Recently, a colleague announced that she had made the decision to leave agency life to try corporate communications. Since I made the opposite decision a few months back, it got me thinking – is one better than the other? And, should PR professionals try both?
I say no to the first question and yes to the second. All good PR professionals must have the basic skills to succeed in the profession. True, some are better than others ... but those without love for the news, creative and strategic thinking, excellent writing skills and time management abilities will likely have a hard time finding their place in the industry -- no matter which path they choose.
Having said that, I think all PR professionals, budding and seasoned alike, should spend time in both environments -- "agency side" and "client side" -- for the valuable understanding and well-rounded perspective that's gained from intimately experiencing the two. A PR professional with agency experience who works in a corporate communications role has a deeper appreciation for managing an agency relationship -- while the agency executive with corporate experience has a brighter picture of client challenges, client pressures and client expectations.
Prior to joining Vault, I spent nearly five years in a spokesperson role at a well-known membership organization. Because of the nature of the job, I honed skills I didn’t even know I had! But after a while, it was time to move on, face new challenges and get a view of the "other side of the fence." In the three months I’ve been at Vault, I’ve learned to cope with my fear of bugs thanks to my friends at the National Pest Management Association; gleaned knowledge about credit card processing, “junk” fees and other topics in the payments industry by working on the Heartland Payment Systems account; and had the opportunity to be exposed to the knowledge and experience of my fellow Vaulters on behalf of our many clients.
I know I wouldn’t be here today without my in-house experience, and I look forward to leveraging it to better serve my clients and positively influence my colleagues. And I’m pretty sure my soon-to-be former colleague will agree that her time spent here at Vault will pay huge dividends in her role on "the other side!"