By Adrienne Erin
Online Career Tips, Contributor
The public relations industry is often viewed as a “glamorous” industry, but what people rarely talk about is the fact that it’s one of the most stressful industries in the country to work in. Long hours, crazy assignments and the uncontrollable news cycle all lead to this statistic. There are all different areas of PR but basically it breaks down into two different sections: agency and in-house. There are many significant differences between the two divisions; let’s take a look at both of them to see which one works best for you.
Agency Work Pros:
Get a feel for many different industries: The biggest part of PR is getting to know your contacts in your industry. An agency provides you with all different types of clients. One day you could be talking with motorcycle accident lawyers regarding your car insurance client and the next day you could be dealing with a celebrity’s publicist for their upcoming book tour.
Every day is different: Because of the plethora of clients, there is never a dull moment and you never know quite what to expect, which if that’s what you’re looking for can be an amazing job opportunity.
You’re the specialist: Your clients will turn to you for advice, you are the expert at what you do. That kind of power and respect can feel good!
Agency Work Cons:
You’re always the scapegoat: If something goes wrong or not exactly how the client foresees it, you’ll be the one in the hot seat.
No accountability: You can’t really yell at your client if you expect them to keep paying you. You have to wait on them for content approvals and any necessary resources and that can be exhausting after awhile.
Hard to balance: Sometimes, juggling all different clients can leave some of them feeling abandoned. It’s hard, but you must continually check-in with your clients to make sure they’re satisfied with your service.
In-house Pros:
Projects are yours: You’re more personally invested in your work because your projects are your babies: you start with them from inception and watch them grown into something amazing. Passion is a huge part of PR and there’s no shortage of that with in-house work.
Expert in one area: If you’re in house, chances are you’re working for one company. This means you can learn everything about that company and truly become an expert regarding all things about your business.
It’s all at your fingertips: If you have a question regarding a press release, you don’t have to play phone tag or email reply to anyone, you can just walk down the hall and find out what your coworker has to say. Never underestimate the power of closeness in PR.
In-house Cons:
Shortage of help: In in-house PR, you’re doing everything. One day you’ll be writing press releases; the next day you’ll be creating media lists. While this can be exciting, it can be exhausting. An intern can only take so much off your plate.
Pettiness: Sometimes, an office can be a very political place, which is when working in an agency can come in handy to have an outside perspective on a PR plan.
Out of the loop: While you may be an expert in one area of the industry, you’ll be falling behind in other areas simply because you’re concentrating so hard on one area. It’s important to stay ahead in this industry, which can be challenging in-house.
Whether you choose to go with an agency and work for a number of diverse clients, or go in-house and work intimately on one company’s promotions, you are bound to gain plenty of useful experience and meet interesting people. There are benefits and detractors to either situation, so evaluate your personal goals and the opportunities available before you make your decision.
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