Edelman reviews

The combination of poor leadership, lack of structure, and generally sour attitudes makes this company frustrating to the point of near-insanity. I doubt anyone has the time to read ALL of my concerns regarding Edelman Berland, so a high level overview will have to suffice: In my time here, I've watched as teams suffer from a lack of support (read: working 24 hour shifts without any hope of reprieve, much less recognition), senior staff who refuse to address critical issues within their local "leaders" (read: allowing VP-level staff to "work from home" day in and day out while neglecting to so much as read email, much less HELP their drowning staffers), and unrealistic expectations set by individuals unqualified to do so (read: primary research experts promising secondary research capabilities that simply do not exist). While leadership turns the other way and continues to promote the same individuals (some who sneak in midday and check out at 4:59), mid-level staff carry the weight of large clients and increasingly laughable expectations. The majority of managers can't be bothered to manage - they expect teams to tolerate the torture simply to get the Edelman name on their resume while they kick back and enjoy a four hour workday. The fact that clients are tolerable - and more often than not, I dare say enjoyable - is among the only factors preventing me from leaving sooner. I feel more supported by my Edelman network than my own team - including multiple bosses who rarely know what I am working on or for whom, but who ultimately demand their name on the deliverable. I'm not naïve to the fact that most large companies have issues, structure or otherwise, but the witches' brew of inexperience, incompetence, and disgusting lack of respect between team members makes this company a far cry from the "strategic intelligence" and "smart engagement" we claim to offer.

Everything is dependent on your “utilization” which is the number of hours you’re expected to bill this week. If you don’t meet that goal consistently every month, you will definitely be fired as seen in the last round of layoffs. Billing hours is expected on top of being expected to work on new business, managing employees, and all sorts of admin work that exists at any job. The worst thing here though is the people. Some of the nastiest personalities that are the true stereotype of PR professionals. Catty behavior, lots of egos, internal politics and leadership that doesn’t step in because everyone is so siloed on accounts. The office space in NY is pretty bad, and you can rarely find a room to take calls privately since everything is open work floor. But still a demand to be in the office at least three days. Merit increases are a joke, with 1% increases and maybe 2% bonus. You should expect to stay at the base salary you come in with for the duration of your time here. Edelman has done two rounds of layoffs in 2023 with more expected. Not a good place to be. No growth for the firm and falling short of business goals because they overcharge clients and underdeliver on work. Health insurance is a subpar - high fees of around $200 per paycheck. Many other agencies and firms that have smarter talent and better cultures. I’ve been at a few media agencies and this is hands down the worst place.