Women in Advertising

Has anyone changed jobs primarily to regain fertility/IVF benefits?

I’ve maxed out my employer’s fertility coverage, and my company only offers one insurance carrier (just different deductible options), so there’s… more

Hate that I’m asking this but… what are some signs a layoff is incoming?

So ready to go full time again, but am not sure where to apply in nyc. Open to agencies and in-house, but want a place that cares about craft, ideas, and career growth. I am a CD and writer if that ma… more

Clients from hell have made my anxiety spike so much that sunday scaries have turned into nightly scaries. This isn’t my first rodeo with difficult clients but for some reason, these in particular hav… more

I work mainly on one account, and have since starting about a year ago. When I began, my partner and I played a major role in ideation, client presentations, etc. It was a lot of work as we only had a… more

So my agency has frozen any raises or promotions for the foreseeable future. I’m looking to make extra income to bridge that gap and I’m looking outside of the design industry within advertising. What… more

If you were to leave an agency with your production skill set, what job/industry would you move to? I want to get off around 5 most days and not work during vacas. But also don’t want to work in somet… more

Ladies - most of my jobs and opportunities as a freelancer or when I was full time have been given to me by other women creatives. Anyone else find it strange that every time you interview on an all m… more

How important is it to dress well for work? I’ve been to offices before where so many creatives look so effortlessly cool 🥲

Pro tip if you’re looking for referrals—get in touch BEFORE you apply through any kind of portal! I think this is now the fourth time a connection of mine has reached out only after they’ve already ap… more

Hi! After 4.5 years of freelancing, I am more than ready to return to an office in a hybrid capacity. Any NYC agencies/in-house places that care about craft looking for a CD writer? Or CD team?

There's awards on the shelf. For a variety of clients. About 50. Local + international.

Still spoken to like a junior, paid like a low-mid, and my positive outlook is that I was allowed to give an opinion today during a … more

What’s the best way to improve my networking game? In 2024, I moved to a larger more advertising friendly city, where I’ve found some creative community. However I’ve only worked one company in that c… more

When people ask you your age, do you tell them? I’m starting a new role and I have a bit of a baby face. I hate when people at work ask me how old I am and I feel like we shouldn’t have to answer that… more

Dilemma. Should I:
1. Stay put: great agency name, big fun clients, lower pay, no promotion in sight for at least a year.

2. Jump: senior title, $40K raise, agency is okay but not top-tier, clients are … more

When I was a new mom, I read a lot of advice saying you shouldn’t share you had kids in the interview process… it made you less desirable as a new hire. I’ve been in the industry for almost 20 years n… more

Anyone else dealing with fellow unemployed creatives out there that are just super negative? Unemployment sucks, and I’m in the same boat but for real? One in particular, I’m feeling like whenever I s… more

~6 months in at my new job as a new AD and my GAD spends more time telling me exactly what to do & how they’d do it than actually doing any part of their actual job. Everything is urgent, relayed in a vague w… more

When I started, I oversaw a couple junior creatives and set up 30-min check-ins every two weeks just to catch up. In Feb, I was moved to a different account where I don’t oversee anyone but still kept… more

Has anyone else dealt with being treated like some dumb little kid by their male supervisor? He's only 5 years older than me, but feels he needs to teach me obvious basic manners that we all already know?? Ex… more

I was recently pulled off a team I really loved, and thought I was doing a great job on. I talked to my GCD and account team for feedback - and they all said they loved my work and working with me, but are really… more

Have y'all taken FMLA for mental health reasons? I genuinely cant stand my job to the point im losing my hair and it's affecting my health. I already had cancer years back and im not trying to… more

Well-seasoned creatives: I’m in process of updating my portfolio and finding myself still clinging onto some of my junior work... but I can’t decide if it’s just sentimental attachment. How many piece… more

Hi, guys! Anyone here have a recommendation for a designer who can help me brand myself before I start a real job search for the first time in ~5 years? Looking for a personal portfolio site refresh t… more

Does senior level part-time (media) work exist in our industry? Where?

Zoom and Deloitte just cut those maternity IN HALF!!!! From 16 weeks to 8… how do we all feel about this. This is horrible!!!!

I am considering having a baby on my own, but it’s hard to imagine with the agency hours we work and the constant threat of being laid off. Have any of you done it alone? Any tips?

If you’ve made the change from a midsize or large agency to a small independent agency, would you recommend it to ur friends?

I’ve worked as an Art Director and Digital Designer (mostly brand focused) for the past 13+ years. I’ve done some management duties like onboarding, briefing, giving feedback in creative reviews. I’ve… more

I think I made a mistake by changing agencies… I really want to go back to my old one. How do I go about it? Has anyone gone back?

Hi all! My sister who is a Director & Creative Director and is based in Brooklyn has been looking for some new work wanted to give a shameless plug. She’s extremely talented and her film premiered at … more

Just a quick post to say, as a toddler mom, that if companies gave us any type of childcare, our production would skyrocket. How are you guys making it work?

So there’s this Creative Director that I met in passing years ago when I was working at an
e-commerce company. Then during the pandemic, I ended up working under him at another company, where another manage… more

Hi everyone. Sooo I am trying to slowly move out of ads. I just enrolled for university, part time study. Do I tell my agency? I might need to take maybe 2 classes during work hours. Anyone has experi… more

Hey everyone! Looking for advice from moms here. I’m 28, 4 years into my career, and things are going well.
I’m planning to start trying for a kid in about a year, but I’m honestly terrified about how it may… more

Agency producer ladies! I’m 43, look/act a little younger (people usually guess like 36) but definitely not feeling any younger. Between agism, sexism, and exhaustion I want to get out of the producti… more

If you’re new here, welcome! This is a supportive, intersectional space to share experiences, seek advice, and connect with each other. In the comments, you can find a few simple guidelines to help keep this bowl thriving.more