As the most recent addition to the public relations department, I’m relatively new to Trilix and only six months into agency life in general. I dedicated the previous three years of my post-college life to the marketing efforts of a small, not-for-profit organization. The differences between the client side and agency world is extreme – but throw in the for-profit vs. not-for-profit twist and you’ve got a contrast between night and day.
On the client side, I became an expert on the organization’s product and service offerings and I wrote about them all day, every day. Agencies present the unique challenge of writing intelligently about an industry that you may not be familiar with. They say variety is the spice of life and Trilix has given me the opportunity to try my hand in the agricultural, financial lending, auto racing and pork industries. I’m constantly challenged to learn more about our clients and the issues affecting their businesses so I can provide them with valuable messaging and tangible deliverables.
In my previous life, if the boss asked for something, you dropped what you were doing to get it done as soon as possible. No questions asked. Now imagine you have four bosses who all want a task completed in a timely manner. They are all equally valuable and deserving of superior quality work. The project will pass through several hands before it is delivered to the client so your part needs to be completed STAT so it can move to the next department. Which project do you tackle first? Now that’s a conundrum. Agencies teach you to multi-task and balance clients’ needs. They are also fast-paced. My clock-watching days are long gone. In fact, it’s not uncommon to glance at the clock and wonder, where did the day go?!?
Agency life isn’t for everyone, but I believe the team-centric nature of the work creates real friendships between co-workers and a great place to spend the day. Some will argue the grass is always greener on the other side, but I believe you end up exactly where you are meant to be.