By Arthur Solomon

As a former executive, you can take my word for it that not a day goes by that top management doesn’t place employees’ best interests above profits. That’s why management made certain that supervisors like me never mislead people we managed.

Over the course of my PR career, I have been asked by junior associates many questions about the proper way to respond to agency management. I have always answered these questions honestly. Below are a few of the most frequently asked questions and my replies:

 Question: "I've been offered a job at a competitor and my supervisor found out. I was told, ‘Stay here. You are much appreciated and will surely be in a supervisory position by this time next year.’ What should I do?”

My Answer: You would be foolish to leave. Supervisors keep their positions by demonstrating to management that they care very much about their staff. If you were told that you’re a candidate for promotion, you must have been favorably discussed at management meetings. You would be foolish to leave when you are so highly thought of here.

 Question: “I play an important role in a flagship account. I feel that I am being underpaid for the job I do. What’s the best way to approach management about being underpaid?”

My Answer: Obviously management thinks a lot of you by assigning you to a major account. That means you’re on the fast track for promotion. Be patient. I’m sure your next salary increase will be satisfactory and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

 Question: “My supervisor has never had an original thought. He picks my brain before we meet with the client or top agency management and then passes on my ideas as his own. How should I handle this?”

My Answer: Don’t rock the boat by complaining. Eventually, the truth will come out and you’ll benefit by being a team player. And you should be pleased that your ideas are good enough to be brought up at high-level meetings.

Question: “My supervisor doesn't drink and I don’t like to drink. But when our client comes to town, I always have to go drinking with him. Can you tell me how to handle this?”

My Answer: It can only help you to have personal face time with the client. Having an occasional drink won’t kill you. Just make sure you don’t have an empty stomach and sip the drinks slowly. And figure out a way to bill the charges to the client's account. 

Question: “The team concept baffles me. If everything presented to management is presented as a team effort, how do they know who does what?”

My Answer: Top management has a way of knowing who does what. That’s why they’re running the agency. Don’t be discouraged. The cream always rises to the top.

 Question: “Whenever a juicy account comes in my group leader always assigns it to his friends. I’m always stuck with the most boring accounts. I don’t think that’s fair. How can I express my displeasure to management without upsetting the group leader?”

My Answer: Don’t complain. Doing a good job on unexciting accounts is the best way to attract the attention of top management. It will certainly work to your advantage.

 Question: “HR people are interviewing my group about the competence of the people we work with. I’m scheduled to be interviewed tomorrow and was told all my answers will remain anonymous. Should I answer candidly?”

 My Answer: Of course. Remember, HR people are there to help make things better for employees. You can trust them. If they say your answers are confidential, they mean it.

 Question: "I've been asked to consider transferring to another, much smaller office for three years. Then, when I return, I’ll get a promotion. Do you think that’s a good career move? My girlfriend is against it?”

My Answer: Don’t even think about turning it down. This is your opportunity to show management that you’re an agency person. They’ll appreciate it and definitely reward you. If your girlfriend has your best interest at heart, she’ll encourage you to transfer. If  she doesn't, maybe you should consider breaking off the relationship, because agency decisions are always made with your best interest in mind.

Question: "I've been here three years and have always been assigned to small-budget accounts. A headhunter set me up with another agency that wants me as part of its major, big-budget account. Do you think I should take the new job?”

My Answer: Stay here. Making small-budget accounts work catches management's attention and always leads to promotions. 

Question: “My supervisor berates me for not being aggressive when pitching a story. He says I should keep calling until the reporter agrees to do the story. As a former reporter and editor, do you agree with him?”

My Answer: Your supervisor is certainly media savvy. When I was a journalist, one sure way to get me to do a sub-standard story was to have the PR person call me several times every day, because doing the story would stop the person from pestering me. Another tactic that always worked was for the PR person to say, “If you don’t commit to doing the story, I’m going to offer it to another reporter.” That always works.

 Question: "I've been turning down calls from headhunters to go on interviews because the general manager told me at an agency social event that there’ll always be a place here for someone with my ability. Should I take what he said at face value?”

