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This design makes me ridiculously happy. That’s all.
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I MISS OBAMA.
Layoffs at Omnicom shops today?
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Chief
You’ll make more in-house, but here’s a rough progression of what you can expect:
AE (1-3 yrs exp): 50k to 65k
AS (3-7 yrs exp): 70k to 95k
AD (7-10 yrs exp): 100k to 170k
GAD (10-15 yrs exp): 180k to 250k
Managing Director or EVP (15+ yrs exp): 275k to 600k
The work is hard and the pay is low early on, but you have a good ceiling. As a client side brand manager you can make even more, if you choose to jump later on. The hours also get more manageable as you move up.
Chief
I used to work in Chicago and they seemed to be pretty comparable at the big holding co agencies. Maybe 5% - 10% lower across the board, but not too much different.
I’m not providing guaranteed salary data, just trying to show OP that there’s light at the end of the tunnel.
In a similar position, but I’m doing the work of AE and supervisors since they literally don’t work. Each job I apply to, they say oh we want someone who already is an AAE or AE 😰
Good to know we’re not alone! Do they say that to you after interviews or just job descriptions?
Chief
I’ve been in this business for 15 years and I can promise you: don’t do this job for the big salary. Move to finance. Move to a client side role. Advertising agencies used to pay equivalent salaries to the clients but obviously it’s nowhere near that now. Thank holding companies for taking the profit that used to be used on salary. Do you love marketing? Do you love helping your clients get their bonuses? So many people end up bitter when they reach senior positions and still aren’t making the money of the clients three levels below them. The compensation model is completely broken. Holding companies have destroyed advertising agencies. so don’t do this job for the money in the future. Do it because you truly love helping clients succeed.
I'd venture to say the big payout is actually at GAD. A good GAD at a top-level agency can take home 250k. I believe there is a big jump from supe to director, then another from director to GAD -- probably because many don't make it that far. It is also highly personal. A super high-impact AE will make more than an average AE. Just focus on being the best you, learning as much as you can. The money will come. It's about the long game!
I didn’t feel well paid for the work I was doing until my second role as a director. My first I settled for the title and then I took that title to get more work elsewhere after a few years
Ummm. Good question. I worked client side for 3 or 4 years and agency side for 4 or 5 before I reached director level.
Chief
Once you go client side