When you work in marketing and creative one of the biggest questions you’ll likely ask yourself at some point is: in-house vs. agency?
While both environments are great places to gain experience as a marketing and creative professional, some key differences might influence your decision to choose one over the other.
Following are some key distinctions between in-house vs. agency:
IN-HOUSE VS. AGENCY: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
When you work in-house you are part of an internal team that produces marketing or creative work for the organization that employs you. Your team knows the ins and outs of your company’s brand. Your work is devoted to building awareness around that brand as well as developing and launching all campaigns from start to finish.
When you work for an agency, you are part of an external or outsourced team that organizations hire to help market their business. A business might hire an agency to handle all of its creative and marketing demands or one-off projects as needed.
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KNOWING THE CLIENT
As an in-house professional, your client is also your employer. In this environment, you are intimately familiar with the nuts and bolts of many facets of the marketing strategy. This full-on immersion allows you to develop a high level of expertise in that specific industry.
Working in-house often means you have greater access to key stakeholders which can be helpful in better understanding the objectives and influences behind campaigns. This proximity can also be useful when problems arise so issues can be resolved quickly if approvals and leadership sign-offs are needed.
When you work for an agency, you will do work for multiple clients – often at the same time. Agency life is often fast-paced. While you may not have the same intimate knowledge of each client that you would if you were in-house, working for an agency allows you to gain exposure and experience with a variety of industries on a range of projects and campaigns.
Agencies are typically made up of a team of marketing and design experts with a range of specialties. When you work for an agency, you have an opportunity to learn from a wide group of professionals.
HOW TO CHOOSE BETWEEN IN-HOUSE VS. AGENCY
When deciding which environment would work better for you, you might want to ask yourself the following questions:
Do you prefer the variety of managing several types of projects and working with a diverse clientele spanning multiple industries? If so, an agency environment might be the right fit.
Do you prefer working towards one greater organizational goal with an internal team who all have a vested interest in reaching that common objective? In this case, you might want to explore in-house job opportunities.
But like all things in life, what works for you now might change as you evolve in your career.
WORKING WITH A SPECIALIZED STAFFING AGENCY
Whether you’re looking for an in-house position or one with an agency, the specialized recruiters at 24 Seven can help you find your next marketing or creative job.
We are experts in finding skilled professionals full-time and freelance positions in the marketing, creative, digital, fashion, beauty, and retail sectors. We often know of roles before they’re even posted and work as a free job resource for you!
Browse our open jobs and contact a recruiter today!
This post was updated on February 17, 2023.
