Five differences between working agency VS in-house
Ask any PR who has worked in both an agency and in-house and they will often tell you they have a definite preference. I believe, although the nuts-and-bolts of the role are essentially the same, the two are vastly different. Your favoured one will depend on your personality and what you want from your career. Each, of course, has their pros and cons but working in both has given me a more rounded experience in my career, for which I am thankful for.
I started my career nearly ten years ago as an eager Account Executive in a fun, fast-paced agency. I spent my early to mid-twenties happily working in central London agencies. However, after being an Account Manager in a fashion and beauty agency for two years I wanted a change. I thought that honing in on that specialism and working in-house for a beauty brand was the perfect next step. I took a role as in-house PR Manager for a beauty brand and I spent a year there. I absolutely loved the team but, in many ways, I also found it lonely and dare I say it, boring! I really missed the buzz, excitement and variety of the work in agency life. A recent report on PR Daily, reveals that for many PR professionals, the value of the work is the top priority when it comes to overall job satisfaction.
These are five differences and learnings I took from my stint in-house before returning to agency life.
1) Working in-house gives you very sector-specific knowledge. This is great if you want to specialise in one area but if like me, you enjoy variety, you might find it a bit monotonous. In an agency variety really is the spice of life. Even if the agency you work for specialises in a particular sector, no two clients are ever the same. Agency life exposes you to lots of different campaigns and budgets which is an invaluable experience.
2) Generally speaking, working in-house you are ‘closer’ to the business and get to see how a business operates on a day-to-day basis. You are likely to work with other departments too - sales, finance, business development and operations. I gained a huge awareness of how a business operates top to bottom and how it all works together. Now I have a greater understanding of the principalities of business it gives me a better perspective and I can relate more to my clients. This insider knowledge means I have more of a grasp of the nuances of their business. This enables me to come up with more closely aligned strategies. I am also more empathetic to their frustrations as I have seen the PR and client relationship from other side.
3) Many agencies employee people from different specialisms and with a huge variety of skillsets. The agency environment is awash with creative minds. Your peers will inspire you and teach you lots of new things that you may not get a chance to be exposed to in-house. It is arguably easier to stay up-to-date with trends and cutting-edge technologies in an agency.
4) In-house you are often the only PR person which at times can feel quite lonely. A lot of the time you are the only person who does PR. Most people in the company will not know what you do or what it entails. Nor will they share the joys of your successes or understand what work went on behind the scenes to secure that big feature. No one truly understands
your frustrations or will share in your wins more than your agency colleagues! Working alongside other people who do the same job as you, means they appreciate what you are going through. If you need advice or input from a fellow PR they are no more than a desk away.
5) Agency life is fast-paced and exciting. Quick turnarounds and a plethora of clients mean no two days are the same but the days can be long. In-house you are generally working with one or two brands. If you enjoy autonomy and knowing what to expect each day then in-house might be for you. If, however, you thrive in a fast-paced environment, embrace variety and enjoy a change now and then, agency life will give you that.
Whether you work in-house or agency-side and are contemplating a career move, it is worth considering the diversity between the two. My advice is to ask yourself what are you looking to get out of your career? Also, take into account your personality type as you may be more suited to one or the other. Whichever side you do work on, I think having some experience of both makes for a better, more rounded PR.
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