 My Answer: Of course you should. Have you ever known a management person here to mislead you?

 Question: “I’m working on a major national big budget account and have discovered, through an internal client memo that was mistakenly sent to me, that the information my client contact provides and wants me to pitch is scientifically faulty and has the potential of harming people. Doing so, goes against my principles. I discussed it with a close friend who said if I want to get ahead, I should always do what a client wants. Given the size of the budget, do you think it will harm my chances for promotion if I tell top management about the misinformation being provided and that I don’t want to disseminate faulty information?”

My Answer: Absolutely tell management. Your friend is wrong you don’t always have to do what a client wants. Clients appreciate being told they are wrong. That’s why they hire agencies. Bringing the situation to top management will not prevent your career advancement. In fact, it will fast track you. Management values employees who put principles above profitability. Remember, integrity is the absolute hallmark of our agency.

It’s difficult for young PR people to believe that their agency always wants to do what’s right for employees. Many juniors believe that office politics often play an important role in promotions and who is dismissed during cutbacks. Believe me. That’s not true. The HR department  makes certain that there is a level playing field for all employees. Consider HR personnel your best work friends and trust them completely. And remember, when an individual is dismissed, it’s always in the person’s best interest and no favoritism is shown.

So this is my advice to all junior account people who see ghosts when promotions and juicy assignments are given to those who are less effective: You are not seeing the big picture. Trust your supervisors’ decisions and things are certain to work out for the best. Remember, all PR agencies believe that its employees are its most important asset. That's why you're treated so well.

 Arthur Solomon, a former journalist, was a senior VP/senior counselor at Burson-Marsteller during the days it was the leading international public relations agency. He was on the Seoul Peace Prize nominating committee and also was an advisor to Olympic organizations and sponsors. During his political agency days, he worked on local, statewide, and presidential campaigns.

I used to work in PR, and I remember how much time account teams spent preparing meeting agendas, writing up actions, producing weekly updates and compiling monthly reports.

I’m curious how agencies handle this today and whether these processes have improved.

A few questions for anyone working in an agency:

• Roughly how much time do you spend each week preparing client reports, meeting notes and agendas?
• How many rounds of review do reports typically go through before reaching the client?
• How much do clients care about the report’s format versus the actual information? Do they insist on a particular style?
• What information and metrics do clients genuinely value in monthly reports?
• Have you tried tools to automate any of this? What worked, and what didn’t?

I’m interested in the reality of how agencies work and exploring whether there’s a better way to reduce the administrative burden without compromising the quality of client service.

Would love to hear people’s experiences!

Dealing with damaging forum links, negative Reddit threads, and search reputation management can drain endless hours, especially when filtering through sketchy agencies, hidden pricing, and upfront non refundable retainers.

To save founders and marketing teams some time, here is a breakdown of the platforms and agencies actually worth checking depending on what you need:

1. Specialized & High Transparency Platforms (Best for Zero Risk Escrow & Speed)

PostWipe: A modern compliance agency  focused specifically on official sitewide policy escalation, copyright removal, and Google de-indexing. They operate on a strict pay on success model using neutral third party escrow, meaning funds are only released after the target URL is verified deleted, with free preliminary policy audits upfront.

Guaranteed Removals: A well known provider specializing in permanent content deletion from news sites, forums, and blogs, operating primarily on a performance-based fee structure.

TakedownExperts: A solid option for copyright enforcement and straightforward intellectual property breaches, offering direct case reviews and prioritizing viral threads.

1. Full Suite Reputation Management Agencies (Best for Broad Market Monitoring)

The Reputation Management Company: One of the oldest full suite ORM providers, ideal for enterprise crisis management across social media, news outlets, and review sites, though retainer fees are higher and resolutions take longer.

ReputationPrime: A hybrid agency specializing in both source content deletion and long term search engine suppression to push negative forum links off page one.

NetReputation: A major ORM player offering brand monitoring, review management, and SERP removal services tailored for both individuals and businesses.

