So you’ve finally landed a new Senior Account Executive role at a PR agency you've always wanted to work for. The clients are right up your street, and you're smashing your KPIs.

Your future looks bright, and with each piece of coverage you land, your bosses affirm that the sky's the limit when it comes to your career prospects at the agency. But there’s a hidden catch that you might not have bargained for – the dreaded fast-track promotion.

Some PR agencies are notorious for promoting their staff quickly, sometimes at an alarming rate. You might start off as a junior account executive, and before you know it, you’re being promoted to account manager, senior account manager, and so on. It all sounds great on paper, right? Well, not exactly.

Sure, you’re climbing the corporate ladder at lightning speed, but there’s a downside to all this rapid advancement. When you’re promoted quickly, you’re often given a substantial raise to match your new title, which is very appealing! The problem is that with each promotion and salary increase, you become even more out of sync with the market. You start earning a salary way above PR industry standards, making it increasingly difficult for you to jump ship and find a new job elsewhere.

It might not seem like such a big deal at first. After all, who wouldn’t want to get paid £50k at Senior Account Executive level? But as time goes on, you might start feeling trapped. You’re earning a lot of money, but you’re also stuck in a job that might not be fulfilling anymore. And when you start looking for new opportunities, you realise your inflated salary is a huge barrier. Potential employers are hesitant to hire you because they can’t match your sky-high salary, and suddenly, you find yourself in a sticky situation.

So what’s the solution? Well, it might be worth considering the long game. Before accepting that next promotion, think about whether it’s really what you want. Will doing lots of new business instead of building your media contacts at Account Executive level bring you closer to your career goals? Or will it create a skills gap at your level, thus tying you down further? Don’t be afraid to have an open and honest conversation with your boss about your concerns. Perhaps there’s a way to slow down the promotion train and focus on other aspects of your career development instead.

At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that a successful career isn’t just about climbing the agency ladder as quickly as possible. It’s about balancing personal growth, job satisfaction, and financial stability. So take a step back, evaluate your situation, and make a decision that’s truly best for you in the long run. After all, you deserve to feel fulfilled and happy in your PR career, regardless of your salary!

If you find yourself in this predicament and want to join an agency that will help you grow in the right way, feel free to get in touch: gavin@prcrowd.co.uk