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I’m currently a director (fishbowl hasn’t updated my title yet) and I am very committed to my role, team, and agency but don’t have a strong ambition to move up or be promoted (at least anytime soon). How do I go about communicating this during my annual review without making it sound like I lack motivation or don’t want to be given opportunities?

Question for ECDs/CCOs. If a friend of yours connects you with a creative looking for a job at your agency and you happen to like them, what actually happens from there since you’re basically the creative lead? Do you just “snap your fingers” and they’re hired and HR just has to make that happen because you said so or do you have to actually put them through the entire hiring process for the sake of it? This might be a dumb question but I genuinely don’t know how that all happens…

Any branding agencies/consultancies hiring in the NY area or remote? Looking for good work life balance and good pay? Is it possible to find? lol

So you finally call it quits after let’s say 2 or 6 years. How would a great exit process feel like? Flowers and a gift card? Or what gesture, words would make all the difference so you know your work was truly validated? What was the best you ever experienced?

Has anyone ever taken a marketing role that had a commission component to the compensation? I’ve been interviewing at a startup & they’re offering a base that is under my existing pay, but they also are offering a percentage of all revenue given back to me as a bonus.

I don’t know what I don’t know & I don’t want to get screwed over time with a deal like this (but would probably rather this deal than equity…)

A friendly reminder to jr and mid-level creatives: loyalty rarely get you anywhere in this industry. At the beginning of the year I was making 50k and since jumping to two different jobs I’m now making 95k. The moment you feel you aren’t in a position to grow/learn anymore is the moment you should be looking for a new job. That jump will most likely come with a pay bump too.

Any remote agency or in house places hiring? Looking around incase they try to make us go back…

WTF is wrong with this industry? Just got a request to interview for a position I applied to in September! Seriously, what is wrong with these people??

I have a final interview for a creative operation role. What questions should I prepare for? I want to nail this interview to get the role.

Imagine hiring someone to paint your house. The painting company sends their planners and accountants and social media managers to you with the painter. They tell the painter, THE ONE TRAINED AND HIRED TO PAINT, that, "the team had some thoughts." They proceed to absolutely wreck your shit. Then they blame the painter when you don't like it.
Apply that same metaphor to any job. You down to let the hospital manager give some thoughts on your surgery?
"cReaTivE iS nOt a DeParTmENt"

Anyone here work for Tombras at the Knoxville office? I applied for a junior ad role and I’m looking for a referral in. Thanks!

Has anyone else experienced the feeling of not being “tapped” by your company or peers? I feel like I’ve always done well day to day (feedback in my review has reflected that), I’ve been promoted several times across multiple agencies, and yet always feel like I’m in the outer circle. I’m often excluded from things peers my level are included in, I’m rarely considered for large new opportunities, and end up feeling stalled and looking for a new role. Am I just not finding my fit?

Traveling with your boss

After a week of work travel and sharing a house, I ended up having to share a hotel room with my boss our last night, only due to logistical curveballs. Nothing we planned.

I’m a bit mortified. I just started this full time role. It’s remote, so this is literally the first time I met them.

No one is at their best when they’re sunburned, exhausted from multiple nights with 4 hours of sleep and knowing they’re gonna snore.

Graceful recovery tips?

-Mortified

Looking for a referral to Droga5. TIA!

Hiring managers and candidates, are you finding that it’s harder to schedule interviews in December? Do you think interviewing will pick up again in January?

Is anyone actually hiring? I'm seeing recruiters still looking for candidates for roles I interviewed for 6 months ago. What's going on?

Looking to transfer from client side to agency side - preferably in a branding role, any advice?

How long does it take to be in the inside of an agency?
I’m not sure how to word this better but “inside” as in brought into meetings proactively, scoped appropriately, and your role is solidified in your mind and the minds of your teammates?

