We’re kind of partial to the agency world, but we understand it isn’t everyone’s jam. Some people like the dull, mind-numbing corporate world. Fun.
We figured we’d break down the differences for ya, so here is our side-by-side comparison of agency vs. corporate.
Both sides have their pros and cons, you gotta pick what is right for you. Obviously we’re partial to agency, but we also know it takes a special kind of person to really excel in the environment.
Agency
- No day is ever the same. You might have your day planned out but it will inevitably blow up in some way. A website goes down, a crisis pops up, Zuckerberg decides to roll out some massive change and all of your scheduled posts disappear…I mean the list goes on and on. The great thing is, you’ll never be bored. Organization is key in the agency world, you’re gonna be constantly shifting things around. Maybe that’s why this group really loves to drink?
- Culture is pretty awesome. You’ve got flexibility to work from home in your pajamas or head into the office with a ball cap on. Agency teams are usually pretty small and close knit, which means you’ll never be lost in the crowd. This also means you’ll know a lot about your co-workers and when they’re out sick or on vacation you’re often covering for them. If you want a great culture, you’ll be responsible for keeping it on track – having honest convos, tackling issues as they arise and showing empathy to your team.
- Jack of all trades. If you love doing the same thing day after day, you’ll be severely disappointed in agency. You’ll be trained and cross trained on everything – digital, email marking, writing, website, advertising, design (Canva anyone?)…the list is long and this blog is shaping up to be a research paper.
- It’s fun. We fully embrace Thirsty Thursdays, birthdays, holidays, brunches, mimosas and screwdrivers…rules are thrown out the window. Some days we might just say f*ck it, lets go work from a patio and enjoy some drinks while crushing through work. Other times, we’ll pack it up and head out early for the weekend. We really love Summer Fridays.
- Responsiblity is endless. We laugh when people say there is no career growth in agency. When you’re part of a small team, leadership is in the job description of every employee. There is no time to micro manage, you’ll be managing clients, other team members and vendors. It also means age is just a number, we don’t care if you’re 22 or 42. Everyone here is on equal footing and promotions will happen as needs arise.
Corporate
- Work life balance. 8:00 to 5:00 p.m. is gonna be your jam. More like 9:00 to 5:00 p.m., you’ll show up, do the thing and then head home. Nights are not likely, though there may be a networking event or two you’ll be asked to attend. You’ll still have deadlines but the pace will be slower and you can probably sneak out for an hour and half lunch and no one would notice.
- You’re the client. Agencies work for you which is pretty cool – you get to coordinate, oversee and lead. You’ll map out your needs and it’ll be up to them to build the strategy and implementation plan.
- Big team. Everywhere you look there is someone that works at the company. There are departments for everything – HR, marketing, finance, sales, etc. You’ll never want for a person to chat with, because you’ll never be alone. Find your work bestie and let the gossiping begin. Listen, we’re really trying to be positive here, but corporate sounds awful.
- Advancement. With so many people and departments you can move from one place to the next looking for your next adventure or challenge. Sick of public relations? Move into digital marketing and learn something new.
- We can think of a 5th, just go work at an agency.
No matter what you choose, just remember agency is better.