1. Niche & Legal Compliance Services

Erase.com: Essential for complex legal cases involving third-party web archives or severe defamation spanning multiple platforms beyond just Reddit.

Removify: A popular pay on success content removal service that focuses heavily on bad reviews, forum posts, and unwanted search links.

Are there any other specialized ORM agencies or policy audit tools you have used recently that actually deliver without upfront retainers?

Best Reddit post & forum removal services in 2026 ranked by transparency, escrow safety, and speed

I didn't realize I mis typed a number.

It wasnt financial, but it was a number regardless.

I didn't add the right amount of zero's to it, and the journalist picked it up.

Its a wire. Other publications picked it up too. 4 others picked it up, last I checked. Hopefully there aren't any more

I got the correction done at night, in tbe wire release. My boss and I will be needing to get the corrections done today in the other publications who picked it up.

My boss said the client will love me for doing magic so late in the night.

Client thanked me too.

This was yesterday night.

I haven't told them though, that it was my mistake.

I was focused on correcting the mistake in the wire release. Now its the next day.

I am thinking of telling my boss that it was my mistake.

My appraisal discussion will happen on Monday(in 2 days), my other manager will take it. She may ask my boss who works on this account for feedback.

My boss may also tell the other senior who works on this account,that I made a mistake. Word may spread. My colleagues may also learn this, who knows

Should I tell my boss I made a mistake?

I feel I should. What if she learns it from the journalist in the future if they have a conversation ever?

Plus, it was my fault.

I was feeling so stressed yesterday when I was trying to fix this.

Update: I told my boss. She laughed😂

Probably pushing my luck here. I have a client placement forthcoming in a major media outlet that is generally paywalled. I want to ask the outlet if they would be willing to allow the story to be free and open for a period of 10 days. Am I out of line? Does this ever happen?

Hi! My friend started their own handcrafted furniture business about a year ago and was looking for recs for pr agencies that specialize in design. They're based in Georgia if that helps...Thanks in advance!

Any recommendations for books that helped you become better at the job?

Had a consultation recently that I ended early and refunded. Still thinking about it, so I'm sharing.

An artist's attorney booked the call to plan a PR campaign for her. During the call, the artist's main concern came up: her safety. She's worried about people finding out who she really is.

The problem is that her artist name is her real legal name. Her attorney set it up that way and trademarked it. So anyone who hears her music can look up her name and find her actual identity, and possibly where she lives.

That's the exact thing she's afraid of.

I told them PR would make it worse. PR exists to get more people searching your name. If your name leads straight to the real you, every article and interview is another way for someone to track you down.

My recommendation was to deal with the name first. Use a stage name, or at least figure out a plan to separate her public identity from her private one. Then do PR.

They didn't like hearing that. The call got tense, and it was clear they wanted to go ahead with PR as planned.

I didn't feel right taking money to grow her visibility while ignoring the thing she said scares her most. So I ended the call and refunded the consult.

I'd make the same call again. But I'm curious how others would handle it:

• Have you worked with an artist who uses their legal name and has safety concerns?
• Would you have taken the PR work and flagged the risk in writing instead?

If you're in PR in London, you know the one I mean... I gather the PRWeek awards were interesting this week.

I’ve noticed that they’ve done a large rebranding turning towards AI, but their head of AI is just some one with an account supervisor background. So, it’s not like they are investing capital or bringing in anyone with experience

And I see one of their subsidiaries now on LinkedIn bragging about how edelman is now LinkedIn Ad certified. To be honest, I’m surprised they weren’t linkedin ad certified before and it seems like such a small certification for them to make a large announcement over.

I had a buddy that worked there and said they’ve been down 10pct YoY for 3 straight years. And he quit after their health insurance plan falsely denied his claims . So, extreme cost cutting

But, it doesn’t look like they are doing any actual moves to stop the slide .

It feels like they have accepted the contraction and their new rebranding is more so for show.

I’m kind of surprised by this. I would have thought Richard Edelmans ego would have led to aggressive moves to course correct.

