Havas India
Havas India interview process: application, portfolio review, creative or client interview and HR round for advertising careers in India.
- 2006 (Havas founded
- Mumbai headquarters
About Havas India
Havas India is the Indian operation of Havas, the French advertising and communications group founded in 1968 and headquartered in Puteaux, France. Havas Media launched in India in 2006, and the group has since built out creative, media, health and public relations businesses in the country.
Havas India operates agencies across advertising, media planning and buying, digital marketing, healthcare communications and public relations, with offices in Mumbai, Delhi NCR and Bengaluru serving clients across sectors such as consumer goods, technology, healthcare and financial services.
Havas India hires for creative, strategy, media planning, client servicing and digital roles, welcoming both campus freshers and experienced advertising professionals. It values creative thinking, strong client communication and comfort working across fast turnaround campaign timelines.
Havas India hiring process
1. Application
Candidates apply through the Havas India careers page, job portals, campus placement drives at communication and design institutes, or employee referrals.
2. Resume and portfolio screening
Recruiters shortlist based on relevant advertising, media or design experience, with creative roles requiring a portfolio of prior campaigns or design work.
3. Creative or case exercise
Creative and strategy candidates are often given a brief to develop a concept or campaign idea, while media and digital roles may get a planning-style case exercise.
4. Functional interview
A round with a creative director, strategist or media lead reviews your exercise and past work, testing conceptual thinking and understanding of the client's brand.
5. Client-servicing or leadership round
A discussion with a senior leader assesses client communication skills, ability to manage feedback and comfort with fast-changing campaign timelines.
6. HR discussion and offer
HR confirms compensation, team allocation and joining date, with offers typically shared within one to two weeks of the final round.
Havas India interview rounds
Havas India's rounds are built around a portfolio or brief-based exercise followed by conversations on creative and client thinking, reflecting its identity as a full-service advertising and communications group.
Round 1: Portfolio or brief exercise
Creative candidates present prior work or respond to a short brief, while media and strategy candidates may work through a sample media plan or audience-targeting exercise.
- Developing a concept for a sample client brief
- Building a basic media plan for a given budget
- Presenting a portfolio of past campaigns
Round 2: Functional interview
A creative director, strategist or media lead reviews your exercise in depth, probing the thinking behind your ideas and how you would refine them based on feedback.
- Explaining the insight behind a creative idea
- Handling client feedback that conflicts with your concept
- Basics of audience segmentation for a media plan
Round 3: Client-servicing or leadership round
A senior leader evaluates how you would manage client relationships, handle tight campaign deadlines and collaborate across creative, strategy and media teams.
- Managing a client unhappy with a campaign concept
- Working under a short turnaround for a pitch
Round 4: HR and final round
The closing round covers compensation, team and account allocation, and joining date, along with a check on fit with a fast-paced agency environment.
- Why advertising and communications as a career
- Comfort with frequent late-stage client changes
Havas India salaries
| Designation | Average salary |
|---|---|
Creative / Account Director Experience: 9+ years yrs |
₹ 23.2 Lakhs /year Typical range â‚ą16 L – â‚ą30.4 L/yr |
Manager Experience: 5 - 9 years yrs |
₹ 12.4 Lakhs /year Typical range â‚ą8.8 L – â‚ą16 L/yr |
Senior Executive Experience: 2 - 5 years yrs |
₹ 6.8 Lakhs /year Typical range â‚ą4.8 L – â‚ą8.8 L/yr |
Executive - Creative / Media Experience: 0 - 2 years yrs |
₹ 3.6 Lakhs /year Typical range â‚ą2.4 L – â‚ą4.8 L/yr |
Figures are estimates based on typical market ranges for this role and sector, not company-published pay. Actual offers vary by location, skills and negotiation.
Havas India interview questions
Question banks most relevant to roles at Havas India, with model answers.
Havas India interview FAQs
Q1How many rounds are there in the Havas India interview process?
Most candidates go through three to four stages: a portfolio or brief exercise, a functional interview, sometimes a client-servicing or leadership round, and a final HR discussion. Senior roles may add an additional agency-head interview.
Q2How long does the Havas India hiring process take?
The process typically takes two to three weeks from application to offer, depending on how quickly the portfolio or brief exercise is scheduled and reviewed. Documentation usually adds a few more days before joining.
Q3Why do you want to work at Havas India?
Mention Havas's global scale as a full-service advertising and communications group, its presence across creative, media, health and PR in India, and your interest in the specific discipline you are applying for. Tie this to work you have done or admire.
Q4How would you respond to a client brief with a limited budget?
Explain prioritising the channels or creative formats most likely to reach the target audience, being upfront with the client about trade-offs, and focusing effort where it will have the most impact. Interviewers value practical, resourceful thinking over an unrealistically ambitious plan.
Q5Describe a time you had to revise your idea based on tough feedback.
Choose a real example where feedback changed your direction, explain how you separated the useful parts from your personal attachment to the original idea, and what the final result looked like. Havas values people who can iterate quickly without losing creative quality.
Q6What is the fresher salary and eligibility for Havas India roles?
Entry-level creative, strategy and client-servicing roles typically offer compensation in line with the advertising industry in India, varying by city and discipline. Eligibility usually needs a relevant degree in communications, design or marketing, along with a strong portfolio for creative roles.
Quick facts about Havas India
- Is Havas India a public or private company?
- Ownership: Part of Havas / Vivendi group.
- Who is the CEO of Havas India?
- As recorded on this profile, Rana Barua (Group CEO, Havas India, Southeast & North Asia) leads Havas India. Leadership can change - check the company's own site for the current position holder.
- What does Havas India do?
- Havas India operates in Advertising, media and communications.
- Where is Havas India headquartered?
- Havas India is headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India (group HQ: Puteaux, France).
Looking for a role at Havas India?
Browse current openings on Jobaaj, and use this guide to prepare before your first round.
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