Started a new gig at an agency a few months ago with amazing and helpful people. Genuinely nice. Finally got the title and money I deserve. But... you knew that was coming. The job description doesn't match the actual job. Like, at all. Find myself hating it. Do I get out now? The sooner I do, the sooner they can find someone else. Or do I give it 6-12 months and see if I can make something out of it? If I master the general role, maybe other opps will open up? I think it's a great agency.

Has anyone that switched from agency to in-house got insanely bored at their in-house role? I’ve been in-house now for a bit, and I feel like I’m stagnating hardcore and just falling behind on paid media things and professional development.

However, I’m not sure if going back to an agency is a good idea because the lack of work life balance and culture was slowly pushing me towards alcoholism.

I've been approached by Havas for a position they're currently recruiting for.

Has anyone worked for them before, or knows what it's like? What's everyone's thoughts on moving into pharma?

This would specifically be their Manchester office but would love to hear any thoughts.

Can I just get this out? I’m 3 months into my first post-grad adult job and I’ve just received an offer for a much better position that’s in-house, a significant (like >10k) salary bump, and at a better agency. I realize now that I don’t like client services but I know how much my team is just managing to tread water. I kinda feel like 💩 but this is just one of those cliche “career-defining” offers that would be so stupid to pass up…

How long into a role until you can request for a new role (whether it be horizontal or vertical) ?

Interviewed for a role and after speaking with the manager for it, I’m not that interested anymore solely on the manager alone. How do I message the recruiter (the manager too?) that I’m no longer interested but don’t necessarily want to cut ties with the company in case there are better roles in the future? BTW I’m happy in my current role now, was just curious about the company.

A little conflicted and could use some advice — I recently transferred offices several months ago. I just got hit up for what could be described as my dream position, but I feel guilty — continued..

Starting a gig soon that I'm really happy about. This is my second job in a CD position and I'm coming into an existing team as opposed to building one like I have at my previous job.

These guys have never had a CD before so this is new to them, and the CMO has mentioned they're great and driven, but require direction.

Do you have any tips / watchouts / advice for how to come in to a team like this and start off on the right foot?

Anyone heard of an ad agency called Exclusive Concepts? I would like to hear more about what the work-life balance is like please for the Marketplaces Specialist position.

Hill Holiday congrats on Valvoline! Hiring any creatives?

So uh anyone want to hire a Junior Designer for a remote position? Maybe that person could be me? Just got the return to office news.. kinda desperate.

Genuinely curious about this: Do you give yourself a CD title when you become a freelancer, even though you were an ECD or CCO prior to that in a full time role? Agencies don’t normally let freelancers come in to make executive decisions over the full timers. Am I right?

Agencies in SF hiring freelance/independent contractors?


Pros / Cons about SF agencies you've worked/are working/ know of that I/we should know of -

What are CDs looking for these days out of copywriter books? 360 campaigns? Ability to write to all mediums (print, social, web, tv)? I don’t know what should be in my book as a mid-level writer because I have some old pieces from ad school that actually reflect my writing abilities so much better than the “real” work I’ve been able to get produced at agencies— if any. But is showing ad school work unprofessional as a mid? Someone tell me what the people hiring mid-level writers are looking for.

What do you all do for your mental health while in between work/not getting interviews & offers? I feel like I’m hitting rock bottom here, and my mind NEVER stops going. I think the holidays made it worse because I knew no one was actively working on hiring. I’ve experienced some mental health issues before, but nothing close to this. I’m young in my career if that helps with any insight or just to hear some positive experiences. Thanks for reading my rant

What is it like working at Tombras? A recruiter for there contacted me about a remote role, but I live in an area where COL is 75 percent higher than the southeast, so not sure if they will pay enough.

What is it like working on the Mercedes Benz account in an account role?

I’m looking for a new job starting January. Are your companies actively hiring right now or are things dying down for the holidays and better to start sending out resumes in January?

For agencies that have been hiring remote, does it seem like more FT or freelance employees?