Pros
Do you want that start-up attitude and flexibility so you feel less of a cog but thanks to corporate bucks you don't have to worry about the concept of "sweat equity"? In theory, Area23 is your Nirvana. In reality, not so much. Here you get a hybrid work environment alright, but Sir Mix A Lot hasn't quite hit the mark when he stirred this pot. Pros: Great location (thank you, corporate bucks) Opportunity for advancement- If you're in your twenties and you're better at navigating political minefields than actually doing your job, you'll make VP faster here than any other agency in the city. Opportunity to grow- Your skill-set will expand exponentially as you're asked to perform with no understanding of what the expectation is, what the deliverable looks like, or what its purpose is. Recognition- Awards. Lots of awards. Awards for creativity done for creativity's sake. Which is awesome for Area23. Not so much for its clients, who get serviced by creatives who are trying to win awards for the agency. Any other aspect of client relations receives little recognition so in the end, why bother?
Cons
Work environment- Straight outta high school- the cliques rule. If you're not cool, you're invisible. Communication- For a communications agency, not a lot of it goes on internally. Hierarchy- "We're not about titles, we're about teams" = here is your free pass to throw your coworkers under the bus. Professionalism- Like those upstart start-ups, not much attention is placed on the "rules" of business. Good news for managers. Bad news for you.