyed their enthusiasm for my creativity and the potential impact my content could have on their brands. As a result, they requested that I complete a specific assignment by the week's end.

A hypothetical [FRUIT] company wants to transfer ownership of their company to the world’s best internet storyteller. Submit 3–8 pieces of content across different platforms.

So that’s what I did. I took the rest of the week off and focused solely on this project. I came up with several pieces of content that I was very proud of. The Air Jordan 1 Bananas, a vignette about avocado toast, a celebrity endorsement campaign with Harry Styles, and some fruity Instagram stories.

I submitted the links and celebrated my hard work. Two weeks went by and I heard nothing. I thought maybe after 14 days it just wasn’t meant to be.

But then on a random Tuesday around 7 pm, I received an email from Andy Krainak, VaynerMedia’s Brand Director.

Hey Aaron, your content submission really stood out to us and I’d love to schedule an interview with you and our hiring team. Would you by chance be available tomorrow at 11:30 am ET? If not tomorrow how about Wednesday afternoon?

You got it! 11:30 tomorrow! See you then!

I hopped on the Zoom call with him and it was interesting, to say the least. There was a little bit of a disconnect about my website, which kind of worried me. You see, my website is set up like that of an Art Director. Some of the content on my website was commissioned. I had to explain to him that all of the content I submitted for this project was indeed created by me. I am fully capable of using Adobe Creative Suite when I have to. However, there are some situations when I hire an artist to execute my vision for a project.

I didn’t know what his angle was for this interview. He concluded by saying I was an Art Director and copywriter hybrid and then we said our goodbyes. As you can imagine, I wasn’t confident that I was going to get the entry-level creator position. But hey, I have never interned, worked, or interviewed with an ad agency before and my first time was with VaynerMedia! That’s pretty awesome!

A month went by and I concluded that that was the end of the story. But nope, I received a follow-up email from Andy while I was thrifting at the Goodwill Outlet.

Hey Aaron, hope all is well with you! There’s now an open role that I think you would be a great fit for and wanted to see if you’d still be interested in the position. If so, the Creative Directors are available this afternoon or tomorrow for a second interview if you may be available, just let me know.

The role I was interviewing for was the Associate Creative Director position for the Gillette campaign. Pinching myself, I joined the Zoom call and relished every moment of the interview. It felt like a breath of fresh air to converse with two Creative Directors who truly grasped the essence of my work showcased on my website. We meticulously dissected each project, delving into what constitutes exceptional writing.

While I didn’t secure the position, I emerged from the interview feeling invigorated. My journey toward becoming an Art Director has been nothing short of extraordinary. Although landing this particular job would have been a tremendous achievement, I’ve come to realize that my goal is well within reach. This experience has reaffirmed my self-belief and confidence in my abilities.

Rather than feeling disheartened, I’m appreciative of these two interviews, recognizing them as invaluable learning opportunities. They’ve provided me with critical insights into how industry professionals perceive me, thanks to their in-depth analysis of both myself and my website. Armed with this valuable information, I can now position myself more effectively for future opportunities.

I eagerly await the next chance that crosses my path, fully aware of my growth and how close I am to fulfilling my dream of becoming an Art Director.