Become a Talent Agent

Talent agents help actors, musicians, models and other entertainers find work. Agents work for large agencies or on their own. Earning a degree is a good place to start, followed by getting an internship with an established agency. Developing persistence in your marketing, being highly organized, and building relationships will help you succeed. Working as a talent agent requires you to have a license, scout undiscovered talent, and groom talent that you secure. It is also helpful to specialize in one area such as acting or modeling and learn how to negotiate contracts.

Steps

Getting the Right Education and Experience

1. Earn a college degree. As with many careers, a formal education will greatly benefit you. Many courses of study can help you become a talent agent, including English, business, marketing, film, communication, law, and public relations. You may be able to find specific talent agent courses at some institutions.
   • These degrees do not automatically qualify you for the career, but they will give you a lot of the knowledge you need to succeed as an agent.
   • If you can pair any of these studies with minors such as theater, production, or acting, you’ll have a well-rounded starting place.
   • If you know of a specific talent agency that you want to work for, find out what college requirements they have when they hire.
2. Call talent agencies and ask about opportunities. Many talent agency jobs will not be advertised, so you may need to call and ask directly. If you know anyone in the industry, never be afraid to ask for a referral. Agencies look for people who are highly motivated, so calling shows that you take initiative.
   • You may have to take an unpaid or part-time position to start with, but don’t let this deter you. It’s an industry where you usually start at the bottom and work your way up.
   • If you call once and are turned down, wait a week or two and call again. You never know when a position is going to open up and you don’t want to miss it.
3. Apply for talent agency internships. After earning a degree, an internship is the most important building block of a talent agent career. Find websites that are devoted to internships. Apply for as many as you can. Call specific talent agencies directly to ask them what internships they offer.
   • As an intern you will most likely not work with talent or clients. You’ll more likely answer phones, file paperwork, fetch coffee, and generally do whatever your superiors ask.
   • Be willing to do whatever you are asked so you appear passionate. Showing that you can follow a task through to the end is what will impress the agency and afford you more opportunities.
   • Many talent agents start out as interns at agencies. If you show you can do the work, you may be offered a permanent position after some time.

Developing Your Skills

1. Market yourself and your talent. You are essentially a salesman, and your product is the talent you manage. Salesmen do not sit and wait for people to come buy from them, so you shouldn’t either. Call casting agencies and directors and pitch your talent to them. Besides calling, you should create business cards, flyers, and postcards for your agency and your talent.
   • You want as many people as possible to know about you and your talent, so never think that you’ve made too many contact attempts.
   • Make postcards with your talent’s photo and skill set listed, as well as your name and contact info. Send these postcards out to any casting agency or company that you think might be interested in hiring your talent. Call the places you sent postcards after a week or so and check in with them.
   • Flyers could be placed around town promoting your agency and calling for new talent to contact you to see about a representation contract.
2. Be persistent in your marketing. You may not book a gig on your first contact attempt, so continue to pursue it and don’t give up. Don’t sit and wait for clients to call you. Contact the same people consistently at intervals of a week or two. Eventually they are likely to offer you something. The most persistent agents are the ones that succeed.
   • You have to constantly put your name and your talent out there if you want to secure gigs. Talent agents who put a few attempts out there and then rest won’t succeed.
   • You will face rejection often as a talent agent, but you have to learn to shrug it off and move on to the next opportunity. Don’t let setbacks stall you.
3. Be highly organized. As a talent agent, you will have to balance many conflicting schedules from clients and talent. Make use of an online calendar and input everything into your schedule. iCal and Google Calendar are good options. Keep track of contact information like phone numbers and names, as well.
   • Make sure your talent is available for potential gigs and make sure they get to the gig on time. Missing opportunities makes you look bad.
   • Start using a calendar immediately and learn to schedule your life. If you don’t always know what you’ll be doing, at least write it down after it happens so you get used to recording events.
   • Keep a detailed contact list or catalogue with any clients that you meet or hear about so that you have what you need to contact them as soon as you have the chance.
4. Connect with people. Talent agents are middlemen between the talent and the clients who need to hire talent. Develop exceptional people skills and make the most of every interaction. Be friendly with potential clients and talent as well as anyone you already have a contract with. If you are easy to work with, more people will want to work with you.
   • Go the extra mile to help someone out to show that you are a team player who wants everyone to succeed. Your success only comes from the success of your talent and your clients.
5. Negotiate contracts that benefit all parties. When you are lining up a job for your talent, you are responsible for working with the client to decide on payment. The client needs to make money to pay the talent so you can also earn money. Continually work to master the art of negotiating for the best possible contract for everyone involved.
   • Clients want to get your talent for as little possible, so you may need to push them to offer you more money. Find a balance between pushing too far and not getting enough for your talent.
   • You also have to work out an appropriate commission with your talent. You may decide on a standard rate or you may have a flexible rate depending on how much work each person gets.
   • Make sure to get a contract between you, the client, and the talent in writing for every job or gig you set up. You always want proof of the agreement that is reached.

Expanding Your Career

1. Scout undiscovered talent. Go to local theaters, improv shows, clubs, or other venues where talent is at. Develop an eye for those who have what it takes to make it. If you see someone with potential, start a conversation with them and see if they want to work with you.
   • You can start this practice before and during your education or training so that when you are ready to offer your services you will already know how to find people.
   • If you work for an agency, they will appreciate you bringing in new talent. If you work alone, you will be fully responsible for finding your talent, so you will have to get good at scouting.
   • You can find lots of people in big entertainment centers, but many stars are born in small towns far away from the hotspots. You can find people and gigs even in less busy places.
2. Choose a specialty. Talent agents run the gamut from working with TV actors to models, and musicians to commercial actors. Working in an agency will usually mean having a variety of clients, but if you work alone you can focus in on the talent you prefer. If you can book modeling gigs easier than shows for bands, stick with that strength.
   • You probably won’t make this choice right at the start, but you may be able to. Rather, if you do the work for a little while, determine what comes most naturally or where you are most successful and stick with that.
   • Remember that some talent have rules you’ll need to be familiar with. For example, child actors have restrictions on how many hours they can work in a day and week.
3. Get your talent agent license. You need to learn about what is necessary to legally practice your trade as a talent agent. Make sure you get the proper licensure and display it in your office and consider keeping a copy handy when you are away from the office.
   • License requirements vary from state to state, so be aware of requirements where you practice.
   • As you get fully into the career, keep current on changing compliance standards and regulations.
4. Develop your talent. When you pick up new talent, you may need to groom them a little. Sign them up for acting or modeling classes to help them hone their skills. Help them learn how to nail an audition. Teach them to work well with people and sell themselves as a worthwhile investment.
   • Your talent is a like a product you are selling, so make them as marketable as you possibly can. They may need to develop their appearance, moderate an accent they have, or find the niche of roles that are best for them.
   • Your job is to book jobs for your talent, but it is also to make sure your talent is qualified and prepared for those jobs. Push them to always keep improving their skills.
   • If you work in an agency, it may have specific protocol for grooming new talent. If you work alone, you’ll be fully responsible for figuring out the best way to help your talent improve.

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