Picking the Right Agent

One of the most intimate relationships a model will have is between herself and her agent. Even though she may change agents several times throughout her career, that relationship is the key to her finding work; as such, the agent is the person who she calls most often and will put the highest priority on her calls. There is a lot of work in fostering that relationship, and working together to make the model's career a success. Key to that is finding the right agent.

Finding that agent can be a quest in and of itself. You need to find someone that you can get along with, that you're not afraid to argue with, and learn to love; in short, finding a good agent is just a little easier than finding someone you can take home to your parents. The ideal agent is someone that is willing to go the extra mile for you, give you advice on how to do better, and basically realize that his commission isn't just dependent on just how you do, but how you are perceived in the industry as a whole. In short, your agent doesn't just need to find you jobs but to foster your career.

Obviously the search is going to start in the Yellow Pages and on the internet. It should also involve discussion boards; word of good agents tends to spread and the most of effective way of spreading will be where people gather. You also need to ask your friends about their agents; few agents limit themselves to a small number of clients and are usually looking for more good talent to represent. Social networks, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter can also help you find the right people.

Probably the biggest debate you'll face while searching is the small agency versus large agency debate. A large agency can get you more jobs, but treats everyone virtually the same; this cookie-cutter approach ensures that everyone has useful but also limits the career of all but the most talented models. A small agency can foster your career properly, but usually doesn't have access to the same number of jobs as a large agency. Obviously there are exceptions to the rule, but keep in mind that those exceptions are rare. There are other considerations, such as a large agency's access to classes versus a small agency's patience, but those are the big ones.

Once you have found that agent, do whatever it takes to keep them. Sometimes a small gift every so often will do; other times, a bouquet. Although it can be argued that the agent earns his commission and that is all he should be entitled to, it can be counter-argued that additional presents will help ensure that you get more jobs. However you feel about, keep in mind that you need to build a relationship, and it's ultimately that relationship that keeps you getting jobs, even when you have no right doing so. Play nice with your agent and your agent will play very nice with you.