Does size matter for PR firms?

 28th May 2014    PR Guru 

When my computer goes wrong, first I swear, and then I would like to call the IT department. But as I work for a “boutique” agency, there is no department.

It is quicker to sort it out myself than to ask interns (students) to help.

Just one of the drawbacks of working for a small firm.

Here are a few more:

1. There is no café on the premises. Some big agencies have better restaurants than you find in many towns.

2. The boss, who started the business, thinks it is all hers – all the profit that is. Yet she still expects us to do all the work.

3. The offices are “quirky” rather than swish. I have come to the conclusion that I prefer swish.

4. The weird people (such as accounts) don’t have their own separate offices. You have to sit next to them.

5. Everyone knows what you are working on. So you can’t get away with doing nothing.

6. There is less stationery to steal. I'd rather not have to pay for pens, thank you.

But it’s not all bad. It can be rubbish working for large firms too. Here’s why:

1. There is a HR department. What is the point of HR exactly?

2. There are a lot of people around who seem to do very little. But they get paid the same, or even more, than you.

3. There is less flexibility. You have to fill in more timesheets and follow tedious procedures. And if your kid is sick and you have to work at home, you get more grumpy stares the next day.

4. The work has less variety. You are pigeonholed and get asked to do the same type of work again and again. In a small agency you have to do everything.

5. Although a "discretionary bonus" is mentioned in the job spec - you won't get one!