Pros
I worked for Select for over 12 years. I was a masochist. Creative ‘leadership’ was volatile, troubled, often unhinged, sometimes brilliant, and the staff kept the makers of Xanax and Adderall very busy. On the street, the agency was known as the “mean girls” club, with several of the ‘meanies’ holding top management (or more accurately, ‘mismanagement’) positions. Over the last couple of years, and not surprisingly, the agency lost every account but one. The owner of Select (it’s still a privately owned agency) had to decide whether to lock the door, or pretty much start from scratch. He went with the ‘scratch’ route. And at the end of ’17, he brought in new, smart, talented, enthusiastic and highly experienced creative leadership. - This new creative leadership is undertaking to build a new agency from the ground up. Working at the new Select could be a great opportunity to be a part of something exciting and fulfilling, especially if you have an entrepreneurial spirit. If the agency is able to gain new accounts and overcome negative baggage attached to the ‘Select” name, I think you could probably build a great resume and body of work here, and enjoy your job and life in the process.
Cons
- Even with all the positive changes occurring now to build a kinder, more positive atmosphere and an exciting and professional work environment, the old-school mean girls club still holds top management positions. The vibe is petty, mean-spirited, amateurish and sometimes morale-crushing.