CorpComms Magazine

As the economy has worsened, corporates of all shapes and sizes have cut jobs and, unfortunately, some of those affected have been communications professionals. Some individuals might feel that they are now at a career crossroads, and that a change of direction is required. Perhaps now may be the time to go for that first in-house job, or conversely, to give consultancy life a try? Whilst no two agencies are ever the same and all corporates differ in complexity and character, there are both similarities and differences which might provide food for thought for those thinking of making a change

The fundamental point to remember about working in a consultancy is that you, as a 'fee earner', are the business. It is essential that you are equipped with both the technical communications skills you require, but also with other skills such as financial management, business development and people management.

Being a strong performer in your own right, able to generate spectacular coverage, will only get you so far. To succeed in agency life you must show an ability to delegate effectively, manage client relationships and train those around you to perform to a similar level. Making contributions towards winning new business and managing the profitability of a team is also a necessity. Failure to develop such skills is likely to create either a glass ceiling or an exit.

Increased seniority and ongoing training to develop these skills creates a clear and attractive career path in an agency. In-house, however, technical training and training related to the business of the firm plays a more prominent role and can be similarly advantageous. At Lovells, for instance, the firm runs an introduction to the City course that is second to none and probably constitutes a saleable commodity in its own right. Whilst it is of limited commercial value to the firm to train communications professionals in management skills, it is possible to learn highly technical expertise that is difficult to pick up elsewhere. In-house departments tend to have access to resources that smaller agencies will often struggle to provide.

Time to deliver

In an agency environment, you might have an interesting client that is cash poor so you take a commercial decision on how much time can be allocated to them. However, when operating in-house the ability to focus on supporting a particular practice area or topic is much more fluid since timesheets are not a factor. The need to demonstrate results still exists in-house, as does the pressure when news is 'hot', but thinking time and the ability to dedicate time to nurturing a particular story or project is there when necessary.

Another benefit to working in-house is the exposure gained to the wider communications and business development mix. In agency life, PR can feel like an isolated process rather than an integrated and integral part of the marketing process.

As an example to demonstrate the point, Lovells recently carried out a project to raise the profile and importance of compliance procedures surrounding UK and international bribery and corruption rules. The lead aspect of the project was to generate press coverage on the topic. This was supported by direct mail with the aim of driving clients and potential clients towards a specially created website. We have been able to monitor website usage and map activity levels against each phase of the programme. This has been so specific that we can show direct links between pieces of coverage and increased website usage, allowing us to gather intelligence on which publications deliver most results in a 'call to action'. We have then been able to show the correlation between these visits, subsequent enquiries and new business.

Demonstrating value

Besides the obvious value, and morale boost, that comes from demonstrating links between marketing activity and winning new business, it is also worth noting that this approach creates a more rounded '360 degree' view of marketing activity which fosters greater strategic thinking - and arguably opens up broader career options.

Another major difference, in my experience, is the level of apparent accountability. Being able to consistently demonstrate results and value-add to clients is rightly a key part of the job in consultancy. Clients are paying you to do a job, and if you don't get the coverage, there's another agency that will.

The same is increasingly true of in-house roles. However, on the inside of a sophisticated corporate, there is a slightly different emphasis on where the value of PR lies. Part of the in-houser's job in a law firm is brand protection and risk assessment. Success is measured in terms of not just what positive coverage has been achieved, but what negative coverage has been limited or avoided altogether. Whilst agencies might also have an instinct for this, it is my experience that when it comes to the 'tough calls' the buck stops with the in-house team or the firm's management, never with the agency.

Variety is the spice

A further, oft sited, difference between the roles is the perception that there is greater variation in consultancy. To an extent, this is true. In consultancy life you can have a wide portfolio of clients. Each one varies in size, sophistication, personality, PR objectives and spend. Keeping on top of commercial developments in a diverse range of areas and adapting to differing cultures and expectations is challenging, stimulating and one of the best parts of the job.

However, the same can be said of in-house life. In any organisation you will have internal stakeholders or clients that require quality service, and their needs and personalities are as varied as anything you would experience in consultancy life. So, working in a law firm for instance, one day you might be prepping a spokesperson to comment on a pensions mis-selling case and the next advising a litigator on how to handle the press on their way out of court. This means that there is rarely a day when you do not learn something new.

At the heart of either role in corporate communications lies a challenge to learn and communicate about complex topics whilst retaining a 'man in the street' view. For all that, there are undoubted differences between the two lives, some of which are overstated, there are some fundamental similarities that cannot be overlooked. A strong focus on client service and customer satisfaction will never be ignored by any employer or client. Further, a strong sense of commerciality and desire to understand your clients and their markets will always be well regarded. 

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