CEO and Founder of Sosemo, an award-winning digital marketing agency that specializes in search marketing and paid social media marketing.
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If you’re a marketer, you have most likely considered working for an agency at one time or another. The benefits can be alluring. Marketing agency jobs are typically more plentiful than client-side marketing roles, and the compensation can make these opportunities very attractive.
Marketing careers often include at least one stint at an agency. However, some people are better cut out for agency life than others. Here are five of the benefits of working at a marketing agency, plus my advice on how you can decide whether it’s the right move.
1. Working On Multiple Accounts Keeps It Interesting
It may be true that some people never get tired of their industry, be it fashion, travel or electronics. However, most people seem to prefer some variety. When you work at an agency, you typically work for a number of different brands and companies across a variety of industries and teams. There are always opportunities to learn about new businesses.
2. Immersion Keeps You At Forefront Of The Marketing Industry
In my conversations with others, I’ve heard that one of the most common fears that marketers have when they leave the agency world is that they will lose their skills, or rather that the skills they have will become obsolete. When you work at an agency, you are surrounded by marketers. Consequently, your marketing knowledge tends to increase through osmosis. You typically have managers who invest in developing you, competition between peers that drives innovation and the encouragement of shared learning. Furthermore, you can always ask the person next to you for help when you don’t understand something.
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3. You Are The Product
Product development and innovation are typically viewed as the most crucial functions within businesses. Think scientists who develop medications at pharmaceutical companies or engineers who design automobiles at car manufacturers. Marketing is typically seen as a support function within these companies. However, when you work at an agency, you are the product. That typically makes you valuable, especially if you are able to create innovative solutions that elevate the agency at large.
4. There’s Often A Work Hard, Play Hard Mentality
Marketing agencies tend to have fast-paced office environments. Developing and managing marketing campaigns for one client after another is about as close to an assembly line as you can get. At many agencies, it’s not uncommon for employees to work late or through lunch. Seasonality is another factor that impacts busyness, as many clients operate with the same fiscal year, and planning is completed during the same time period. Furthermore, the year-end push coincides across many accounts. Agency employees may require a lot of steam to do their jobs well. That being said, in my experience, agencies also know how to blow off steam as exuberant team-building activities are commonplace at many of them.
5. Co-Workers May Be Contacts Throughout Your Career
When you work at an agency, the majority of your co-workers have similar job functions. What’s great about that is there are more reasons you may keep in touch with your co-workers or work with them again in some capacity. Marketing is a small industry. Former co-workers may become your clients, vendors or co-workers at different agencies, and many of them are likely to remain business colleagues for years to come.
Conclusion
When determining whether working at an agency is the right move for you, make sure you really consider your desired work-life balance and the overall experience for which you are looking. Marketers are in the spotlight at agencies, which means you may have to work extra hard. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is possible, though it may be a challenge at times. However, if you are looking for a fast-paced, high-energy work environment where you can learn, network, innovate and be recognized, an agency may very well be your best move.
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Author: Larry Gurreri, Forbes Councils Member
