Moving In-House? What Many Agency Candidates Get Wrong

Jun 13

1 min read

The agency market is tough right now. Roles are scarce. Teams are stretched. So it's no surprise that more marketers and creatives are asking: "How do I make the move in-house?

I've worked with plenty of people making this shift. It's not just about applying differently - it's about reframing how you talk about what you do.

Here's what works:

Speak their language

In-house managers don't speak "agency". They want to know what business problems you solved.

Avoid: "Managed social campaigns

"Delivered a content strategy that increased product sign-ups by 40%

Be specific. Focus on impact, not activity.

Understand key metrics

In-house teams care about commercial outcomes.

Think:

Customer acquisition cost (CAC)
Lifetime value (LTV)
Churn and retention
Brand trust

Even if you weren't directly responsible, your work contributed. Show that.

Shift your tone

Agency work often means selling ideas. In-house, it's solving real problems with limited time and budget.

Ditch the jargon.

Talk about how you improved conversion, solved a customer pain point, or supported cross-functional goals.

Be strategic

You might not land your dream in-house job first go, and that's okay.

Look at:

Internal agency teams
Contract roles with brands
Hybrid roles (secondment in-house)

Don't wait for job ads

Don't just rely on SEEK. The best in-house roles often come through networking and direct outreach.

Instead:

Identify brands you'd love to work for
Connect with their marketing/brand leads
Share your work publicly
Start conversations early

Recruiters can help - but your visibility counts too.

Final thought:

This isn't just a job change. It's a mindset shift.