Agency vs. In-House: Which Is Right For You?
Artisan Creative is celebrating 20+ years in staffing and recruitment of creative professionals. Over the years we have learned a thing or two that we’d like to share with you. We hope you enjoy the 415th issue of our weekly a.blog.
In order to thrive as a creative professional, start by seeking the right teams and culture that best match you. Whether you pursue a variety of freelance roles with different companies or decide to take on a full-time job, you’ll have the choice of working with in-house creative teams or as part of a creative agency. Either option carries the potential for learning, growth, and professional fulfillment, yet they have distinct differences.
Is #AgencyLife the Life for You?
A creative agency is a service-based business that works for a variety of clients and brands. These teams of creative professionals tackle different projects for multiple clients. Many agencies have their own distinguishing approaches and values, and some are famous for the distinctive flair they bring to their work.
If you work for an agency, you may work on the agency multiple brands. You may have the opportunity to be in a client-facing role and pitch your team’s ideas to influencers and executives. Even if you don’t attend client meetings, your work will depend on the client’s specifications and feedback, and mutual respect is the key to a productive relationship.
The best agencies have an electric creative atmosphere that has influenced pop culture, launched online communities and real-life meetup groups such as 99u and Creative Mornings and inspired the Twitter hashtag #AgencyLife. For many creatives, working for the right agency is a professional dream come true.
Finding a Home In-House
Many large and small companies have their own creative teams, consisting of design and marketing talent. If you’re a professional who wants to be part of an established company, or to work and grow one brand consistently, you may want to consider working with an in-house team.
Depending on the size of your company, you may interface with a variety of internal & external stakeholders or work on a range of collateral that includes B2B and B2C deliverables. You can build great rapport with the brand over the years on a variety of different projects and become an expert in a specific vertical.
You should consider joining an in-house squad if the values of a particular brand align well with your own. Working through the years on perfecting one brand’s messaging can bring great personal satisfaction if it’s a brand you truly believe in.
At Artisan Creative, we have worked with many creative professionals, and we’ve helped them figure out what settings are most in sync with their skills and goals. Get in touch and we’ll share our expertise.