Marketing – In-house vs agency
One of the most difficult decisions a student wanting to crack the marketing industry has to make upon graduating is trying to figure out whether they want to work for a marketing agency or for a company’s marketing department. It all depends on what your strengths are within the industry and also what motivates you. Working for an agency will mean that you have a variety of different companies to work with, whereas a company’s marketing department will have different projects regarding promoting that company. Below we have listed the pros and cons to try and make the decision a little easier for you.
Working hours
In-house: Typically when you work for an organisation’s marketing department you will have a 9am til 5pm day. Obviously there will be exceptions where you may have to come in early or stay a little later but the working hours are fairly structured.
Agency: If you work for a marketing agency it really does depend on the amount of clients the organisation has as to what hours you will be working, but one thing is for sure the days will definitely not be as structured when compared to in-house. It is far more important for you to meet your deadlines, which as a result, may mean working long hours. Alongside this, it could be your responsibility to meet the client for a working dinner – definitely something to consider.
Money
In-house: Working for a company usually means that you could get a higher salary than working for an agency. If you were to work for a larger firm they typically offer generous benefit packages, which may appeal to you.
Agency: Over the past few years marketing agencies have been known for upping their salaries as a way to compete against in house departments. Many agencies have in fact instilled policies so that their employees aren’t over worked and are paid for the additional hours they put in.
Projects
In-house: When you work for the marketing department of a particular organisation you are always working for that brand. This can be seen as a plus and a minus. The plus side being you will become a specialist for that particular industry however you may find this gets stale after a while – it really does depend on your personality.
Agency: When you work for an agency you will be working with multiple of clients, representing a variety of brands and working across a multitude of industries. This will allow you to develop a diverse skill set and ensure your work is always interesting.
Responsibilities
In-house: It would be your responsibility, especially when you are working at a high level, to come up with new and creative ideas for the company. This can be seen as a difficult task especially if you have worked for the same company for a few years.
Agency: This is definitely more of a fast paced environment in comparison as you will be working on multiple projects at the same time. You will definitely have to have good time management skills along with relationship management skills.
If you’re looking to break into the marketing industry, be it in-house or agency, CU offers a Sales and Marketing Degree at CU Coventry, CU Scarborough or CU London, which could be the springboard you need to launch a successful career.