Making the Transition from Agency to In-house

Many public relations practitioners working for PR agencies desire, at least eventually, to move to the corporate side for an in-house communications position.

We are often asked whether agency backgrounds are attractive to corporate employers. The answer is yes and no, but you can focus on the positive.

The transitory nature of agency work is at odds with the long-term, more static nature of in-house communications efforts. While the communications issues and projects may change frequently within a corporation, the long-term business goals, and the relationships with colleagues throughout the organization, will stay the same.

Staff management requires different skills in-house, as well. At an agency, staff management tends to be project based, and while a senior-level manager may lead a large team of employees on a client project, that manager may not have responsibility for reviewing those employees, or hire/fire authority.  Inside a corporation, manager-direct report relationships are long-term, and managers are expected to mentor and develop their team members, as well as make adjustments to the team based on individual capabilities and business needs.

Corporate employers often want to see evidence that a candidate has successfully operated in this type of environment rather than take a chance on a more risky unproven hire. But there are aspects of agency experience that can be very appealing to the corporate hiring manager. Focusing on these will increase your chances of landing that in-house job.

Agency professionals have learned how to multitask effectively and are experts at thinking on their feet. A successful PR consultant will have very well-developed client service skills. Within a corporation there will be many internal clients who demand a high level of service, so agency experience is extremely valuable in this regard.

To ensure you are the best possible fit for an in-house position, focus on building relationships—whether within your agency or within a long-term client company. Be prepared to give examples of how you have collaborated with employees from different functional areas in order to accomplish a goal, and how you have used influence to gain acceptance for your programs and execute your plans.

At a corporation you will be responsible for all phases of a project or campaign—from strategy to planning to execution and, most importantly, results. Hiring managers may not realize the long-term nature of some of the accounts you have worked on. They may be concerned that, as a consultant, you have not had the opportunity to witness the outcomes of your strategies. Be prepared to give examples of projects that you have seen through from start to finish, and how you measured the results.

By focusing on the valuable, transferable skills and experience you have developed on the agency side, you will be well-positioned for an in-house role.