4 TIPS FOR THE TRANSITION FROM AGENCY TO IN-HOUSE

Five years of timesheets: This is my first thought when I think about the time I spent in the agency world. That’s nowhere near a complete assessment, though.

In the short span of my six-year career, the transition from agency to in-house was by far one of the biggest decisions I ever made—eclipsed only by the time I moved across country with nothing but a suitcase to start a new career in a new city in a new industry. Big changes.

In college I worked within a variety of sectors, but none thrilled me like the agency environment. I was in awe of the people I met at my first company, Red Square Agency (RSQ). I interned with them over the summer while working part-time in the Communications Office at The University of Southern Mississippi. Though my internship concluded at the end of summer, there was an opening a few months later and I was fortunate enough to start working with the company upon graduation.

Joining my former internship supervisor on the three-person public relations team, I began working on brands like ExxonMobil, Cirque du Soleil, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Google and more. With a full bar in the breakroom and offices on the Mardi Gras parade-routes (we had balconies!), it was truly a dream.

In 2013 I made the difficult decision to leave my beloved agency, my hometown, my family and everything else that was familiar, and go work for Eastwick in San Francisco (now Hotwire PR). Two former PRSSA buddies introduced me to the company and, again, I fell in love. Eastwick was founded by strong, powerful women that were the most intelligent people I had ever met. They inspired me and gave me the tools I needed to do my best. I stayed with Eastwick for three-years before taking a short sabbatical and joining the team at Oracle.

Red Square was an agency of about 70 people. Eastwick had 55 people. Oracle has ~140,000—talk about change. With the transition came many valuable lessons, some of which I am still learning. Here are a few:

1. Take a break before you go in-house. Agencies are the powerhouses of our industry. When you come out of that environment, take some time to rest. You’ll need to be your best self before taking on a new project with a new employer. Go to the spa, spend time outdoors—do whatever you need to do to get back to center.
2. Take a break, but start looking for work immediately—it takes longer than you think. I planned to rest for a few weeks at most, but that “funemployment” quickly became an anxiety-inducing three-month break while I chased recruiters and project-managed the hiring process. Agencies are known to churn through employees. If someone isn’t a perfect fit, they can afford to move them around internally or cut them loose with minimal damage. There is more risk involved with an in-house role, so the hiring timeline is much longer.
3. PRSA is like a bank: You get back what you put into it. I was introduced to my now-manager by a PRSA connection. Others sent me job postings, made introductions and served as references. I invested several years of service to the organization and, the moment I needed them most, my network was there.
4. Be patient with yourself. If this is your first in-house role—even if it’s been a while since you worked in-house—give yourself time to settle in. Don’t feel like you have to deliver excellence your first week on the job. They hired you because they believe in your potential. Give yourself time to learn about the company, the products, your role on the team, etc. You’ll feel more prepared for what’s expected of you later on.

These lessons are just a few that I learned in the process and I have much, much more to learn. Moving in-house isn’t for everyone, but it was the right decision for me. Still, I wouldn’t trade my agency experience for the world—timesheets included (I think).

This post was originally written for the PRSA Silicon Valley blog. For more information about PRSA and the Silicon Valley Chapter, visit www.prsasiliconvalley.org.