Skip to content
  • About Us
  • Services
  • Our Work
  • Our Thinking
    • Blog
    • Healthcare White Paper
    • Tech Talent White Paper
    • DEI White Paper
    • Research and Reports
Menu
  • About Us
  • Services
  • Our Work
  • Our Thinking
    • Blog
    • Healthcare White Paper
    • Tech Talent White Paper
    • DEI White Paper
    • Research and Reports
  • Careers
  • Client Login
  • Contact Us
Menu
  • Careers
  • Client Login
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Services
  • Our Work
  • Our Thinking
    • Blog
    • Tech Talent White Paper
    • DEI White Paper Landing Page
  • Careers
  • Client Login
  • Contact Us
Menu
  • About Us
  • Services
  • Our Work
  • Our Thinking
    • Blog
    • Tech Talent White Paper
    • DEI White Paper Landing Page
  • Careers
  • Client Login
  • Contact Us

I Quit My In-House Employer Branding Role and Joined an Agency. It Taught Me More Than I Ever Expected.

Categories

  • Culture
  • Diversity Value Proposition
  • Employee Value Proposition (EVP)
  • Employer Branding
  • evp
  • HR & Employer Brand Conferences
  • HR and Marketing
  • HR Consulting
  • Management Consulting
  • Recruitment

Follow Us

  • Opens in a new tab
  • Opens in a new tab
  • Opens in a new tab

    I worked in-house for many years in employer branding roles — and the prospect of leaving for a position at an agency always seemed daunting. Certainly, there would be rewards, I figured — but I imagined that such a transition might leave me stressed out, overburdened with work, and without the same sense of belonging I enjoyed working for a global asset management company. Still, I felt ready for a career transition that would give me a wider variety of experiences and offer the chance to stretch myself in new ways.

    A few months ago, I took the plunge and joined Blu Ivy as the Director of Employer Brand & Culture. The experience has been profoundly eye-opening.

    I was surprised to discover how much I see myself in every client. Before, I worked steadily in my own bubble, at times finding it more than a little lonely. It wasn’t until I left and started interacting with a variety of clients that I recognized how universal the employer brand professional experience really is.

    At the same time, I have been surprised — shocked, even — by how amazing it is to be working in an agency setting. It has yielded benefits I hadn’t anticipated and dispelled a few misconceptions I’d been harboring.

    I’ve had more than a few contacts ask me for my insights, so I’m sharing them here. Hopefully, it will help some of you feel a little more understood or even take the plunge into something new.

    How I See My (Former) Self in My Clients Every Day

    They Love Their Jobs

    Employer brand professionals love their work. They are helping organizations identify what makes them great, and their influence on employee experience is helping to improve job satisfaction and quality of life for so many. It turns out that, despite the challenges of this field, that spark of passion is universal.

    They Are Hungry for Context

    They have the drive, and sometimes they have the budget — but they are craving more expertise than they can access in-house. With a perspective tied to the practices and thinking of their company, it’s hard for them to get an industry-wide view.

    They Face Challenges Advocating for Resources

    In so many organizations, employer branding is seen as a niche function falling somewhere between marketing and HR. EB has the power to benefit every corner of the organization, but it can be challenging to educate leadership of its impact, and more difficult still to win the mandate necessary to make the aspirational aspects of an employee value proposition a reality throughout the organization.

    They Are Strapped for Time

    Employer brand professionals often work on small — or one-person — teams, and usually have more on their plate than they can accomplish. This is especially true in the current tight labor market, when recruitment marketing campaigns are the focus of more attention than ever before.

    They Could Use a Friend

    With such small teams, these EB professionals are usually used to going it alone. When we join an engagement, we’re all excited for the chance to work in a generative, creative, and collaborative partnership. Doing it together is way more fun.

    Why I’m Happier in My New Role

    It’s an Amazing Lifestyle

    I assumed that working for an agency would take away a lot of time with my family, but the reality is that I’m more present with them now than I was, because I’m far more intentional with my time.

    One of the benefits of working with a great employer brand agency is that they walk the walk when it comes to a vibrant culture and satisfying work-life balance. After all, how can we help clients in these areas if we haven’t learned to help ourselves?

    At Blu Ivy, our leaders bring in doctors to teach us about health and benefits. They ask us to prioritize our own harmony and balance, and to protect our calendars accordingly. Unless there’s an unavoidable client need, we don’t work Friday afternoons.

