Agency: Is this the life?
I recently asked a friend majoring in public relations what she wanted to do after graduation. During our discussion, I found she was confident of one thing - she didn’t want to work for an agency.
When I first started my PR classes, I didn’t want to work for an agency either. I talked about getting a job in corporate PR for a large financial firm; however, the last few months at Eisbrenner PR have completely changed my perspective. Yes, I’ve heard horror stories, as I’m sure you have, but when put into perspective agency life isn’t terrible.
Here are my thoughts on the top three frustrations I’ve heard from students about working in a PR agency:
I don’t want to log my time. In college, I was perplexed about where all of my time went - tracking my time has made me aware of where I spend it, and how I can become more efficient. It has already helped me eliminate procrastination and improve my organizational skills. Admittedly, keeping track of every moment of your day is not exciting, but just think of all the time you’re saving for dance parties and koosh ball fights.
I can’t handle working for more than one client. I didn’t think I’d like working for multiple clients, and honestly, I wasn’t sure I could handle it. This internship has made me realize how many “clients” I’d already been managing in my life. I had to manage a job, four to five classes, two student organizations, church, friends, family and countless other responsibilities. So, when you think about it, agency life really isn’t much different than the balancing act you pull off in college.
I don’t want to work long hours. If you ask any PR professional about their schedule, they will tell you it’s anything but regular. Agencies, like other PR jobs, often require working a few extra hours, but the rewards are definitely satisfying. There’s something about seeing a published article, hosting a successful event or receiving an enthusiastic thank you from the client that makes a late Friday night worth it.
What are your anxieties about working at a PR agency? Has a recent experience changed your perspective?
When I first started my PR classes, I didn’t want to work for an agency either. I talked about getting a job in corporate PR for a large financial firm; however, the last few months at Eisbrenner PR have completely changed my perspective. Yes, I’ve heard horror stories, as I’m sure you have, but when put into perspective agency life isn’t terrible.
Here are my thoughts on the top three frustrations I’ve heard from students about working in a PR agency:
I don’t want to log my time. In college, I was perplexed about where all of my time went - tracking my time has made me aware of where I spend it, and how I can become more efficient. It has already helped me eliminate procrastination and improve my organizational skills. Admittedly, keeping track of every moment of your day is not exciting, but just think of all the time you’re saving for dance parties and koosh ball fights.
I can’t handle working for more than one client. I didn’t think I’d like working for multiple clients, and honestly, I wasn’t sure I could handle it. This internship has made me realize how many “clients” I’d already been managing in my life. I had to manage a job, four to five classes, two student organizations, church, friends, family and countless other responsibilities. So, when you think about it, agency life really isn’t much different than the balancing act you pull off in college.
I don’t want to work long hours. If you ask any PR professional about their schedule, they will tell you it’s anything but regular. Agencies, like other PR jobs, often require working a few extra hours, but the rewards are definitely satisfying. There’s something about seeing a published article, hosting a successful event or receiving an enthusiastic thank you from the client that makes a late Friday night worth it.
What are your anxieties about working at a PR agency? Has a recent experience changed your perspective?
posted by Jrdbryan at 1:27 PM
3 Comments:
I've had two totally different agency experiences.
The first agency was at a very large agency (more than 36 people just in PR). It was stressful, but a great learning experience. The environment was super competitive and I juggled a lot of clients with several different supervisors for each account.
My second one is my current internship at a small agency (less than 12 employees). The culture is entirely different here than at my first agency internship.
Really, I could write a book on the differences, but I think that my point I want to make is how every agency is different. One may not fit you, while another might be your dream job.
I love agency life...but tracking time really is a pain.
Rachel - I agree that culture has much to do with how you feel about working in an agency, but I think that is a factor for any job or PR position. If you don’t like the environment, you’re not going to like the work.
I used to think that the culture was controlled by the job responsibilities and structure (i.e. tracking time means no casual conversation or fun). I didn’t realize until working at Eisbrenner PR that those factors don’t HAVE to control the culture.
Good post and this post helped me alot in my college assignement. Say thank you you as your information.
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