7 Things I Will Not Miss About Agency Work

I've worked a few jobs in public relations when the bottom fell out of the news industry, and it's served me well, taught me new skills, and I've met some incredibly talented people. But agency work has its own peculiar trying times. As I get ready to return to news and look back on PR work, here are seven things I won't miss about agency work.

1.  The Diva Client. Divas in any industry are so old school. No need to be a jerk to get a job done. Just because you're holding the purse strings doesn't make it okay. In fact, it makes it more egregious. We're all in this big wide world together and more or less want the same thing at the end of the day. To those who cannot control their tempers, those who find it necessary to be condescending, those who are rude or arrogant, get over yourself. You're not that big a deal.

2.  No Lead Time. Really? Oh, okay, no worries, I'll just drop this assignment I'm working on for someone I enjoy working for and who has the decency to give a little bit of lead time, for you, the Due Yesterday Queen.

3.  "I'll take an article in the LA Times, with a side of fries."  An odd bird comes along every now and then who thinks you can order up an article if you pay a for a press release. A good PR person will work hard to get you exposure, but there are no guarantees. These same clueless people invariably also don't understand the concept of timing. I can make a story out of almost anything and I'll write it up and send it out, but there are times to pitch a story and there are times not to pitch a story. Pitching a lame ass story to news editors on a big ass news day - like during a massive brushfire, or a natural disaster, or a school shooting, or Election Day - is not the way to endear news editors to your story.

4.  The Adjective Hog. Why do people think news editors can be tricked into thinking something is a great story by filling a press release with a bunch of stunning, spectacular, breathtaking, outstanding, prestigious, dynamic, sizzling, fluffy adjectives? Believe me, it is what it is and no amount of adjectives can make a non news story, a good news story.

5.  Tracking Hours & Reports. I get it! Clients are charged based on how much time you spend on the account every month, and they want to see what their money spent has produced for them, but keeping track of every minute you spend on this or that for a client and creating reports is tedious and    takes time away from doing the actual work that can get results.

6.  Fashionable, Every Damn Day. It's a kick really, to dress up and be all high heeled fashionista, but every damn day? Maybe it was my SoCal upbringing in cut offs and sandals, but when it comes to every single day, kicking the light fantastic with stilettos while trying to achieve work that is stunning, spectacular, breathtaking, outstanding, prestigious, dynamic, and sizzling, is expensive and exhausting. There's something to be said for being behind the scenes.

7.  The Client Always Knows Best. Uh... no, they don't .