Pros
I firmly believe there is no better place to grow your PR career than at Edelman. Having worked my way up from the intern level, I have received a wealth of opportunities, from client engagement to management opportunities to material development and strategic thinking, that I just don't think I would have had elsewhere. Talent and potential is both noticed and rewarded, and age does not factor into your success. Working hard doesn't just earn the respect of your co-workers, it can also translate into tangible, meaningful opportunities and benefits, including promotions and salary increases that could not be matched by any other agency in the city given my age or years of experience. Our office culture is also highly valued, and I appreciate the generous vacation time, flexible working hours in instances of appointments/emergencies and the constant encouragement to be ourselves and bring our best selves to the table.
Cons
More attention is paid to the thoughts of mid-level and senior leadership than to junior staff, which can sometimes make it seem like your word doesn't have as big of an impact. Work/life balance is harder to maintain as you increase seniority, particularly at the mid-level and lower-leadership spectrums. Additionally, there can be a lot of pressure to exceed expectations with clients, even those that are challenging or arguably refusing accurate, well-thought counsel. Especially in these instances where a collaborative relationship with a client is strained, team morale can suffer, and leadership can be slow to recognize the need for internal team change.