Should You Start Your Career in an Agency or In-House?
Starting out in public affairs or communications means facing one of your first big career choices: should you begin at an agency, or go straight into an in-house role?
Both routes can lead to a successful career, but they offer very different experiences, especially at the entry level. This guide will help you weigh up the options and decide which path is right for you.
The Agency Route
Agencies are consultancies that provide services to multiple clients. For many graduates, they are the natural entry point into the industry.
Benefits of Starting in an Agency
- Variety of work: You’ll be exposed to different sectors, clients and issues from day one.
- Rapid development: Agencies often have structured training and progression frameworks, moving you from Account Executive upwards.
- Networking opportunities: You’ll build connections with politicians, journalists, industry groups and clients across multiple sectors.
- Transferable skills: Working under pressure with competing deadlines sharpens your organisational, writing and stakeholder management skills.
Challenges of Agency Life
- High pace: Agencies are fast-moving, and you’ll often juggle several projects at once.
- Client-driven demands: Priorities can change quickly, which isn’t for everyone.
- Less control: You may not always choose the clients or issues you’re passionate about.
Join the Westminster Vacancy Bulletin today. Get all the latest job opportunities delivered to your inbox each week
The In-House Route
In-house roles place you within a single organisation — a company, charity, trade association or NGO — representing their interests directly.
Benefits of Starting In-House
- Depth of expertise: You’ll specialise in one policy area or sector, developing deep knowledge quickly.
- Closer to strategy: You’ll often sit near senior decision-makers and see how public affairs shapes wider organisational goals.
- More stability: Unlike agency life, your focus is on one employer’s agenda, not multiple client demands.
- Work-life balance (sometimes): With fewer competing deadlines, the pace can be more predictable.
Challenges of In-House Roles
- Narrower scope: You may not get the same variety of issues as in an agency.
- Fewer junior opportunities: Entry-level roles are less common in-house than in agencies.
- Progression can be slower: Smaller teams may mean fewer promotion steps early on.
Questions to Ask Yourself
- Do you enjoy variety and a fast pace? → Agency may suit you better.
- Do you prefer to go deep into one policy area? → In-house could be the right choice.
- Do you value structured training and clear promotion routes? → Agency often delivers this.
- Do you want stability and close alignment with one organisation’s mission? → In-house might be ideal.
Remember: It’s Not Permanent
Many professionals start in agencies and later move in-house once they’ve built experience and networks. Others go the opposite way, using their in-house expertise to add value in an agency. The skills are highly transferable, and employers value both backgrounds.
Final Thoughts
There’s no single correct answer — agency and in-house careers both offer excellent foundations. Think about your personality, your working style, and where you want your early career to take you.
What matters most is making a start, learning quickly, and building experiences th
Join the Westminster Vacancy Bulletin today. Get all the latest job opportunities delivered to your inbox each week