Many roles come through an agency for an end client you will actually serve. Here is how to find and check that real client.
"The agency seemed real. But I never asked who the actual client was, and the work turned out to be nothing like the offer."
A gap that a little research closes
An agency can be real and the end client still be a mystery. You will work for that end client every day, so you want to know who they are before you commit. When I checked my own role, I did not stop at the agency. I researched the company behind it too.
Wrong question: "Is the agency legit?"
Better question: "Who is the real client, and are they real and worth my time?"
The agency is the messenger. The end client is the work. Check both, but never skip the one you will actually serve.
| What you do | What you are looking for |
|---|---|
| Ask the agency who the client is | A real agency will name the company or at least the industry. Total secrecy with no reason is a flag. |
| Search the client company | A working website, real social pages, news or reviews. A company with a real footprint online. |
| Read what they actually do | Their products, their audience, their content. This tells you what the work will really be. |
| Check the work matches the offer | Does the role described fit what this company would actually need? A mismatch is worth a question. |
Researching the end client also makes you better at the interview. The same digging that keeps you safe also lets you walk in already understanding their business. Safety and preparation are the same five minutes of work.
Hold steady, BFF Team. We keep going together.
– Lala