Edelman Reviews

Pros

Strategic leadership, family values, belief in a good work product and investment in the business (including employees)

Cons

Some practice and specialty overlap contributes to internal competition or confusion.

Advice to Senior Management

Please keep doing what you are doing!

Pros

Working at Edelman has been an unparalleled learning and work experience. Peers and senior leadership alike are knowledgeable, motivating and still all-around fun people to be around. Tasks have been meaningful, and I have found that the "work hard, play hard" idea really is in place here.

Cons

Occasionally, workloads can be daunting, but Edelman is very adamant about work-life balance.

Pros

- Young office (early twenties to mid thirties)
- Fun environment
- Good work/life balance
- Lots of resources

Cons

- Lower salary range
- No carpool options for commuters

Pros

Having the ability to work with highly talented and seasoned communications professionals. Culture of independence fosters innovation and risk taking.

Cons

As the firm grows keeping its nimbleness and identity as an entrepreneurial firm.

Advice to Senior Management

Assessing the temperature of employees at every level to ensure we're able to attract and retain top talent.

Pros

If you work hard, you are rewarded for it. Opportunities for growth are fairly provided and there is an environment that fosters the growth of those who go above and beyond. My managers are the best managers I have ever had in my professional life (though it is relatively short). They genuinely look out for my best interests and allow me to work autonomously. At the same time, they go out of their way to provide me with the help I need if I ask for it.

Cons

Can be incredibly demanding and high stress. In an effort to manage the economic downturn, they rely on existing employees before hiring new candidates. While this is a good thing in that it means there are no layoffs, it can translate into overworking employees (i.e. asking one person to play the role of three). They expect a lot from junior staff ... but if you prove yourself, you are usually rewarded for it.

Pros

Health benefits, compensation, co-workers, office lifestyle, creative environment

Cons

long hours, work/life balance, healthy lifestyle harder to manage

Pros

All the diversity of experience & support of a large global company with the metabolism and hunger of a startup.

Cons

Work life balance can be challenging in an environment where you are surrounded by highly driven colleagues and large clients.

Pros

Fortune 100 clients;
Excellent opportunities for professional and personal growth;
Chance to work alongside incredible talent in the industry;
Nurturing office culture;
Creative thinking is valued.

Cons

Office politics abound;
Workload is sometimes unstable (either too much or too little);
Pace doesn't always allow for consistent feedback;
Pay for entry-level is low, though not devastating.

Advice to Senior Management

For junior level employees, place less emphasis on billability, and more on quality of work. Be more transparent in practices.

Pros

My colleagues are all wonderfully supportive and encouraging, and I always feel like I'm part of a larger team. Edelman also has numerous resources, which allows me to do my job to the best of my abillity while also offering my clients superior service.

Cons

In short, I am not paid enough.

Advice to Senior Management

Most everyone I work with is incredible; however, there are a few people who are very flaky or seem to take advantage of the junior staff's willingness to work hard on "mundane" tasks.

Pros

I have been here for six years and I will tell you this is a world class company with the best thinkers in the business, great/challenging client work, excellent management, a lot of freedom and a great collegial environment. It's like playing for the Yankees of PR.

Cons

Sometimes there are silos and rivalries pop up but they are short-lived. And increasingly they are fading.