Interpublic Group Interview Questions
& Process

The hiring process was quite long, spanning over two months, and ultimately I didn't receive a decision. It started with an HR video call, followed by a scheduled 45-minute video interview with the hiring manager. Then there was a scheduled 45-minute video interview with a team member. A background check was conducted, which was really extensive, asking for all my bank info like limits and spending habits, plus 7 years of work history. After that, there was a scheduled 1-hour in-person interview with a VP, which was called the 'final round'. The 'final final rounds' involved scheduled interviews with an SVP and a Director, lasting 1 hour 15 minutes and 30 minutes respectively. The whole thing took more than two months and had many stages. The background check by Sterling was in the middle, which was weird. The interviews all asked similar questions that weren't too tough. Everyone was nice, easy to talk to, and on time, except the SVP was 15 minutes late for the in-person meeting. I was told I'd hear back in a few days after the last interviews, but I heard nothing. My advice would be to do a panel interview, fewer rounds, or a super day. Also, do the background check at the end, not in the middle. Don't drag out the process and waste people's time. The job is a 3 days in office hybrid setup, with a traditional corporate office, not open space.

No recruiter call, went straight to the hiring manager. They scheduled it for a Friday end of day, which wasn't ideal. Then, the hiring manager had a conflict and rescheduled. I ended up waiting over 20 minutes for the manager, who kept saying 'just a few more minutes.' The interview felt like pulling teeth; I had to ask the same things multiple times to get an answer. There wasn't enough time for my questions because the manager had to leave for their next call. I got a generic rejection email and no feedback even after following up.

A recruiter reached out via email at the end of March and set up a Zoom interview right after. We had a casual chat about the role and company. Then, a Zoom interview was scheduled with the hiring manager for mid-April. She also seemed cool, and it was a positive discussion. Two things stood out: First, during my interview with the hiring manager, she mentioned looking for someone committed long-term, not someone who would leave after six months, requiring her to restart the hiring process. While this is a common sentiment, her having to explicitly state it made me question the company's track record. Second, a full month passed after my interview with the hiring manager with no update from IPG. I emailed the recruiter to check in, and they replied, "We have decided to pursue the employment of another applicant." This lack of communication, even a rejection email, left a bad impression. It made me feel it was probably a good thing I wasn't hired.

Having experience in advertising agencies was important because the role involved supporting IPG agencies with a business application for planning, buying, and production. My advice is to be ready for the interview and talk about how your past experience and accomplishments connect to the job. Also, they mentioned my follow-up thank you note showed I paid attention during the interview.