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NATIONAL Public Relations

Engaged employer

Cliquey management will abandon you over clients - Associate NATIONAL Public Relations Employee Review

2.0
11 Dec 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

A variety of accounts to work on and a decent office location in the city

Cons

- Management will expect you to work 24/7 - Majority of all employees from the bottom up lack diversity. Yes, there are quite a few females (and they think this is some kind of positive thing they need to hammer in all the time when it’s more than standard across the industry) but notice that 90%+ are of a certain colour. When they do hire POC they never survive long - As many others have stated already, be prepared to partake (unwillingly) in harsh, ridiculous office politics involving cliquey individuals at all levels - Absolute micromanagement from leadership, especially when it comes to submitting hours - The firm will take the word of the client over yours every single time - for example, a certain automobile client will complain and moan about every single detail (good or bad) and lower level employees are hung out to dry every single time - They rarely promote within unless you fit a certain cookie cutter mold of an individual - expect for them to hire outside of the firm the majority of the time for higher positions - Lower level employees (Consultants and below) are compensated peanuts compared to higher positions. How can you expect a Coordinator or Associate to live and thrive (not be constantly worrying about finances) off of less than 45k a year in Toronto? Perhaps this is why POC don’t last long as many don’t have that generational wealth (bank of mom and dad) to survive off of such low salaries - Not to mention they also give perks to higher levels that make monetary life easier for themselves (ironically) such as free parking for Directors and above while the rest pay obscene amounts of money just to commute in and often they get to take home products from clients before anyone else - Don’t get attached to anyone on your team as they’ll most likely be let go or move onto another company for work due to the above stated reasons. Don’t believe me? When you’re hired, ask around and you’ll quickly take note of how new everyone is (less than 2 years) and you’ll hear whispers constantly of how high the turn over rate is

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NATIONAL Public Relations Response
4y
Thank you for providing your feedback. We are disappointed that your experience at NATIONAL was not up to your expectations. Even though you’ve left our Firm, we’d welcome the opportunity to discuss your feedback further. You can contact us at hr@national.ca.

Explore other reviews about NATIONAL Public Relations

4.0
18 Apr 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Opportunities to work with the largest clients in Nova Scotia, Atlantic Canada, and sometimes the rest of Canada. Opportunities to learn from elite talent. Opportunities to use innovative software tools. Opportunities to work on files outside your specialty. Opportunities to work with sister firms on files in the United States and Europe. Ability to decline work based on conscience. Ability to join an exceptional in-person office culture versus other NATIONAL branches and other public relations firms. Access to senior management in a flat bullpen. Senior management support against rude or offensive clients. Implicit support to pursue exit opportunities.

Cons

Typical agency downward salary pressure. Parent company downward salary pressure. Occasional weekend work culture. Implicit weekday hustle culture. Implicit on-call obligations during holidays. Unclear promotional timelines. Inconsistent performance metrics.

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NATIONAL Public Relations Response
1y
Thank you for providing this review. We are glad that you appreciated all the opportunities our work environment offers, and our overall culture at NATIONAL.   We recognize the demanding nature of working in an agency. We strive to create an environment that supports our team's well-being and balance. We are also committed to providing fair compensation and growth opportunities. If you would like to provide any additional feedback, please contact us at hr@national.ca.
3.0
23 Apr 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

culture, hybrid policy, variety of clients

Cons

salary is below market rate

avatar
NATIONAL Public Relations Response
1y
Thank you for providing this review. We are pleased to hear that you valued the culture and work environment at NATIONAL. We are committed to providing fair compensation and growth opportunities for all employees. If you wish to provide any additional feedback, please contact us at hr@national.ca.
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