Firstly this is specific to R/GA Singapore. They first reached out to me in early January, after I sent my CV and portfolio I didn’t hear from them until March. In March, I went through 5 rounds of interviews, a week or two apart: 4 directors and 1 senior creative. We got along well and was promised a final round with the Managing Director. A month passes with zero communication, eventually after a month I receive an email saying they decided against hiring for this role. I thought that was that…
Fast forward 6 months and they reach out to me again this time asking if I would like to do freelance work under the same role. I said sure, gave them my rate card and they took 3 weeks to respond, saying “your rates are too expensive, could you lower them?” I told them this is what my clients have been paying me so far, I did not want to be under valued, so we decided not to move forward.
Fast forward another 6 months and this time they ask me to resubmit my application and go through the whole interview process again, by now I find out that only one person from the original 4 I interviewed with is still at R/GA. I decided to do it because I wanted to be a part of the company. After 2 weeks, I receive an email saying they changed their mind and would be looking elsewhere even before I commence with interviews.
In my decade working, never have I experienced a worse time applying and interviewing for a role. I write this a few months after the last contact and the role is still unfilled. Whatever R/GA stands for, it is not reflected in the Singapore office. My advice: stay as far away as possible, at least until new upper management arrives. There are agencies who treat candidates better around, even under IPG.