Choosing the right agency to work at

One of the best Cannes Masterclasses was a talk by the guys from 72 and Sunny on choosing the right agency to work at. The talk’s been summarised by Robbin Ingvarsson over on his blog and it’s really interesting stuff.

Reputation, Location, Salary? All these things matter but if your aim is to grow you should look out for another greatly important factor: agency culture.

The most important career decision you can make is the culture you choose to grow in. 
Their advice is to look for a culture that doesn’t only produce great work but also great people.They broke agency culture into five points and shared simple ways on how to recognize it.

1. Collaboration

If you get into a culture that values collaboration, there’s room for you to contribute. Places that value collaboration tend not to be about the person, they tend to be about ‘THE BEST IDEA WINS’. This is not about people or ego, it’s about the idea. How you recognize it:

• How are people seated? Departments? Integrated? Floors?

• Do they assign ideas to people? Groups? The boss? Name on the door?

• How do they review work? In the open? Corner office? Small/big?

2. Generosity

Is important because your early career should be about learning, not just output. And it takes generosity to teach. A culture of generosity will allow people to explore their own ideas, potential, find their own voice and learn from failure. How you recognize it:

• Do co-workers celebrate your success as their own? Do they want what you want for yourself?

• Ask who has grown and developed the most last year. Do they actively think about it?
• How do they give and share credit?

• What’s the approach to training and education? How do they handle career reviews?

3. Courage

As creative people, you should be wired for courage. You need an organization that stands up for brave ideas, or you will learn fear. How you recognize it:

• Do you look at their work and ask ‘How the hell did they do that?’

• How many ideas do they bring to a pitch?

• Have they ever resigned business for a creative or cultural differences?

4. Accountability

A culture of accountability quickly teaches that success or failure matters. Being accountable for the outcome, either positive or negative, is leadership. Be in a culture that shares your definition of success and that teaches you to lead. How you recognize it:
• Do they embrace metrics? Do set them at all?

• What is the ultimate win to them? Awards? £££? Long relationships? Happy clients?

• What is the compensation structure for clients? For staff? For leaders? What does it reward? Performance? Seniority? Internal political success?

5. Ambition

It’s important to understand your personal ambitions and find an agency that shares the same ambitions.  If you’re missmatch it’s going to be a bad relationship. If you aspire to greatness, attach yourself to an organization that aspires to greatness. How you recognize it:

• What goals do they aspire to? Success as defined by clients, industry or culture?

• Do they talk about what they could do better more than what they do well?

• Do they visibly push themselves?

• Do they attract ‘Challenger’ clients and brands?

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