Virtual Workshop | Hook, Line, & Offer | Interview Prep for Success

Hook, Line, & Offer

Navigating today’s competitive job market can feel overwhelming — no matter your level of experience. This practical workshop will help you sharpen your communication skills and job search strategies, while demystifying what recruiters really look for.

We’re excited to partner with our corporate member Hook, who’s helping us provide participants with curated tools and resources to put what you learn into action — from resume templates to portfolio-building prompts and more.

From professional etiquette when reaching out to recruiters to understanding how the hiring process actually works, you’ll walk away with actionable tips to stand out. We’ll cover essentials like designing a portfolio that gets noticed, crafting an ATS-friendly resume (yes, you can even find great templates on Etsy!), and how to tailor your materials for both full-time and freelance opportunities.

We’ll also explore the responsible use of AI and automation tools in your job search — how to use them to summarize experience, tighten up wording, and even uncover new leads and connections.

Whether you’re building your first portfolio, transitioning to freelance, or just want to communicate more confidently, this session is for you.

About Our Speakers

Joe Mascardo, Principal Recruiter, Hook

Joe Mascardo is a Senior Recruiter specializing in creative roles, with experience hiring across various disciplines and industries. He also has an expertise in developing efficient recruitment processes that help mitigate interview biases and contribute toward a positive candidate experience for multiple companies. With a decade in talent acquisition, he began his career in client-facing roles at startups before transitioning to recruiting, where he then gained experience on both brand and staffing side. He has helped build teams for companies like Headspace, Monks, and Parachute Home. As a Senior Recruiter at Hook, he manages full-time and freelance hiring, partnering with creative, design, motion, and production leads across the country. Additionally, he co-leads Hook’s Sandbox U mentorship program, developing creatives early in their careers.

Cara Schaeffer, People Operations Director, Hook

Cara is a People Operations Leader who is truly passionate about crafting an exceptional talent experience, from the moment someone joins to their ongoing growth. With over a decade of experience leading teams, she's been a driving force behind designing and executing talent strategies that don't just hit business targets, but also build vibrant, thriving company cultures. Her background includes scaling global creative and marketing teams at TikTok during their explosive growth, leading full-cycle recruitment and sparking employee engagement initiatives at BuzzFeed, and attracting top-tier talent while championing well-being programs at The Honest Company. Beyond her corporate impact, Cara is deeply ingrained in the recruiting and HR communities, sharing insights as a respected speaker and organization leader. She's obsessed with connecting brilliant people with opportunities that truly excite them and fostering workplaces where everyone can flourish.

LEARN MORE + APPLY FOR HOOK'S VIRTUAL MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

SANDBOX U

Sandbox U is a virtual program from Hook that exposes people to creative professions through mentorship and hands-on experience. We want to create more opportunities for aspiring creatives to be able to visualize a path in our industry, and launch themselves as creative professionals. Much like the safety and creative freedom that a sandbox provides, it’s our mission to support mentees while they explore their interests and build new skills. Learn more today!