What are the pros/cons of jumping from the agency world to client side? When is the right time to make the jump (especially for an account person)?

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I’m battling that right now. Been at three agencies in 6 years, am account sup, and have opportunity to go client. I get scared that if I wait too much longer, my title transition will mean I need MBA.

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@Grey
Pros - Money, hours, delegating tasks to agency. And most importantly, NO TIMESHEETS.

Cons - political on a whole new level. People are nice but it’s a way lamer culture than agency. Holiday parties are in a conference room

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Pros:
- probably more money
- theoretically more stability and longevity
- you now make the requests


Cons:
- your career will basically stop progressing
- everything moves MUCH slower
- no more variety in what you work on
- some clients work worse hours than us
- almost impossible to go back agency side

In short:
- Agency people are super desirable to them. You’d be worth more money and a higher title than someone with the same years experience that has always been client side.
- Your career will seriously slow WAY down. Plan to be in that next role for years and years.

The best way to do it:
- Hold out as long as you can agency side so you go over with the absolute highest title and salary when you go client side. Because moving up is unlikely after that.
- For me, I’ve always had the client side plan since I was your level. I decided back then I wouldn’t do it for less than an SVP role client side, and I’d crank away at an agency until then. Now haven’t made the jump, but it’s possible

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You’ll be bored out of your mind on client side, not to mention working with the least creative people in the industry. But pay is probably higher, but is it worth it?

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I’m going now as well - agency life is little pay compared to client side. And you actually have control over creative. It sounds amazing. An opportunity to out out quality work

@AS1 - timing won’t change the need for MBA. Most clients either require it or don’t.

@Leo - Unless your going client-side at the top, temper your expectations of creative control. I was pumped about that when I went client side, and yes I had control over nominal things, but my VP and CMO changed plenty of my TVCs.

Having gone client side and come back to agency, I’ve actually found that once you’re director level, the pay becomes better agency side. The pay is only better client side for lower level roles.

What @publicis said about politics is so true, and what eventually brought me back to an agency. It was really really horrible. In my experience, the marketing department gets walked all over by the sales and opps teams. Nobody “gets” marketing so nobody respects our craft or values our input. Lots of backstabbing and lots of very very lame people (think “The Office” but less lovable and definitely less funny). At least at an agency, you’re all on the same team and have a mutual respect for diff departments.

Also, cannot stress enough the importance of culture. You’ll be trading things like summer fridays for things like dress codes and strict start times. Also, when I was client side, someone took screenshots from my private Instagram and sent them to the president of my company to try to get me fired (because I told her we weren’t going to promote “taco Tuesday” on Instagram anymore). The pictures were of me holding alcoholic drinks, nothing crazy, and I almost got fired over it. Can you imagine that happening agency side???? Never.

I’m sure they’re not all horrible like my experience, but just think real long and hard before you make the jump about what you’ll be missing out on.

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