Thriving in the PR agency world
I’ll be leaving Metia at the end of this month to embark on the in-house journey. Here are the key lessons about the agency world I’ve learnt from this and previous agency experiences.
#1 Put clients first
Agency is an environment heavily focused on the client. It’s very important you always put yourself in clients’ shoes. Every piece of work should be done with them in mind.
If the in-house teams are the ones paving the way for businesses, and guiding them through the world of fast-moving information, agency teams should be always one step ahead of this machine.
#2 Manage your time well
Time management, especially when juggling multiple clients and projects is key. Prioritise well, make your team aware on what’s on your plate, and keep a to-do list.
I wrote a few articles on time management in the past.
#3 Be proactive
Putting your hand up helps you get noticed. It opens doors and creates new opportunities. When you feel you could do with some extra work, ask around and offer giving a helping hand. You can even venture out of your team and get exposed to different kinds of work. Though when doing the latter, always make sure you’re making your managers aware your time is spent on the projects outside your team and accounts.
#4 Do your timesheets
Most agencies use timesheets to bill their clients. You’ll often hear your managers asking you to fill them in a timely manner. It’s crucial for them to know how much time you spend on certain projects and whether you’re allocating your time properly. I always try to fill in my timesheets daily. And I highly recommend you do so as well. Dealing with a backlog of unfilled timesheets is a nightmare.
#5 Make contacts
Make sure to grab lunches, coffees, and put your hand up to help introducing the new joiner to the workplace. This will help you in expanding your network further down the line. Get to know people and get yourself known to them.
#6 Learn and try things
Being in an agency environment also means you’ll get a lot of opportunities to learn. Make the most of every opportunity that arises. Every task, even the most mundane, can teach you something.
Learn from the people around you, and learn how they work and manage others. Tap into their experience and knowledge. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
On top of that, one of the biggest advantages of an agency role is the sheer variety of work you’ll get exposed to. Take advantage of it and understand what kind of work you enjoy and which projects aren’t for you. This will later on help you specialise and you'll be able to find ‘your thing’.
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If you have any suggestions, would like to guest post or give me a feedback, feel free to email me at kl.marcel [at] gmail.com, tweet me @marcelkl or connect with me on LinkedIn. Thanks for stopping by, have a splendid day!
A photo in the header is from my own collection. For more, see my Instagram here.