Burson-Marsteller Reviews

Pros

Very interesting work, excellent work experience on diverse set of projects - issues, corporate affairs, etc.

Cons

review cycles are rare and pay is low

Pros

Good organization to work for

Cons

Healthcare industry is hurting from pandemic.

Pros

Close location to the highways

Cons

Not enough training for the position

Pros

Opportunity to work with a great set of global clients and learn from interesting enployees with diverse backgrounds. Burson hires top talent and I love learning from employees. I have learned a set of skills here I don't think I would have had the opportunity to learn at this junior level. Senior leadership goes out of their way to inform junior employees and value our opinions. I think this is a wonderful company for junior employees. I also absolutely love the new employee resource groups. It's nice to lean on other employees and find out how we can do or be more for our co-workers. I've had the opportunity to dive deeper into my goals and what I would like to get out of working at BM.

Cons

More trainings for employees. I know we're revamping our training program, but I've always found them to be very helpful. I love hearing from employees around the world and diving deeper into tools for my work. I find the global trainings to be my favorite. I've noticed other people comment about the raise and promotions cycle, but I feel like my manger communicated this very well with me. I knew exactly what to expect during my cycle and my manager always kept me in the loop. I really respect my supervisor for this. Also, we've had a recent change in senior leadership and I'd like to know more about what this means for us.

Pros

The opportunity to work on big brand names, especially ones that are engaging in activities outside of "traditional PR", is great for the resume. You also get a really good feel for the challenges that these types of blue-chip companies face on a day-to-day basis. There is a strong entrepreneurial nature to working at Burson. If there is a project that you really want to work on or believe that you have an idea that will help generate new business or revenue, you are encouraged to pursue that idea. Individuals who are self-sufficient and independent will thrive in this environment. If you're in corporate or public affairs, Burson is still the agency you want to call first. It understands these spaces better than anyone else out there.

Cons

Burson's reputation as a leader in corporate and PA acts as a double-edged sword though. It makes it more difficult for the agency to engage in projects that involve up and coming brands and startups. When pitching new business, that reputation is hard to shake in the room. The other side of that is that realistically Burson really is still behind when it comes to the changing PR landscape. PR is drastically changing and Burson has not done a good job keeping up with the trends. There were definite strides in the last few years I was there, but there is a lot of work still to be done. Finally, there are a lot of potential senior-level leaders out there who are not old and white. I suggest Burson looks at them.

Pros

Burson has a large breadth of capabilities and it is a great place to learn about all the different types of communications. While opportunities won't fall on your lap, there is a large network available with specialists around the world.

Cons

Leadership touts the DIGS strategy - Digital, Integrated, Global and Strategic. The digital arm was recently separated and the company is not very integrated at all as practices compete with each other to make numbers. While there are offices around the globe, there doesn't seem to be very much collaboration between the U.S. and other places and opportunities to work abroad are extremely limited. It is really a shame the program for working abroad isn't more robust because it would be game-changing to really have a connected network. As far as the Strategic element of the strategy, well, isn't everything strategic? The company is extremely focused on numbers, especially in the last several months. Billability is the name of the game! But of course new business is always a priority, as long as it doesn’t take away from billable work.

Pros

Complicated, high-profile clients with diverse business challenges, high standards for work quality, high pressure to perform combine to transform willing raw talent into sharp, world-class PR operatives with highly-sought-after skills and experience and extensive professional relationships. Unless you have dreams of becoming Olivia Pope, Burson-Marsteller may not be your dream job -- but the experience you will build working there for a couple years will help you land it.

Cons

Complicated office politics; the business of the business is too far behind the scenes; the best efforts of upper management to make positive changes seem often stymied by micro-management by layers of holding company minders; because promotions and raises depend on overall performance, those who work super-hard to bring in revenue do not see rewards themselves if their colleagues aren't similarly motivated, and it's easy for frustrated stars to find opportunities elsewhere.

Pros

Practice-based, good clients, great place if you can find your tribe

Cons

Hard if you're not in NY, out of sight out of mind

Pros

Recognizable name. Some areas of the business are well managed and thought out, but they are mostly non-US. Good internship program. US offices situated conveniently in respective cities.

Cons

Inter-connection among practices, agencies, offices is non-existent unless forced by client circumstance, even then spotty at best. Under pay/under title keeps HRs stats falsely healthy so when the day comes to prove they are fair, they are ready. No orientation to company, other groups, mentors, etc except via must-watch videos upon start. New management speaking a lot about millennials, but not about mid-management who is managing. Lacking in creativity - the decor says it all. The ability to know the skills of every employee and tap into what makes people stay is non-existent. How can an agency help companies stand for something when they can't even build a clear identity? Minimal social activities, no growth discussions, zero career-relevant training, nothing. No collective culture. Some senior execs can be down-right rude and level-arrogant, but it's tolerated. Dental is not great.

Pros

-Global network of resources Burson has offices around the world and it is easy to tap into an international network. -Global opportunities/ Easy to transfer between offices Burson allows its employees to transfer between offices nationally without a problem. There are limited opportunities to work abroad as well. -Big-name client accounts to work on In each practice there are several marquee name accounts. I think your resume stands out when you are able to list nationally-recognized clients.

Cons

-Very slow to promote Burson's promotion cycle (twice a year) is very confusing to navigate. There are annual reviews that, in the end, do not influence a promotion. Many staff complain that colleagues who started as the same time/level as them are now one or two levels above them due to circumstances beyond their control - i.e., more face time with a manager. -No mentorship or career assistance -Limited training opportunities -Lots of internal politics