Ask A Recruiter - Advertising

Do y’all enjoy ghosting candidates? It takes 30 seconds to send an update. The lack of basic courtesy from some recruiters is exhausting..

Keep reposting that job. I’m sure you’ll find the one!

If my skills and background are impressive, how impressive are the skills and backgrounds of the people who got to interview?

Curious—when you extend an offer, how long do you typically give candidates to make a decision?

For folks trying to pivot into advertising from adjacent fields like in-house marketing, what realistically convinces you they can make the jump? I’m wondering where someone should invest their energy… more

Is there something a candidate can say that would immediately make you think 'this person is not a team player'? I’ve heard that taking credit for campaigns, even if you did in fact do all the… more

From your perspective, what’s the biggest gap between what advertising candidates think agencies care about and what actually moves the needle?

Why do the best candidates always seem to get hired the day before I finally reach out to them? I'm wondering if this happens to others too or if I'm just waiting a tad bit too long before act… more

As a recruiter, would you be more impressed by a candidate who has a lot of awards to showcase or someone who has worked for a versatile range of brands? I don’t have a Cannes‑heavy book, but I’ve shi… more

Do you actually get wooed by out-of-the-box ideas for how candidates submit their portfolios, or does it just feel like a desperate attempt? I'd love to hear of an example of a creative way a cand… more

I'm fairly new to this profession but been around for long enough to know this feels like a fairly new trend. Do you get password-protected portfolios without including the password in the email d… more

Why do I have to fill in my work experience AND submit a resume? Isn’t that a little redundant?

Is there a way to add some color to the work experience, or put details that won’t fit on your resume? Or… more

Looks like I might need to weed out some things in my portfolio because I don't think it's capturing the attention of recruiters at all. What, according to you, is the biggest red flag you see… more

I always have this realization during tax season, but do you think it is your job to explain how taxes will affect take-home pay as a recruiter? Or do you think candidates are responsible for figuring… more

What's more important when you're screening a candidate? Is it all about the client list, or is it more about industry awards? I have a pretty impressive client list, but no awards to show off… more

Hi recruiters, do we need to have AI optimized resumes by default now? Asking specifically for creatives.

When you’re hiring for agency roles, how much do you care about big-name agencies versus the actual work in someone’s book? I keep getting passed over for people with fancier logos on their resumes, e… more

What are the biggest red flags you see in candidates coming from in‑house roles for account managers? I’ve heard agencies want people who can “handle chaos,” but I’m not sure how to show that without … more

Recruiters, when you see a lot of work history on a portfolio, are you assuming the person is a job hopper, or has the market changed how you read that pattern? I have 4 agencies on my resume in the l… more

I follow a podcast on interview success, and they repeatedly stress the importance of being well-versed in AI tools so you can answer any questions about them. Recruiters, is this a focus? Others on … more

Is it true when they say, "A strong resume gets attention, but a strong story gets the job"? I find it hard to even believe things are being seen by human eyes these days. Do recruiters actu… more

Recruiters, when you're down to two to three top candidates and have to choose one amongst them, what is the skill/trait that you most rely on? In my last interview, I got told I'm a top choic… more

Ok, it's clear that the age-old process of applying with resumes and cold cover letters is not the way anymore. BUT WHAT IS??? There are way too many of us looking for jobs and an honest, effectiv… more

Are creative portfolios expected to show process (wireframes, iterations), or just polished final pieces? I saw a post recently on another bowl about how recruiters are asking for process in candidate… more

Do agencies prefer candidates with a mix of agency and in-house experience, or is a linear path better? I've never worked for an agency, and after 5 years in the field, I'm feeling really comp… more

How do I actually get in touch with a real, human recruiter? Most of the services I’ve explored (e.g. Creative Circle) just seem to be job posting sites vs allowing me to actually speak to someone. Wh… more

How much weight do recruiters put on a candidate’s portfolio aesthetics versus measurable campaign results? I'm a copy person, and I don't have the skills to make my portfolio look as cool as … more

What kind of AI tools are people in the advertising field expected to be good at these days? I see a layoff coming up soon, and I want to prepare myself during this time to be more competent, and I gu… more

With most managerial roles slowly fading, I'm anticipating losing my job in the near future. There have been no conversations about it so far, and that's relieving, but what do you think is th… more

Recruiters, do you think the demand for ACDs is dying? I've been noticing fewer job postings and wondering if ACD is considered another 'managerial' role that more agencies are starting to… more

As a newbie, I'm overwhelmed filtering portfolios for ad roles. And the one candidate I brought in, it seems like the team is already struggling with. How do you not beat yourself up for not havin… more

So three months have passed, and every single interview I've had has turned into the recruiter not following up with me. Clearly, there are some red flags about either me or my portfolio. Can you … more

What exactly are recruiters looking for in candidates during interviews? I've had three first rounds and then been completely ghosted. They all said my portfolio was impressive, so I'm a littl… more

I've got a tough fill this quarter. Clients are demanding hybrid talent in advertising, and it's not as easy for me as it seems to them. Other recruiters on the bowl, how are you screening for… more

I have 8 years of agency experience, and equally spread across two great agencies, but somehow that's not enough to move someone forward. What does it take these days? Awards, big-name clients, or… more

I’ve had a couple of interviews where the team clearly loved me, but the feedback was that my book didn’t match their clients. When you’re hiring for agencies, how often do you take a chance on someon… more

I’m noticing the same creative candidates pop up across multiple agencies’ social feeds and awards lists, almost like a usual suspects pool. As recruiters, how much does being 'known in the indust… more

Recruiters, why do I see so few or no hybrid jobs of late? I think the whole concept of going to the office 2- 3 times per week to brainstorm with the team and then be an island, working and executing… more

Why is it that it always seems like recruiters don't like it when candidates know their worth and ask 'what's in it for me' questions? Every time I ask about WLB, schedule flexibility,… more