Don’t Dismiss Agencies.
Over the past few years, the agency world hasn’t really had the best reputation and we’ve spoken to hoards of candidates who are eager to get out and make the move client-side. It hasn’t been helped by the significant growth of internal marketing departments which has created competition for the mos sought after people.
Let’s be honest, agencies are renowned for early starts, late nights, annoying clients who don’t understand the creative process, and most certainly aren’t family-friendly, or flexible. Couple that with the news that brands now deem it a necessity to bring services in-house, whilst always being reminded that the agency model is becoming defunct and in-housing is rising a rate that’s never seen before, it really is no surprise that people are a bit cautious when it comes to considering agency opportunities.
We’ve been in this business for longer than we care to mention, and over the years have definitely seen some changes. Some good, some bad. And we’ve got to be honest, at one point we were guilty of thinking the same. There was a definite ‘lull’ in the industry and something needed a good shake-up, which we are happy to report that we are starting to see.
Agency talent, especially in the PR sector, is hard to come by. It is a challenge to find agency talent, ask anyone hiring in an agency, they’ll tell you! But, we don’t think there has ever been a more exciting time to join and become part of an industry that is heaving with creativity and fun.
We’re lucky that over the years we have got to work with some absolutely belting agencies, and we’ve seen them make changes. They understand that people want a flexible approach to work. They understand that people want lives outside of work. They understand that people want to pick their children up from school or drop them off in the morning. They understand the importance of holidays and know that people don’t expect to look at an email while they’re off sunning themselves around the world. They understand that they need to reward employees, be that through promotions, training and development programmes, bonus schemes, and softer benefits (we understand that a ping-pong table isn’t going to solve the world’s problems, but it’s a nice way to spend lunch!).
Recently, we’ve hired for agencies who want to reward their employees and do care about their wellbeing. We’ve hired for agencies that take their employees on weekend breaks, are offering company share schemes, an option to work from home one day per week, flexible working options, private healthcare, training investment, as well as a ‘wellbeing day’ once a month, and let’s not forget, the free treats – cupboards filled with chocolate, biscuits, and fruit (if that’s your bag – we wish it was ours!).
They’re also working with a diverse portfolio of accounts that span all types of industries, from science to beauty, and are building internal teams to be proud of. They collaborate, and all come together to brainstorm ideas and create high-impact campaigns that help clients achieve their business goals and success.
So, in our mind, agencies shouldn’t be dismissed just because you’ve heard about their reputation and shouldn’t all be tarred with the same brush. Each and everyone is different, and each and every opportunity should be considered.
We feel there’s a revolution coming, and it’s the perfect time to become a part of it!
