The pros and cons of working for a public relations agency

Before committing to an agency, weigh the advantages and downsides of a PR career.

Working for a PR agency has many advantages. Agencies allow maximum creativity and for ideas to flow more easily, though PR agencies and in-house communications departments can both be beneficial to your company. To help you decide which might work best for you, here is a list of pros and cons for hiring a PR agency. 

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The advantages of working at public relations agency

1. You’ll enjoy your place of work and what you’re doing.

According to The Agency Edge Research Series by Agency Management Institute, AudienceAudit, and Dynata, 41% of agency employees have worked client side before, and a supermajority of those employees prefer agency work. This is because of their ability to be more creative and complete different tasks every day. Agency employees also love their work so much that 86% of them recommend agency work overall, while 50% of them highly recommend agency work to their friends and family.  

2. You’ll work alongside highly creative individuals.

Agency employees are drawn to the advertising, marketing, and PR industry for opportunities to be creative. The Agency Edge Research Series states that nearly 40% say this is a substantial benefit of working within an agency. A little under half of agency employees state their place of work is fun, there are opportunities to be creative and work with a wide range of clients, and that agency life provides a good work/life balance..

3. You’ll receive frequent feedback.

Agency employees are receiving frequent feedback that allows them to grow as professionals at a rapid rate, meaning you’ll have a lot of experience very early on in your career. 

The disadvantages of working at public relations firm

Hiring a PR agency does, however, come with disadvantages to consider: agencies have a fast workflow with stressed employees and limited time. Here are two reasons you might NOT consider working for an agnecy: 

1. You’ll be working under high stress.

A study by Agency Management Institute, AudienceAudit, and Dynata shows that around 42% of agency employees view their job as a high stress job. Of those wanting to leave agency life, 70% cite their reason for leaving as high stress.

2. You’ll be pushed to your working limits.

Pressure and expectations to work outside of conventional work hours can easily overwork agency employees. Overworked employees likely won’t be able to produce the best results either.

Working with a PR agency can be very rewarding, providing experience and creativity with numerous clients. However, agency life isn’t for everyone. The fast paced lifestyle with lots of back and forth in-between clients takes a very dedicated employee. Do some research before deciding to work with an agency, but it could be the start of a very long and rewarding career for you!!

We offer a variety of PR services. You can book a one-on-one consultation with us to learn more about them! Also, if you’re interested in working with an agency after reading the benefits employees have in agencies, you can check out our career page on our website!

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