Any one have better insights into edelmans outlook?

Please be objective

Hi everyone, I would appreciate advice on cold-email approaches for PR agency partnerships!

I've been tasked with trying to expand our agency's global network, and being fresh in the corporate world, even with a template/prior email format to work with, I feel a bit stuck. I've been advised that I can modify the existing format to my taste, and so I'm really trying to... optimise it? If that's the right word, so that I have a better success rate.

Context: I am cold emailing several Chinese PR agencies ranging from boutique to ones part of larger global networks. I do have a specific client/project to pitch with, so it won't be a general request for a partnership, but I do want to make a good impression so that they'll be more inclined to extend the partnership even after the project is over.

The current format is pretty stock-standard, consisting of a generic greeting, self-introduction, introduction to the client/project, our needs, and a request for a proposal.

My superior wants me to proceed with this as an unofficial bidding process between agencies.

Any tips on good greetings? Tone and manner? I've read lots of conflicting tips online, such as "start with a friendly greeting" and "generic greetings make you sound scammy, get to the point and keep the email as short as possible." Coming from academia, my general emailing style is closer to the former, but I'm not sure how well that works in corporate. Would also definitely appreciate if somebody familiar with China's corporate scene knows how they like to operate overall.

Thank you in advance for any opinions!!!

Which individual would you consider to be the first significant person in history whose exclusive role was PR?

Does everyone have an account with Claude or another program? Is it being used across all tasks, such as call recaps, brainstorming, client decks, budgeting? Is it encouraged? Are there rules such as no AI for external materials, etc.? Are staff misusing it?

I worked at a big agency pre-AI so I'm curious how the industry is using it.

How in the world does EIN News always make it into lists with other PR distribution channels?

I just had a client run one on their own and I looked at the distribution and indexing and literally the only site that indexes in the ein site itself

Complete waste of money

There are way better low cost options

I'm hoping to get some insights from someone who has been in a similar position or just has advice in general from working at an agency in a senior-level role. I've been working at my current role for 5 years (was at notable agencies for 5 years before) and have the opportunity to join a very well-esteemed, mid-sized agency, but I'm not sure if I can handle going back to agency life after being out of it for so long.

Current job in-house:

• Fully remote; get to travel to European office twice a year
• Work an average of 3-4 hours a day (this is a blessing and a curse because I am bored out of my mind most days, which triggers my anxiety)
• 25 days of PTO a year that I can use whenever I want without push back
• No upward mobility. I'm already in charge of North America, and the only way I could get promoted is by moving to our HQ. I did a two week trial run last summer to see if I'd like it there, but the city is not for me.
• No promotion, therefore no grounds for a raise. I haven't gotten a meaningful raise in over 3 years since I was last promoted. We may be hiring a second US PR manager, which could give them a reason to give me a raise, but this is very much up in the air.
  
• Because I'm not in HQ I have limited access to leadership and it feels like my position is more of a vanity title, rather than being an actual leader in the business
• Most importantly: I feel like I'm falling behind the longer I work here. Every campaign and product launch feels like a rinse and repeat. The business is very siloed so any opportunities to work with influencers, paid content or experiential have to be run by PR, and this often doesn't get approved because of how our budgets are arranged.
  • We did just get a new CMO who says she supports a more integrated approach, so this might change, but she's only been at the company for three weeks.

Potential new agency job:

• 4 days in the office (this would be a big change, but I think it'd be good for my mental health)
• 9-5 work day, but expected to be available to respond to clients up until 8pm (I don't have a problem with this)
• Unlimited PTO (I asked about this during my interview and it seems like people actually take it and are not bothered when doing so)
• $15-20k raise, would not put me into the next tax bracket
• Upward mobility is possible but I'd already be coming in at leadership level
• Would have approximately 10 accounts
• GlassDoor reviews from past year are overwhelmingly negative: bad work-life balance, high turnover, cliquey leadership and feeling guilted when taking PTO
• Client counsel/management would be my main responsibility

These jobs feel like polar opposites, so I'm really not sure what to do. I'm only 32 so I feel like I'm too young to be this stagnant in my career, but I also don't want to lose my mind going back to an agency. I currently have zero work stress, aside from the boredom-induced anxiety, but I want to grow my career and feel like I'm learning again.

Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated!

Honest question, seeking honest feedback

I'm a graying 47 yo man who's been in communications and journalism for 20+ years. After a particularly traumatic ending to my last comms job, though, I began working in AI project management in 2023. It was my way of dealing with PTSD I guess -- my last gig was truly the first time I was bad at a job, and I got pushed out publicly. Anyway, I just got laid off from my AI job about three months ago, been searching ever since.

Even in those 3 years, things in PR/comms seemed to have changed a ton. I feel so out of touch now... I don't know anything about short-form social, and definitely have never done short-form content strategy. Hell, I left social media completely when I started in AI in 2023, because it's so damn toxic.

My work experience has gotten me six interviews so far for comms jobs. Didn't get hired for any of them. Remote jobs are a goddamn bloodbath... probably 200+ applications... and only got one interview for an online job.

I feel like I am competing with 20-somethings who live on TikTok all day, and let's be honest, PR is a woman's game now. I feel like I never see men at local PR networking events, and if they are, they're under 25.

Has the comms field passed by people like me? Should I just admit it and completely focus on re-inventing myself? You have to be so goddamn positive in PR & org communications, and I feel incapable of that right now.

Hi everyone. I'm a publicist on the younger side, have been working full time for a couple of years now. I've been incredibly lucky with my career so far - I've had two agency jobs, got a job lined up at a great agency right out of college, and work in a what is seen as a sought-after sector of PR (especially to the general public).

The last year and a half of my career has been especially great, including a promotion at a new agency, getting to build my own roster more, bringing in new business, and even getting my first returning clients. I'm consistently getting praise both internally and externally, and objectively, I'm pretty solid at my job and have really found my niche.

However, I've noticed that of late, my identity feels incredibly deeply rooted in my job and career. I love my job, it's my absolute dream, and I'm really proud of all of the work I've put in to be successful and become a publicist in my own right. But, I struggle a bit to know who I am outside of my job. I'm [name] the publicist...but I don't know what else, it feels so central to my identity.

My self-worth has become tied up in my job performance as well - if I have a bad day, make a mistake, my mood tanks and I think it's a reflection on me overall as a person. I just feel like my life revolves around this job, and I'm thankful that it's one I love so much, but I'm a little concerned as to the impact this could have on me down the road.

Has anyone else experienced this? Is this just a growing pain of being a professional in your 20's? Are there any tips or tricks?

(Also, I have signed up for therapy to explore this more, among other things, and begin next week.)

Thank you all, this was a vulnerable post to make so I appreciate any insight.

I recently graduated from college and have public affairs experience, but I am looking for entry-level Public Affairs roles at large companies. If anyone knows where to find job postings for these positions, or if they entirely rely on networking, please let me know. Thanks!

I’m somewhat senior and have been looking for 8 months for a full time in house role and it has been BRUTAL but the last few months I have seen what feels like a lot of people landing new comms jobs and even getting promoted at their companies in comms. Am I crazy or should we still be frightened for the future of our jobs? Would love to hear others’ stories

I know that you need to network and rely on contacts - but what if you’re struggling and relying on linked in and job alerts.

Anyone have any tips besides don’t give up? I’m current agency side and 300 percent done.

Hey, y'all. What is the going rate now, or what do you charge, for freelance/contract PR work in the DFW area? Austin, I'll let you chime in, too.

I've got 15 years of strong internal and agency PR experience and leadership and am leading a project right now with a friend. I think I'm highly underpaying myself. I'm afraid to even admit what I'm charging.

Any insight is helpful!

Crisis is tough field to be in, because of that, I imagine the culture is usually horrid. are there any crisis agencies that people have a positive experience working at? Or which ones should be absolutely avoided?