    The Quality of My Work Is Growing Exponentially

    Until I saw it first-hand, I didn’t understand the degree to which my move to Blu Ivy would uplevel my skills. We work with a phenomenal — and flexible —employer branding framework, customizing it to the needs of every client.

    Our strategic work is built on an extraordinary amount of research — from focus groups to surveys. And I am constantly getting exposed to new problems and new solutions, getting a bird’s eye view of employer branding best practices across industries.

    Risk and Creativity Are Part of My Every Day

    At Blu Ivy, failing is part of my day-to-day. Here, my focus isn’t on the ego of being the best — but on how we can learn to provide an experience like no other. Every day, I must show up ready to explore new worlds.

    We are not a company that copies and replicates. We design and redesign constantly. That’s why I love what I do. Each time, our work starts from scratch. And the beauty of that? I constantly strive to become more innovative and resilient, adapt to our client spaces to play creatively. Our culture is an incredible environment that sets the right conditions to innovate with and for our clients.

    I don’t feel alone here. It is not about the “I” but about the “We”. We build magnetic employer brands and high-performance cultures because of our humanity, empathy, empowerment, and curiosity to set ourselves on a constant journey of discovery!

    Blog Author:

    Thomas Reneau
    Director Employer Brand and Culture
    Western Canada

    About Us

    Blu Ivy Group is a global leader in employer branding, organizational culture, and recruitment marketing. We help organizations across the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors build extraordinary employee experiences, magnetic employer brands, and high-performance cultures.

    From C-Suite to Employer Brand and Talent Acquisition leadership, we partner with our clients to transform their organizations and design the most compelling workplaces of the future.

    For inquiries, please contact sparker@bluivygroup.com.

    • Thomas Reneau
    • June 21, 2022
    PrevEmployer Brand Crises Management Is On The Rise
    How To Create Job Postings That Boost Your Employer BrandNext
    Like this article? Please share it!
    Facebook Linkedin Twitter

    Read Our Reports

    Employer Brand Research from Over 200 Chief Human Resource Officers, the Latest Strategies and Employer Brand Events.


      Stay in the know

      Future-proof your employer brand with resources, articles and research from leaders in the employer branding field.

      Human-Centered Leadership and Company Culture

      January 5, 2023

      The start of the new year can be a natural time to focus on leadership development as employees and employers ask themselves: Where do we

      Read More »
      illustrates point about economic downturn

      With an Economic Downturn Looming, Recruitment, Retention, and Employee Engagement Are More Challenging Than Ever 

      October 13, 2022

      Businesses are well aware of the signs of an impending economic downturn. Typically, in a more stable time, these economic anxieties go hand-in-hand with a

      Read More »
      feature image of totem pole

      National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

      September 30, 2022

      Today, September 30, marks National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada. In 2021, it became a federal statutory holiday due to legislative amendments in

      Read More »

      Your Unique Plan

      At Blu Ivy Group, we bring passion to every project. We build unique employer brand, talent recruitment and retention strategies.

      Consent(Required)
      (Required)
      Hidden
      • Company
      • Blog & Resources
      • Services
      • Careers
      • Company
      • Blog & Resources
      • Services
      • Careers
      • Contact Us
      • Work
      • Client Login
      • Contact Us
      • Work
      • Client Login
      • About Us
      • Services
      • Our Work
      • Our Thinking
        • Blog
        • Tech Talent White Paper
        • DEI White Paper Landing Page
      • Careers
      • Client Login
      • Contact Us
      • About Us
      • Services
      • Our Work
      • Our Thinking
        • Blog
        • Tech Talent White Paper
        • DEI White Paper Landing Page
      • Careers
      • Client Login
      • Contact Us
      2020 Canadian HR Awards Finalist Badge

      T: 647-308-2352

      E: sparker@bluivygroup.com

      Privacy & Terms

      2018 © Blu Ivy Group

      2020 Canadian HR Awards Finalist Badge
      Twitter Facebook-f Instagram Linkedin-in
      • About Us
      • Services
      • Our Work
      • Our Thinking
      • About Us
      • Services
      • Our Work
      • Our Thinking
      • Careers
      • Client Login
      • Contact Us
      • Careers
      • Client Login
      • Contact Us
      +1(647)308-2352 sparker@bluivygroup.com

      © 2022 Blu Ivy Group. All rights reserved. 

      Privacy Policy

      This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
      Privacy & Cookies Policy

      Privacy Overview

      This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
      Necessary
      Always Enabled
      Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
      Non-necessary
      Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
      SAVE & ACCEPT