It’s good to be back to blogging!
I thought I’d start off my first official post of 2018 talking about in-house vs. agency. A popular discussion (and sometimes debate) in the PR community. Since I’ve been a part of both, and often get asked which I prefer, I wanted to share my thoughts.
In college, I took a tour of Ketchum (RIP Pittsburgh office) and I then declared I would work for an agency. It was so glamorous when I was 20 years old, seeing these trendy offices with modern decor and things like a ping pong table or beer tap. While that’s cool and all, I could not care less about that stuff now. Unless it involves free office snacks. Nowadays, flexibility, a great team and culture, and work I feel good about matters. But, I digress.
Long story short, I began in the agency world in December 2007 and stayed there until 2013. From 2013 to 2017, I had my first taste of corporate life (although the place I worked for was anything but a traditional corporate environment) and then in 2017, made the switch back to agency life. I actually didn’t think I would, but I am happy I did. Here’s what I’ve learned (so far):
Age Matters
One of the things that comes over time in your career is experience and insight. Unfortunately, when you’re 23 you don’t have much to compare to, so you don’t know if agency or corporate is right for you. However, when you’re 33, you’ve officially been around the block once, so you know a little more. When I’m 43, I’m sure I’ll have much more insight! And so on. Thing is, at 23, you have no idea what you like and what you don’t like. This is usually around the time of your first real job. Similarly, say you’re 30 years old and have worked corporate side and switch over to agency. You now understand how you thrive (and what brings you down), so making this switch allows you to think through it more. My point is, perspective is everything. And that only comes with experience as you get older. Frustrating when you’re younger, empowering when you’re a little older.
Agency Experience Goes a Long Way…
One of the things I always tell students who are torn between agency and corporate side is that agency experience resonates nearly everywhere. Working on a variety of clients and projects early on is good practice into project and time management, and you really understand how to maximize your time, because you have to bill it. While this task is daunting and straight-up just blows, it really helps you become a better planner. And makes you an appealing candidate when it comes time to look for a new job (if you even want to).
…But Corporate Does Too
The thing about corporate experience is you truly get ingrained in the business. At my corporate job, I’d have access to sales data to such a granular level. It was really neat to see, especially because driving sales was obviously a top priority for the company. So if one area was lacking in sales, I could focus my efforts on promoting it. Plus you could walk down the hall (or be in a meeting) with c-level execs, and have exposure to them, which is such an important part of growing in the company. Not only that, you interact with a lot more departments. In retail, I’d work with just about everyone — from HR, to merchandising, to finance — so I got to understand other parts of the business as well and help grow a deeper understanding of the brand. You really know that brand inside and out when you’re “on the inside.”
It All Comes Down To Personal Preference
They say variety is the spice of life. Depends on how you look at it. The good thing about PR is that it’s definitely a career that always changes — no matter what side you’re on. In my career, I can honestly say that no two days are the same. Granted, I’ve worked at several places over the years, but even when you work for a company for 10 years, it’s always changing. One day I am doing executive communications, the next day media relations, and then maybe planning an event. And always writing. I will say that I don’t personally have a preference because PR is always fun for me. But, I know several people from the agency world in the past who refuse to go back to an agency. It comes down to what’s worked for you. The good news? You get great experience no matter what.
Which do you prefer — agency or corporate? Or, if you’re in another sector like nonprofit or a solo pro, weigh in!
