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Not director but senior planner level. I've always had to submit a work sample, present a previous strategy, or submit work samples AND do an assignment. Kind of annoying but not that surprised - people can interview well but actually suck.
I wished they would ask me to show work. I'll never be chosen if I'm competing with white male privledge and a boatload of smooth talk. I've brought in my own work to showcase in interviews because without it, they don't get me.
Yes, even more so at a director level it's important - I've done assignments previously
I find that how well a place understands strategic thinking is negatively correlated with asking you to do homework.
Yes
Senior planner, associate director, I get it:... but I feel like once you have a certain amount of years of experience the interviewer should be able to gauge your knowledge and skill set through a few good conversations. A few months ago I interviewed at a very well known and respected agency, they asked me to present some work that I have done and I completely made up the deck putting in fake stats, fake insights, made up strategy... they ate it up, (and that was the problem) and I ended up passing on them. Now I am being asked again (different place) and idk, it kind of rubs me the wrong way.
Absolutely. It’s pretty annoying but I find I actually really do so much better in those situations than if people are talking to me for 15 minutes and making generalizations about “fit.” I suck it up and do it and almost always get those jobs versus the firing squad interview ones. I also know some people that legit suck but are good looking and interview well so they get jobs but can’t keep them.
We recently interviewed an award winning VP candidate and still required that they bring in a work sample and present it to team. I actually appreciate this aspect of interviewing because I think it helps both the agency know if the person is what they're looking for and it helps the person to confirm this is the right move for them - vs going somewhere that the expectations for your role / capabilities are out of whack with what you will bring to it.
Also, who has time to evaluate fake assignments on the interviewing side? Think it speaks to them (your prospective employers) having too much time on their hands and not being able to make a sound decision based on in-person meetings and work samples. My honest advice is that it feels like a red flag.
The point here OP is to see your thinking and how you think things through, whether it was fake or not doesn't really matter. Personally I have seen lots of great strategists (on paper) but then they don't cut it when they have to produce work
@ Initiative. I totally get the point. But how many decks have you created that was solely your thinking and work without anyone else's input? The challenge (for me at least) is that I think there are different ways to understand people's thinking. When you are asking for a presentation I begin to wonder... are looking for me to join your team to craft solutions or for my deck building and presentation skills?
OP, I'm with you and as I just commented on another thread yesterday, I don't do assignments and have other friends in other disciplines who don't either. This is not high school and I'm not being "examined". I judge interviewers on the type of questions asked which at senior level should be far smarter and they should be able to ascertain my qualifications from my references, my background, how I talk, the substance of my answers to their questions, and how I carry myself. I've never done a presentation or assignment for an interview and I'm very proud of my career and accomplishments thus far. If my bosses and my clients are offering to be a reference without me asking, that speaks for itself. If hiring managers cannot figure out how to weed out candidates without an assignment, that's very much on them.
All of this really got me thinking about different industries... how do doctors, lawyers, marketers, accountants, sales people, architects, etc. "show their thinking" how do they "prove their worth". Do they have to do anything more / provide anything else beyond a resume, interview, conversations, references?
Strategist 1, I think you're addressing me. It's rarely happened that it's been asked. I have this conversation usually with HR facilitating interviews. To be very clear as there is a difference, I don't do tests/homework/presentation assignments. That's different from discussing in detail prior work, showing brands I've worked on and campaigns/materials. I do get asked and appreciate it about experience in difficult client circumstances, most challenging thing I've worked on and how/why it was challenging. Etc etc and as account I'm very much expected to know strategy, competitive landscape, etc. I've been asked to walk people through past projects and it is very much a way to test candidates on multiple levels - including their ability to succinctly present meaningful key points, speak professionally, etc. If asked to do an assignment, I politely decline, asking instead what they're looking to learn about my qualifications through the assignment so I can bring to the discussion examples from past experience that demonstrates my skills or answers their questions. My friends say similar things but you gotta make it your own style. It always revolves around the I don't normally engage in new assignment work as a candidate as that can be restrictive and provide a limited picture, but I'm happy to walk you in detail through work from my current experience and speak in more detail to the areas you're interested to learn more about.
SD feel free to DM me your fake strat deck
No.
I ask ppl for work samples but never an assignment like that. Annoying for you I'm sure.
^^^^ EXACTLY my point 💯
@group planning director ... sadly I have often seen situations where they aren't really fake assignments, but instead a question(s) the perspective employer might be working on for a new client ask and/or pitch. Very shady business. I wouldn't do an assignment at this stage in my career. Show work... is a different story. But even that, i have my doubts. If you want to see how I hold up under pressure... ask my tough questions, if you want to evaluated my "thinking" ask my perspective on something, ask how I would work though a challenge.... BUT if you want to steal some of my shit... yea than ask for my decks..
@GPD You hiring now? We can take this off bowl 😜
Work samples. Yes, but no assignments.