If you’ve been in the agency world for a while, chances are you’ve thought about going client-side. After a few years of juggling multiple accounts and a lifestyle where your client controls a lot of your time, a more focused in-house role can sound pretty appealing.

But before you make the leap, it’s worth knowing how different the worlds really are—and what hiring managers are looking for when bringing agency talent into client-side marketing roles.

1. You’ll go deep, not wide

One of the biggest shifts is depth. Agency life is fast and broad—you’re across multiple clients, brands, and industries. It’s such a great way to gain a lot of experience and exposure early in your career. On the client side, you’ll usually be focused on one customer journey, one brand ecosystem, and one long-term roadmap.

That means more and more long-term planning, reporting, and optimisation. If you love building, refining, and owning your work—client-side could be a great fit.

2. Internal stakeholder management is huge

In an agency, the client is the client. Internally, you’ve got your account service team members and your specialist creative, media, production department relationships – all focused on delivering for your client – there’s a common goal.

Client-side, you’ll often have to manage multiple internal stakeholders—Sales, Product, Digital, IT, Finance—all with their own priorities. Soft skills like influence, communication, and internal education are just as important as your marketing expertise.

3. You might need to “unpack” your experience

This one’s key—hiring managers often struggle to understand agency titles and transferable skills.

If your CV says “Account Director”, but you’ve been leading the CRM or Loyalty strategy for your client, make that crystal clear. Talk about the tech, the data, the outcomes. Strip out the agency jargon and frame your experience in a way that’s relevant to marketing role.

4. Tech and tools are important.

Client-side marketing teams are often looking for hands-on experience with specific tools—Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Braze, Adobe Campaign, HubSpot, etc.

If you’ve been strategy-side in agency and never touched the platform, consider getting certified or asking for exposure before you leave. It’ll help bridge the gap and open up more roles.

5. Prepare for the culture change

Agency life is fast, creative, social, and exhilarating. No two days are the same. Client-side teams tend to have more structure, clearer processes, and a bigger focus on long-term outcomes.

If you’re ready deeper ownership of your work—it might be the right move, but it’s always good to do your research and be aware that it will be a different work experience.



Thinking about making the switch?

If looking for your next challenge, we can help you figure out what’s next.

Drop us a note—we’re here for honest advice, not just roles.