There are basically two places in private enterprise where PR people can work: inside a company, or at a PR agency that has companies as clients.
Both offer their own pluses and minuses. For starters, check out a post on PRSA’s blog on the subject, which got me thinking about the subject. They posted on the blog as a promo for an upcoming webinar on Oct. 7 on the subject.
But here’s a quick list of my thoughts on the pluses and minuses of both settings:In-house:
Pluses:
- In-depth experience, working directly with decision-makers
- Opportunity to directly influence corporate strategy
- Oftentimes more stability and in big companies, better benefits
- Potential for career advancement beyond PR
Minuses:
- Corporate politics
- Subject matter can get stale; potential lack of variety
- Tendency to get myopic about the company and its story
- Can be somewhat straightjacketing and confining
Agency:
Pluses:
- Range of experiences and different clients
- Usually fast-paced
- Stars tend to rise quickly
- Exposure to many clients may lead to in-house job/career advancement
Minuses:
- Pressure to bill hours and show results
- Pressure on account leaders to always find new clients
- Pay and benefits tend to lag corporate jobs
- Often inadequate training and supervision, leading to poor results and client dissatisfaction
Got other insights to share? Leave a comment!