Agency vs in-house marketing

Group of marketeers discussing agency vs in-house marketing

Marketing professionals are often presented with two career paths - working in a marketing agency or working in an in-house marketing team.

Both environments offer unique opportunities to develop and grow professionally, and while some marketers will move from one discipline to the other, the further your career develops in one stream the more likely you are to stay there.


“When looking for marketing role, professionals have a wide pool of options available to consider when deciding which career path to take," said Nick Allwood, Manager at Robert Walters.

When looking for marketing role, professionals have a wide pool of options available.

"Factors such as industry and type of organisation can influence a marketer's decision to work in-house as opposed to in a marketing agency.”

Take a look at both routes to help decide which would suit you the start of your career in marketing.

Working for in-house marketing department...

  • Gain first-hand experience of how all functions of a business operates
  • Acquire a broader knowledge of the overall business and its industry
  • Immerse yourself in the company’s overall marketing strategy and its day-to-day activities

Working for a marketing agency...

  • Many recognise the value of working across a range of businesses and industries
  • Not tied down to just one sector – giving you a wider scope
  • Client management skills are required

“One way to decide if you’re better suited to working in a client facing agency or for a company that operates in one industry is to gain relevant work experience to get a feel for the both business environments”

Find out how much you're worth with the Robert Walters Salary Survey

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