Weber Shandwick Reviews

I worked at Weber Shandwick

Pros – Chicago President is fair and reasonable, really nice; okay for a Chicago PR agency, especially consumer accounts

Cons – Really poor corporate and healthcare groups; working with other offices is difficult

Advice to Senior Management – More work/life balance would improve environment

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

I have been working at Weber Shandwick

Pros – Good clients, good pay and benefits; the culture club makes things more fun during the day at work by providing fun perks. Chance to work on a variety of clients is great for gaining experience.

Cons – No comp time given for working the many weekends that are required on behalf of certain clients. The staffing model is such that some people are staffed on numerous accounts while others are under staffed. If all accounts are busy at once, then you are expected to figure out a way to handle all requests.

Advice to Senior Management – You need to recognize when people are burning out in the positions, especially due to excessive amounts of travel. The fact that comp days are not offered or even discussed could be a contributing factor as to why so many people are leaving this agency. It doesn't seem that management isn't doing anything to combat any of the issues.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

I worked at Weber Shandwick

Pros – Weber Shandwick is a very diverse company, with many different sectors to work for. The people were generally friendly and nice.

Cons – In the Cambridge office the majority of the work is very computer oriented. The office setup is nearly of all cubicles, and then large offices on the perimeter. The work set up can be isolating.

Advice to Senior Management – Management should restructure the office setup.

I have been working at Weber Shandwick

Pros – Smart, dedicated people. Great flexibility and work/life balance.

Cons – Same as other PR firms... hard to retain good staff.

Advice to Senior Management – N/A

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

I have been working at Weber Shandwick

Pros – Diverse accounts and workload
Ability to rise in the ranks if you put in time
Fun culture and people
Great place to start your career

Cons – Poor compensation
High burnout and turnover

Advice to Senior Management – Great professional platform

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

I have been working at Weber Shandwick

Pros – Great culture, opportunities for advancement, ability to work with smart people, great brainstorms (lots of times with free food) and beer cart!

Cons – Big-agency mentality, lower-level employees tend to burn out quickly, lots of turnover

Advice to Senior Management – Continue to reward those that do a great job.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

I worked at Weber Shandwick

Pros – Weber Shandwick pros include a fantastic reputation and brand name. Its recognized nation wide enabling increased interest in my resume and background. Further the recognition of senior management offers fantastic networking opportunities. Doing a great job there can launch your career based on the stature of the execs endorsing your abilities.

Cons – Highly beaurocratic. Many corporate levels and it takes more time to reach a level of senior management even though you may be prepared sooner. You definitely feel like part of a machine as opposed to feeling like part of a company of people working together.

Advice to Senior Management – I have no advice for the management

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

I have been working at Weber Shandwick

Pros – Great name, great reputation - the company is very well respected within the PR world and you have the opportunity to work with a lot of really high profile clients

Cons – I don't know if it's an industry trend or just my office but the compensation is pretty horrendous. Very top heavy in the DC office with lots of big egos who delegate to junior staff. In some ways the junior staff benefit from being given so much responsibility, but the low pay / lack of recognition takes it's toll. Pretty high turnover

Advice to Senior Management – I think it would be beneficial for WS to examine the employee structure and find ways to beef up the middle of the "chain of command" so that VP-level employees and above can focus on running the accounts instead of managing 25 year old employees. Hire more Group Manager and Director-level employees with the understanding that they are going to be "in the middle"

I worked at Weber Shandwick

Pros – The company has a lot of high profile clients
Also has a great reputation within the industry
Culture is one of strong collaboration
Flat organization in that title doesn't matter in providing best services to the client

Cons – compensation lower than peers
bureaucracy often gets in the way of timeliness, good client work
limited flexibility to choose work

Advice to Senior Management – compensation needs to reflect industry norms
more flexibility/autonomy needed in client services

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

I have been working at Weber Shandwick

Pros – Excellent talent and well executed work

Cons – Sometimes a little slow to promote very good people

Advice to Senior Management – Consistently recognize the talent they have.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend