She posted a legally blonde-inspired TikTok to capture CEO attention; internship turned into full time work

Finding a way to stand out

The student hoped to spend the summer in New York City working at Tarte Cosmetics. Her mother shared a video in which founder and CEO Maureen Kelly encouraged college students to apply for the company’s summer internship program.

With no family or professional connections in beauty, she felt she had little chance among the many applicants. She submitted her application in January 2024, but thought she needed another way to get noticed.

A creative application video

Because making videos felt natural to her, she decided to use those skills to promote herself to Tarte. She created an entertaining application video modeled on the Harvard admissions video from Legally Blonde, presenting what she called an “Elle Woods-style” pitch.

She said the project showed her enthusiasm, willingness to take a risk and ability to do the marketing work she sought. She also worried it might feel embarrassing, especially with friends able to see it, but decided the attempt was worthwhile.

From internship to full-time role

In January 2024, Kelly commented on the post, writing, “I 👀 u! OBSESSED,” according to the student. Tarte’s HR team then emailed to say they liked the video and wanted to schedule an interview.

She secured a paid internship on Tarte’s social media team, moved to New York and worked there for three months. As she prepared to graduate that spring, the company offered her a full-time job without requiring another application; she started in June.

She said the experience made her question career advice focused on professionalism and networking. Her takeaway was that creative work can sometimes help applicants stand out when standard outreach is common.