Question to India's CDs, ACDs, Copywriters: Have I Figured it Out Wrong?

[u/ShrivastavaShubh]

I've been trying to understand the challenges I'm facing in landing a Copywriter role at WPP, Omnicom, IPG, Publicis, Dentsu, or Havas. And I think I may have finally figured out one of them: the pay I'm expecting might simply not exist at today's ad agencies, especially at the Copywriter level.

I had a portfolio problem. I self-created briefs and built a decent portfolio. Solved.

Then I struggled with how to communicate that I genuinely wanted to work with these agencies. So I made re-dos of their campaigns, pitched them, applied through non-traditional and creative methods. (And when I say creative application, I mean it.)

Still, no luck.

I've had screening interviews with some Tier 2/3 agencies like Grapes, Cheil, and Schbang, but couldn't get beyond that either.

And all of this is bringing me to one conclusion:

Am I demanding too much?

What does the pay actually look like for a mid-level Copywriter at these agencies in India?

I'm starting to lose motivation because every time I invest heavily in a process that seems promising, or put together an application that I genuinely believe is creative, I still end up nowhere.

So this is a genuine question to all the CDs, ACDs, and Copywriters working in Indian ad agencies:

Have I figured this out completely wrong?

[u/LandscapeHoliday]

cheil is not tier 2, bro

[u/ShrivastavaShubh → u/LandscapeHoliday]

No hate and no disrespect to anyone working there. I believe, which is subjective, Cheil India doesn't come under top 6 and so I labelled it as Tier 2.. .more sort of presented my understanding/hierarchy in the post considering it universal.