Agency vs Client-side: Is the grass really greener on the other side?.

​It’s part of human nature to always want more from our lives and by extension that means more out of our working lives, and rightly so. When we’re actively seeking this ‘something more’ in our working lives we tend to look on the other side because we believe that it’s going to be better or we’re missing out on something. In this case and in the ever changing world that is digital marketing, we want to move from agency to client-side, or client-side to agency… but is the grass really greener on the other side?

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In this instance, I want to explore the move from ‘agency hell to client-side bliss’, as this seems to be something that comes up time and time again. So, you’ve been working in an agency (for most, if not all of your career), you work with a number of different clients with varying needs and wants. You work long hours and you work hard, so you start looking for a new job and you start looking client-side.

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A client-side opportunity sounds like the right move – you’ll be working for one brand and this will give you the opportunity to really get your teeth into it. Your ideas and strategies will be easier to implement and budgets easily given.

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But the negative stuff in your current role has been overshadowed by the positive things and the things that you really love. Ok, so you work longer hours and you work hard but the rewards are great, and often. You get a real buzz from working on different campaigns and when the client sees the results of your work – you get that fuzzy feeling inside! You’re at the cutting edge of an ever changing, evolving industry and you can be a pioneer of that industry fairly quickly with the right ambition and drive.

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And then you do some more digging and find that some client-side opportunities are working in a small team, the campaigns seem repetitive and you’re worried you might just get bored. On top of all of this there’s salary to consider, locations and the environment! Then there’s the issue of when is the right time to make the change? So, the list and questions go on and on and on.

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There are many different factors to consider and each opportunity presents its own pros and cons. I recently worked with a candidate who was looking to go client side but after being presented with an interesting agency role she decided to go for it on a limb. This week she accepted a great offer from that very agency and she couldn’t be happier.

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If you find yourself in this type of dilemma, my advice is to keep an open mind and evaluate each opportunity objectively. The ‘client-side’ grass is not automatically greener!