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Agent/Manager

Do you want to become a Agent/Manager? Here is some information to help point you in the right direction:

Job Description - Print Page

Agents/managers promote and plan the careers of artists working in the entertainment industry. They help the artists on their books to find the right engagements in the right places, to help further their careers.

The day-to-day work of an agent/manager includes:

• liaising with producers and directors, theatre or recording company managers and festival directors
• arranging auditions and press interviews
• booking engagements and negotiating fees
• drawing up contracts and keeping a record of each artist's work.

They usually work office hours, Monday to Friday, but may also work evenings and weekends. They are based in an office, but often travel to attend meetings, watch productions and attend events. These may sometimes involve staying away from home. Agents/managers spend a lot of time on the telephone, both when in and out of the office.

Salaries range from around £13,000 for an agent/manager starting out to more than £40,000 for someone with a lot of experience. Agents/managers earn their income by keeping a percentage of artists' fees.

An agent/manager should:

• have an excellent knowledge of the entertainment business
• be confident, motivated and positive, with good communication skills
• be very well-organised and efficient, with good marketing and negotiating skills
• be flexible and able to respond quickly to changing situations
• have great enthusiasm for working in the entertainment business
• enjoy working long and hard to help develop the careers of artists.

Agents/managers are employed by agencies, are self-employed or run their own agency. The business is highly competitive. There are no formal academic requirements. Some agents/managers have previously been entertainers themselves or worked their way up from a junior agency job. Employers usually prefer applicants with five GCSEs/S grades or a diploma from a performing arts school. There is no upper age limit.

Assistants and new staff at agencies are trained on the job. Relevant NVQs/SVQs are available in Cultural Venue Support and Administration, Artistic Programming and Management.

Promotion opportunities may occur in larger agencies, from an assistant to an agent/manager or other management roles within the agency. Some employees then move on to running their own agency. Self-employed agents/managers progress through becoming established in the business and gradually having more top performers on their books.

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