Managers, how would you react if a newish hire said they didn’t feel their account fit was right? Example- I’m 4 months into a new role. My background is in fmcg / cpg and I came to join a particular account which has now been lost. My manager has moved me on a complex Financial Services account where I have no background experience at all. I’m finding it hard even as I try aim for simplicity. But it’s making me lose confidence.

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Yeah what SD1 said. I would encourage tackling a new industry for the experience and eventual marketability when you’re looking to make a move some day. I would do some reading (try Investopedia or NerdWallet as a start) and ask all the questions from your account team or other strategists on the business. Use YouTube and explainer videos too. If possible, ask your account team to set up time with your day-to-day client and have them give you a run down from the inside. No shame in asking for help and extra resources when you’re learning. It looks better than giving up.

You got this OP!

likehelpful

You are right. Because it’s my only account I guess I felt like the job that I applied for no longer exists and this isn’t what I thought I was buying when I took on the role. Maybe I’ll get my head down on this and try for variety where I can - for example on pitches.

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do you want to work on fmcg forever? you’ve just gotten a chance to learn something new

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Ugh. This has happened to me before, so I feel your pain. It’s so hard working on a category you can’t wrap your arms around, especially since strategists are expected to be the experts on everything.

Finance is also just an incredibly complex category, especially when you start getting into investment products. Credit cards are a bit less challenging to navigate. I think it’s one of the few categories that you actually do need to hire for expertise rather than “cultural fit” for the agency.

That being said, I recommend being as open as possible about your knowledge gaps, do the desk research you need to get smart, and try to find opportunities to conduct primary research. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and just hope you have an account and creative team that’s patient enough for you to get your bearings.

helpful

Thank you senior strategist. I appreciate the empathy. I know it’s a potential learning curve like others have said but it feels more like a a way for me to slow down my potential progress. My starting position is much farther back. It’s like having to learn how to become a fund manager.
And real talk: I’m not enjoying it. I’ve tried, honestly. I feel I can’t prove myself like I would on consumer accounts. Anyway your point about fit struck me. You’re totally right and I feel like i fish outta water on the account. It’s not a place for sunny personality or left brain thinking, and most of the team have a personal interest or background in finance. Anyway. Do y’all think there’s ANY way I can talk to my supervisor about it? How do I frame it so I don’t come off like giving them a problem or moaning?

Love both of these previous responses because it’s a perfect example of what they are thinking vs what they actually say and do. If something is “not a good fit” because you don’t have the experience, then you should 100% be able to ask for help. If you had nothing left to learn then you wouldn’t need a manager. From a manager’s perspective, you just always want someone to present the issue in a way that shows forward momentum (presenting or looking for a solution) rather than inertia (“i can’t do this”). As a team member it shows that you are trying to share the mental load vs dumping it on someone else.

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