Hire Beware - Anonymous employee Edelman Employee Review

2.0
May 26, 2015
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Yes, the agency has blue chip clients - you'll get to touch some prestige accounts. It has all the "big agency" bells & whistles -- fancy office digs, free Starbucks. There are some talented individuals there.

Cons

Highly political. Atrocious on-boarding. Not respectful of those who come from outside big agency or outside Edelman -- skills notwithstanding, it's more about the "process" there. Rewards come to those who follow the rules (if you can figure out what they are) and make the right friends in high places, not necessarily those who are most skilled. During my tenure, VERY volatile leadership environment - massive turnover, lack of quality hands-on management for senior level talent. Nearly impossible to find quality mentoring -- everyone is too busy and agency doesn't value it, so it's not a priority. Reputation as a "best place to work" is, to me, laughable. Lots of lip service to the culture - but not a healthy work environment. Little to no socialization with colleagues -- competitive and highly political. Tendency to rest on laurels and not push the envelope with truly creative work. Effort to become more "full service" has them poaching talent from ad agencies - but "creatives" used to ad agency model don't work well with PR account teams...lack of respect between the two disciplines creates tension.

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good people and cool clients

Cons

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4.0
Jun 10, 2026
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Pros

Edelman gives you real exposure to senior leaders, complex work, and smart people. You can learn a lot quickly, build strong relationships, and get close to how decisions are made. There are also good opportunities to take on meaningful projects if you are proactive and willing to speak up.

Cons

The pace can be a lot, and the work can feel reactive at times. Priorities shift quickly and roles often expand beyond the original scope without always having clear boundaries, title growth, or compensation changes. Career growth is possible, but you often have to advocate for it yourself. Overall, Edelman can be a great place to grow if you are adaptable, organized, and comfortable with ambiguity. It works best when you have strong leaders, clear expectations, and support around workload and growth. That last part is impossible to control, so may the odds be in your favor.

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