By Erin Boyd
At some point in your career, you need to decide what type of company you want to work for. The questions are simple: large or small; multi-national, national, or local? For some, like me, the answers are equally simple.
A few weeks ago I found myself in a debate with a friend over these very questions. He took the position of large and multi-national, while I took small and local. While he did make some valid arguments, I couldn’t help but think “he just doesn’t know any better.” I, of course, do.
During the debate, my friend and I had much to compare. For example, both our employers stress the importance of interaction with senior-level executives. But at his company, the interactions are few and far between, and employees are encouraged to prepare “elevator speeches” should they ever find themselves in the elevator with one of the elusive executives. At EPR, every employee knows the senior staff, and most work directly with one or more of them on a daily basis.
Not only does working with far more experienced people increase my confidence as a junior staffer, I am mentored on a daily basis. I can learn how senior staff have grown their careers, experience how they lead client accounts, ask them about their personal successes and hardships when they were in positions similar to my own. It is one of the incredible benefits of working for a smaller company that I could not give up.
When I asked my friend if his clients knew who he was, or what he did, he was forced to admit “probably not.” At EPR, mine do. The philosophy here is that colleagues at every level add value to the team dynamic, and as a result, our clients recognize everyone who works on their accounts, from supervisor to intern. At other companies, and certainly at other PR agencies, this type of visibility is not as strongly encouraged as it is at Engage PR.
Because I interact directly with my clients, I learn how they manage their businesses, what their priorities are, and how they determine success. Instead of just doing tasks without any background, I understand the “why” of what I do. This first-hand knowledge allows me and my colleagues to do the job better and get results for the client.
And if I ever have questions about the “how” of doing something, the founder’s office is right around the corner, and her door is always open.