Advertising Careers & Job Hunting

Is anyone here on the inside of hiring who actually sees the results of ATS screening on candidate applications? From the hiring side, it seems an ultra-flawed tool to find a well-matched hire. Every… more

So weird. Saw the CCO of Via Agency post about openings in their creative department. In the description it said 4-days on-site mandatory. Yes, the CCO gets to be in Los Angeles?

Kinda unfair that age… more

I have noticed that every job for a Publicis agency goes to the same portal. They make you log in and keep a profile on you: including your note to that team. The problem is I am applying to multipl… more

Hi everyone! Putting myself out there a bit more. I was laid off earlier this year and have been navigating the job search these past few months. My background is across partnerships, operations, hosp… more

urvey question on following up with a headhunter who said he’d was making a recommendation to the hiring client that I was a viable prospect and should be in his consideration set. I know standard wa… more

If you're sending out applications and hearing nothing back, your resume is probably losing the ATS battle before anyone even sees your name. Seen this fix careers overnight. Happy to share what w… more

Why do advertising professionals with 10+ years experience get ignored by recruiters? Your resume is being filtered out before a human ever reads it. If that sounds like you, comment below.

Dear creative teams,

I have ideas. A lot of them.
Some are bold, some are strategic, and some might even surprise you.

I’ve worked with two global companies, learned a lot, and now I’m ready for a new challenge where creativity… more

I an trying to go freelance. Any advice where to start?

Considering attaching an “addendum” of sorts to my resume but I’m not sure of the tone it will set. Are there any Recruiters/Talent Acquisition folks willing to connect via DM and I can run it by you… more

I’ve always wanted to transition my traditional media planning agency role to a similar role on the publisher side because there was more opportunity to move into a broader marketing role vs agency li… more

A lot of roles mention owning multiple clients and fast turnarounds, but it’s unclear how manageable the workload actually is. Interviews tend to stay high level about it. Is there a way to get a real… more

Take-home assignments are getting longer and closer to real campaign work with each interview process. Hard to tell where the line is between proving ability and doing free work. At what point do you … more

A story. Someone randomly adds me on LinkedIn. Later, I find myself in a Slack group, of people looking for jobs, with that same someone. In the Slack group, this same someone sprinkles in the high pr… more

I’ve been applying to entry-level brand roles and some of them still want 2–3 years of experience. At that point it doesn’t even feel entry-level anymore. Are people just applying anyway or waiting fo… more

A lot of the roles I’m applying to want proof of growth, like specific numbers and results, but my current job doesn’t really track things that cleanly. I can talk about what I’ve done, just not alway… more

I keep seeing the same roles reposted 2–3 weeks after I already applied and got rejected. Same company, same description. Do you reapply or assume they already decided against you?

Not sure what the norm is anymore, but I just got asked to do a “quick sample” for a Copywriter role and it turned into a full campaign concept with headlines and variations. I’m already 2 rounds in, … more

Interviewed lastweek and something felt off. They kept joking about how “nothing ever goes as planned” and how late client requests are just part of the job. The salary is about $9k higher than what I… more

I’m interviewing for a role that would finally get me bigger brand exposure, but during the interview they kept emphasizing how lean the team is and how everyone jumps in wherever needed. I cannot tel… more

A hiring manager asked why I want to leave when I have only been in my current role a little over a year, and I could tell the answer mattered more than anything else I said after that. The truth is I… more

I have been interviewing for a role that looks solid, but the salary is only a little above what I make now and the main advantage would be that the title is stronger. The problem is I am not unhappy … more

I got feedback that my background was strong but they wanted someone from a faster-paced agency environment, even though I have been handling multiple campaigns at once for years. Sometimes it feels l… more

I’m employed, but every interview I take lately makes me realize how much employers want extra responsibilities packed into one title now. One role wanted strategy, execution, analytics, client presen… more

Do people still use headhunters/recruiters? I’m looking for one who specializes in media. Any leads appreciated.

A recruiter asked if I’d consider taking a slightly lower title to get into a better known company. I understand the long term argument, but stepping backward on paper still feels hard to accept. Has … more

A role I’m interested in is at an agency that clearly wants someone from a bigger client environment than mine. The work overlaps a lot, but I know brand names carry weight in advertising. Did anyone … more

A company asked if I could meet one more person after what was supposed to be the final round. I know this happens, but after several interviews it starts to feel like nobody wants to make the call. A… more

A company I’m interviewing with keeps describing the role as “high visibility,” which sounds good until I realize nobody has clearly explained who I’d actually report to. Every conversation makes the … more

One thing I keep debating is how much to tailor my portfolio for each role. Some jobs clearly lean brand, others want campaign range, others seem obsessed with social work. I can adjust it, but after … more

I’ve been unhappy here for at least a year, but the job market feels weird right now and the benefits are actually great. I keep going back and forth on whether to stick it out another year or just le… more

I’m a mid-level art director making 78k and recently got an offer from an in-house brand team at 95k. The catch is the work looks a lot more repetitive than agency life. My portfolio right now has a l… more

A recruiter reached out about a role focused almost entirely on one massive client. The scale is impressive but the work would be very narrow day to day. Right now I touch multiple industries. I can’t… more

Do you think I should leave my agency for a smaller boutique shop where I’d have more client ownership but less brand-name accounts? I’m unsure which matters more long term, the name or the experience… more

I’m interviewing for an in-house creative role after years in agency and the work looks more executional than conceptual. The lifestyle improvement is appealing but I’m worried my portfolio will becom… more

How do you read between the lines on workload during interviews? Everyone at a company I’m speaking with keeps emphasizing pace and ownership. The role sounds interesting but also potentially nonstop.… more

What percent raise actually feels fair for a promotion now? Mine came through at 9 percent but the role now includes managing two people and owning budget. External postings at this level in my city l… more

I want to apply to roles slightly outside my experience area but the skills transfer. I meet most of the requirements but not really the background. Anyone else had success doing this, and how did you… more

Anyone else find the online unemployment application process broken? Like giving “hostile architecture” vibes?