Am I CD? Creative lead on 9 brands, reporting to ECD (no CD above me). Reviewing partner agency work. Running a team of 8, making staffing budget decisions. I make 85K in Chicago. Can I be CD? 🤷🏼‍♀️

I have a question. Why is an ACD getting only 85k in Chicago?

Where are you so I can avoid that place?

Yeahhh....you need to be at a different agency, like yesterday. You're getting taken advantage of, big time. You're getting paid in the Senior Art Director range to do CD work.

@ACD1 Maybe practice some tact. Such an asshole response. You are right that OP should move on and increase their compensation. However, don’t put the blame on him/her for a lousy agency that takes advantage of its staff. OP on the bright side you are gaining a lot of experience. If you can juggle that amount of work with success you should be able to make the jump laterally or vertically for an appropriate salary. Hold tight until January/February hiring season.

This is actually kind of an object lesson for a lot of us. A business generally isn't going to pay you more than you ask for-they're in business to make a profit. We don't know what OP's original situation/negotiating position was, so let's not be too judgemental. But it does underscore the importance of knowing your own worth and negotiating accordingly. In most cases that means doing research that takes less than 30 minutes, and is well worth the effort. Good luck, OP. You're probably going to have to jump to get paid...don't tell a prospective employer what you're getting paid now.

That's crazy. Cut your losses, update your resume ASAP, and get out of there as soon as you have an offer.

Move on & lie about your salary when you interview. We’ve all been there. It’s a lesson learned & hopefully good experience.

Still doesn’t explain the 85k. You have pretty much shot you self in the foot by not asking for more at the bump in title. You have to leave to even get close to what an ACD should be making. Past salaries do count. I just hope that your poor negotiating skills doesn’t screw up the way the agency treats their other ACDs and Creative Directors. So to your original question. No.

^read the equal pay act. it’s been illegal since 1963

The Creative Group. It offers a comprehensive guide to salary and region.

I would bring it up during performance reviews. Do your hard time for a year and lay it out; not only are they undervaluing you financially, they're taking serious advantage of you and the role. You have to right side this and be prepared to leave if they say no.

Um, 🙋🏼‍♀️ hi, what is TCG?

Holy shit, you are getting ripped off like I’ve never seen before! You should be making almost double that amount! $85K is higher end of mid-level PM salary. Or Account Sup. Hell, that’s low end for a Sr. Creative.

It’s a mid-size shop, didn’t realize I would be put on so many brands. At the time it seemed like a good call, since I wanted to get out of my previous gig. But after working 55-65 hour weeks for 6 months straight, I’m aware it’s not worth it. But I’m afraid of jumping ship too soon.

Are you the only acd at this place? They are taking advantage of you big time. I assume you are female per the emoji so what they are doing could even be illegal if other acds make a lot more than you.

^Pretty sure it's not illegal, but it sounds pretty shady. OP, can you shed some light here? Was this the initial salary offer for an ACD position? Did you disclose your SAD/SCW salary from a smaller market? Did you get one of those "promotions" without a salary bump? No judgement here, just trying to identify how you ended-up with such a low salary for an ACD position...could help you from repeating, and help others avoid similar.

Yeah, I hear you, but so is discrimination in hiring...very difficult to prove, especially in a business like this. And if they're doing the same to men, they're equal opportunity lowballers-thus it's not illegal. Question still stands-can OP identify for us how the salary ended-up being so low?

You sound significantly underpaid for that level of responsibility

AD 1. You’re right. Kinda dickish, yeah. But when you come up for review and ask for more money and they say nope, we have ACDs making that much, then I’m pretty sure you’ll have the same reaction. Yeah, being taken care of. But seriously, anybody hear of Glass Door or TCG?

^ This is by design of the agency not the employee. Channel your frustration appropriately.