If you're a new or aspiring marketer wondering where to begin your career, you're not alone. One of the most common questions I hear from students and mentees is: "Should I work for an agency, a brand, or a platform?"

The short answer? It depends. The longer (and more helpful) answer is: each path offers a different experience, pace, and set of skills. I've worked in all three environments—and now, as a leader on the customer team at a SaaS platform in the creator economy—I’m uniquely positioned to break it down for you.

Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of each option.

Working at an Agency

Agencies are often fast-paced, high-energy environments that service multiple clients across various industries.

Pros:

• Exposure to variety. You'll work across different brands and campaigns, gaining diverse experience fast.

• Speed of learning. The pace is quick, so you'll develop strong time management, communication, and multitasking skills.

• Creative culture. Agencies tend to attract creative thinkers and innovative minds.

Cons:

• Burnout potential. The fast pace and demanding clients can lead to long hours.

• Less brand ownership. You’re executing ideas on behalf of others, not building a brand from the inside.

• Limited visibility. You may not always see the impact your work has on the client’s bigger picture.

Best for: People who thrive in fast-paced environments, want broad exposure, and enjoy creative collaboration.

Working In-House at a Brand

When you work for a brand, you're typically part of a marketing department focused on one company’s products or services.

Pros:

• Deep brand knowledge. You live and breathe the brand, and become an expert in its voice, audience, and goals.

• Cross-functional collaboration. You work closely with sales, product, and leadership teams.

• More strategic thinking. There’s often more opportunity to impact long-term brand direction.

Cons:

• Less variety. You're marketing one product or service all the time.

• More internal politics. Navigating decisions across departments can slow things down.

• Innovation may be slower. Some brands are risk-averse or stuck in legacy processes.

Best for: Marketers who want to grow deep in one industry or brand, enjoy strategy, and prefer structure and stability.

Working at a Platform (Tech or Social)

Platforms—whether they’re tech tools, social networks, or SaaS companies—sit at the center of the ecosystem, powering how brands and creators connect.

Pros:

• Bird’s-eye view. You get to see how agencies, brands, and creators all work together.

• Customer-centric thinking. Especially on customer teams, you’re solving real-world problems for users.

• Innovation-forward. Most platforms are tech-driven and fast to evolve.

Cons:

• Constant change. Roadmaps and priorities shift frequently.

• Tech learning curve. You’ll need to get comfortable with product and engineering workflows.

• Scale over specificity. Sometimes you solve for the average customer instead of going deep into one use case.

Best for: Curious marketers who want to be close to innovation, love solving user problems, and are comfortable with ambiguity.

Final Thoughts

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer here—and the best news is, your first job doesn’t lock you in forever. I’ve worked for a creative agency, an in-house brand, and now a platform. Each step built a new skillset, opened new doors, and gave me clarity on what lights me up.

My advice? Be intentional, but stay open. If you want breadth, go agency. If you want depth, go brand. If you want perspective and scale, try a platform.

No matter where you start, what matters most is how you show up, learn, and grow. Your marketing career is a marathon, not a sprint—and every step adds to your toolkit.

You've got this.