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Bowl Leader
Decided to payoff my mortgage.
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Hello fishes plz unlock my dm
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lol are you me? I almost made a post like this a few days ago. I feel like the acct to client side pipeline is so well defined but surely they also need PMs? Is it a different role name or a diff department? Program management? Someone please help haha
Also wondering this same thing. I was brought on as a PM and have switched roles twice. But it seems like a really gray area I operate in, functioning as someone who wears at least 4 hats at all times. It’s miserable. I’m sorry you’re miserable too.
Let’s start a support group 😂
PM’ing in agency world has become a babysitting job. We all complain about the many hats we wear, and a lot of that is due to expectations of picking up slack from account counterparts or poor staffing practices. There’s much more to project management than what it has become in agency life. The system is broken. Get out where you can and then take us with you.
My advice which I’m doing myself - instead of construction, focus on software project management, lean 6 etc and the old school PMP and this opens up doors in tech space and M/FAANG
All that being said, I’ve gone from PM coordinator all the way to Director + in my career and being a PM used to be exciting. I’m sure it still can be places but not when companies allow the account folks to just be middlemen without the necessary soft skills and creatives to need to be reminded every minute when and how to do their jobs. The abilities of our counterparts are diminishing and it’s being accepted as normal or expected and then the expectation continues to PM to do everything. We have amazing systems now at every agency to traffic and route and set up automations but none of them are being utilized properly.
Most account managers I’ve worked with are also straight up doorknobs of team members and don’t even possess client whispering abilities. When you find a good one, keep them close.
I’m Campaigning for fewer account folk and more doers…last thing I need is 8 account people and nobody who gets shit done besides writing emails.
are you reading my diary?!
Client side is always more relaxed. You don't have to track hours, the companies usually accept that there are busy periods and slow periods and you don't get pressured to look constantly busy. However, stress, long hours and lots of responsability seems to be the nature of the job.
looking to do the same, actually. hopefully soon (just wrapped up 3rd interview 🤞🏼)
Coach
Good luck client side rocks! 💕🥰🙏
I’m seriously thinking about training to become a construction project manager. Pay is good and a lot of jobs available. Is that crazy? I feel like opportunities in advertising are drying up and it’s not just due to the economy.
I’d have to do an apprenticeship and all that jazz, but money is good and you get OT
Bowl Leader
Check out the member section of the ANA site.
can you help guide me to what this mean more? (i’m stupid ACD, not og PM)
Following…
Coach
Yes! I left toxic Pharma but it was in 2015. I went through an agency was placed on the client side as a freelancer. I was open to freelance because back then temp to perm meant . If you do a good job they hire you. The only positive coming from agency or Pharma they know your work ethic. I was laid off in the pandemic but I’m still being booked on the client side. I’ll never go back to crazy toxic or long hours. Use wisdom & holiday time is coming. I also walked away from a 6 figure salary. However I made that back in one year. Because another competitor gave me an offer. Good luck .
I've worked mostly at agencies, but also a little in house, and a pharma account at an agency (I'm freelance now). Everything you describe exists at each of those places, depending on the team/environment. Sounds like a new job makes sense, but in-house or agency is not going to be the insurance against nonsense company culture you're describing. Gather some key questions for your interviews and research company reviews online before making a decision.
I’ve been in this boat, it quite difficult to get through. I’ve worked on client inhouse agency and now again looking for job as they dissolved the agency and outsourced their work. Yet I’m not able to land my next role on the client side.
Any insights you find please share
I feel this in my heart and soul. Our bodies collect and store the stress/trauma, and I know it’s my sign to go because I pluck >30 grey hairs from my head every couple of weeks. And I’m 28. lol
Same
The bigger agencies tend not to have a structure in place for Project Managers to do the job properly. There is too big a turnover of people, and not enough support is given to individuals. You get over to the client side and stay there, as it will be much better for your mental health. As I was once told
you lot are just two a penny in the bigger agencies.
It’s almost impossible to go client side unless you know someone, unfortunately.