Why Get an Agency Job Before Going Freelance?
Should you get an agency job before going freelance? Or if you’re already freelance and think your business needs a boost, why not get an agency job for a few years and then return to freelancing?
I think you should have agency experience to make freelancing easier, but I wanted to know what others thought.
On Twitter, I asked:
“How many of you had agency/design studio jobs before going out on your own? If you did, how do you think it helped you?”
Here’s the edited list of answers. Below that are the quotes from those who responded.
21 Reasons to Get An Agency Job Before Freelancing or Starting An Agency
It helps you build a large network
Understand how to serve clients
Makes it easier to spot bad clients
Learn how to quote and schedule
Learn time management
Learn how to produce workflows and systems
Gain confidence in your abilities
Learn a niche
The people and clients you work with at the agency can become your first clients
Learn from Creative Directors and more senior creative
See how businesses grow from the ground up
Learn how to pitch and run a business
Learn how to write in multiple tones
Get a “business brain” before you start up
Learn how to set rates
Work on multi-million dollar accounts
Work with top-notch photographers, typographers, and illustrators
Learn how much agencies charge for writing and other creative services
Learn how to self-edit, do thorough research and write without fluff
Learn what potential clients look for when booking you
How else will you learn how NOT to run a business?
Here’s what freelancers said about their agency experiences:
Jan Dekker @Fendweller Yes, worked at an agency. And that experience was priceless in terms of learning how to figure out what clients need, how to quote for it, and how to schedule everything.
Ryder Design @RyderDesignS8 Absolutely! That’s where I learned my profession; how to communicate with clients; time management; how to produce workflows and systems; how to work well with others (how to avoid the wrong ‘uns); it gave me confidence in my own abilities… the list goes on and on Completely invaluable.
Joe Coleman @JOETHECOLEMAN I worked in ad agencies for 12 years before going freelance. It taught me how to do my job. It also gave me the address book that kept me in work for the first 2 or 3 years of working for myself.
Mira Crisp @misscrisp Absolutely had agency experience first. I learned how to set rates and built a network, so I had clients right away.
Rob Pratt @PrattRob Worked full-time for 15 years for various agencies, including five years as DD and four years as CD, before going freelance last January. Being full-time for so long means I have a large network of recruiters which has been invaluable since going freelance.
WinningSolo @WinningSolo… I had seven years of client-side brand management. It helps me to understand how I can best serve my clients, empathize with them (they’re under a lot of pressure), and leverage the experience of hiring dozens of partners—some terrific, some awful, most somewhere in between. And it’s much easier to spot the signs of bad clients.
Suzanne Seyghal @CurlyAdventurer Spent 9 years agency side, then 6.5 years in-house before going freelance nearly 10 years ago. Invaluable to have been able to see briefs from every angle (including a better understanding of the politics of sign-off and the bigger picture scenario!)
Helen | Ink Gardener Copywriting @InkGardener I went straight from employee to freelancer, which was a tough learning curve. However, being on the other side of the fence, in the private and public sectors, means I very much ‘get’ client needs. Esp. the many hoops of public sector grants.
Fiona Campbell-Howes @fcampbellhowes Yes, I’d worked my way up from account admin (photocopying press releases) to account manager in two agencies before I first went freelance. It was invaluable as I got to know the tech industry, plus the people I worked with (and clients I managed) became my first clients.
Chris Miller @MrCCMiller I learned so much from the CDs and more senior creatives. Looking back, I see it was a form of apprenticeship. I still ask myself how they might react to something I’ve written.
Steve Morgan @steviephil I worked at two agencies before going solo. At one of them, I was the 1st employee (beyond the founder), which grew to like 20-30 people, so I got to see a business grow pretty much from the ground up. It helped massively.
Julia Gifford @julijagifford I had no agency experience before launching my own agency. Sometimes I wish I had to get an idea for pricing, process management, and client management. But at the same time, I think it let us develop differently and ultimately become more involved with our clients. To be fair, we didn’t know we were building an agency until we couldn’t ignore it anymore.
Katie Taylor-Thompson @katielingoyork I think it really helped with pitching and generally running a business.
RuthSedarWrites @ruthsedarwrites I worked in an agency for a little over 3 years. Gave me a solid foundation of writing in multiple tones, juggling priorities, and learning from more established writers. Also taught me the politics of the tea round.
John McDavitt @JMcDavitt I worked in two studio environments servicing large clients before going solo. The experience taught me all manner of professional process, billing, and interactions. Priceless. Two different crafts: business & art.
Peter Thornton @insidewrite1957 Yes, I did ten years, working up from one-man-and-a-dog to JWT. It seemed to work too. I’ve been freelance since 1988.
Haley Hite | Health Writer @HaleyHiteWrites I worked at an agency before freelancing. I 100% think it helped get me to where I am today. My first “freelance” client was a former client at the agency. My agency experience gave me initial client relationships that led to freelance referrals.
Mary Whitehouse copywriting/editing @Word_Service Yes. Helped me see the whole process and not just the writing bit. Gave me a much better business brain when I started up.
Peter Anderson @Peterj464 I didn’t, and I regret not being told at college about interns - if there were such things in the 1980s. I passed my HND in Business Studies (Marketing, Advertising & PR) in 1983, but it took an outrageous fluke for me to become a freelance copywriter in 2015. People say I am good, what if I had started way back then—deep sigh.
Jonathan Wilcock – Senior Freelance Copywriter @Jonathan50Wh4t1 I’ve had several agency jobs. Invaluable lessons from dozens of seasoned creatives and suits. Opportunity to work on £multi-million accounts. Working with top-notch photographers, typographers, and illustrators. A million and one how-tos and how-not-tos. Priceless.
Fiona Bradley @fbcommsagency Worked in a huge and a tiny agency, taught me SO MUCH about client management, processes, tools, and how it should and shouldn’t be done. Wouldn’t recommend going solo without that experience.
Alice | SEO & web copywriter .@alice_rowan I was agency side for 4 years at the start of my career. Taught me the foundations of everything I know, including end-to-end website projects, client management, and how content ties into all of the other areas (design, dev, SEO, etc.). Oh, and how much agencies charge for writing.
DanaHerra @DanaHerra Not agency, but I worked 3 in-house roles (of which writing was only part of my responsibilities). They helped. The 10 years in journalism probably helped more.
Becca Magnus @beccamagnus Nope, I just jumped straight in after 3 years in sales and marketing as a junior, where I got all my sales through writing and ideas. I’ve since worked in agencies, and honestly, sales prepared me more for business than agency life ever would.
Kenny Tech - 24/100 @gichuki_kenny I learned a lot from the guys at the agency. I learned how to self-edit, do thorough research and write without fluff. Submitted content would be sent back if it was written in a hurry or without much thought.
Robbie @copybyrobbie Definitely helped. I worked in the advertising industry for 5+ years and transitioned into copywriting.
Katie Q @copytrash Massively. It helps you to be business focused.
Boo! @BooTweetaboo To work in and with agencies massively benefits you in your own business.
Simon Beasor @Writerbeez Working as head of copy, booking freelancers taught me what my potential clients would be looking for when booking me.
Bukkie Allison @bukkieallison Oh, I had agency jobs as a copywriter for a couple of years and the skills I learned have stuck with me for years. Thing is, I find a lot has changed within that space with new media etc. For example, profiling the consumer has gotten more and more complex.
Adrian Bentley @AdrianBentley I mean, how else are you gonna learn how not to run a business?
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