The latest dystopian young-adult fad “Divergent” examines a future in which teens must take aptitude tests that will determine their place in life. To promote the film’s soundtrack, featuring top electric artist Zedd and rising pop musician Pia Mia, Interscope Records has devised its own kind of aptitude test.
The record label partnered with Intern Sushi, an internship connection website, to offer free downloads of the “Divergent” singles, as well as the opportunity to land an exclusive learning experience that pairs candidates with the two musicians for a day. The Interscope internship already has thousands of applicants with the application period open until May 31.
“We looked at how our audience of college students and young millennials were big fans of these artists and looking to download their songs,” Intern Sushi co-founder and CEO Shara Senderoff tells The Hollywood Reporter. “With the timing of these new tracks being on the “Divergent” soundtrack, it was the perfect opportunity.”
Senderoff describes her website as a visual transformation of a paper resume that allows candidates to market themselves using videos and images that transcend the traditional format. She pursues partnerships with companies that candidates typically find inaccessible because they don’t advertise online hiring or use career sites. She’s facilitated intern connections with Grey’s Anatomy’s Shondra Rhimes and musician Gavin DeGraw. Interscope Records is the latest music industry company to work with the website.
Brooke Michael, head of digital marketing at Interscope, first saw the opportunity as a way to extend exposure of her musicians to millennials by offering free downloads of the two Zedd and Pia Mia tracks for any user. But Michael, who says she is constantly looking for out-of-the-box ideas, recognized that the Intern Sushi partnership would allow Interscope to reach new candidates.
“It’s hard to break into a record label which is something I’m painfully aware of. The situation is a little bit old school in the way that you have to know somebody,” Michael says. “I get a bunch of resumes a day from people that are either unqualified or only applying for the wrong reasons. My thought is this would be a new way for me to hire.”
Intern Sushi bridges the gap between Interscope and prospective candidates who don’t have the same readily access to top companies.
“We’re reaching talent and aspiring talent that want to come into the industry that are tough but don’t know how to stand out,” Michael says.
Both Senderoff and Michael view the Intern Sushi platform as a new vehicle to integrate prospects into the entertainment industry. Says Michaels: “If the interns are half as great as some of the entries I’ve seen and as amazing as the profiles I’ve seen on Intern Sushi’s website, we will absolutely go back to this.”
Selected applicants will be notified June 15 for the fall pairings.
