When considering working in an agency or in-house environment, there are quite a few considerations to make. Overall, an agency generally handles many different accounts and while certain agencies may be industry focused these different accounts will have a variety of client needs & goals. In-house refers to a specific brand’s advertising department if they choose not to outsource from another agency.
Working in an agency will allow you to work on a diverse portfolio and a variety of clients which will assist in growing your experience as a marketer and find your own area of expertise. An agency will also tend to be a fast-paced environment with tighter deadlines to reach.
In-housework will allow you to gain a deeper knowledge into one specific brand as well as the history and inner workings of that brand. This will also give you better access to key stakeholders and a greater say on decision making processes or budgetary matters. Rather than specializing in a certain department of an agency you will be able to oversee different stages of the strategy process and see projects through to the final stages.
Overall, I see many benefits of working in either an agency or in-house environment but would personally start in an agency to gain expertise and knowledge from a variety of clients and industries to find a particular niche to specialize in.
