Agents and Business Managers

Career summary

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Agents promote clients, and business managers handle clients' business affairs. Some agents and business managers do both. The amount of work agents and business managers do for their clients varies. Some agents represent clients only when needed. Other agents may handle a client's career for many years.

To promote their clients, agents approach publishers, producers, or recruiters. Agents work to convince these people to hire or sign their clients to contracts. When a proposal is offered, agents negotiate the terms of the contract. This includes how much their client will be paid and the length of the contract. Agents also schedule promotional events, such as appearances on TV shows. In addition, agents create and distribute promotional materials about clients.

Agents must be able to recognize talent and know how to promote it. They continuously look for new clients and ways to help their current ones. Many agents specialize in a particular type of talent, such as athletes, writers, or actors. This specialty determines how agents seek new clients. Some agents review tapes of games, while others read manuscripts or audition talent. Agents may interview potential clients before agreeing to represent them.

Business managers handle all of a client's business affairs. This includes:

• Arranging hotel rooms and transportation
• Scheduling performances
• Collecting payments
• Paying bills

Business managers perform or arrange for services such as accounting, investing, and legal representation. They also prepare accounting statements for clients about their finances.

Some agents and business managers also perform many of the tasks of personal assistants. They accompany clients when they travel and act as companions. They also make reservations for dining and entertainment and give advice on performances.

One of the most important things an agent or business manager does is to collect fees, commissions, or other payments. For example, if an agent gets paid 15% of a client's book deal, the agent will collect that amount, withdraw taxes, keep records, and cut a check to the author.

Related careers

This career is part of the Arts, Audio/Visual Technology, and Communications cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Actors
• Advertising Managers
• Human Resources Managers
• Meeting and Convention Planners
• Musicians
• Producers and Directors
• Professional Athletes
• Public Relations and Fundraising Managers
• Public Relations Specialists
• Singers

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to agents and business managers.

• Collect fees, commissions, and other payments, according to contracts.
• Conduct auditions or interviews to find new clients.
• Read manuscripts or watch sports events to select new clients.
• Negotiate with promoters, union officials, and other people to obtain contracts for clients.
• Manage business affairs for clients. Set up travel and lodging, sell tickets, market and advertise, and pay expenses.
• Contact concert halls, directors, teams, or publishers to find work for clients.
• Schedule promotional or performance engagements for clients.
• Advise clients on which appearances to make or contract terms to request. Help them strategize how to build their career.
• Assist clients with or arrange for help with financial and legal matters.
• Accompany clients to performances and while traveling.
• Hire a trainer or coach to help clients get in shape, practice, or prepare for performing.
• Prepare or review promotional materials and press releases for clients.
• Stay informed of industry trends and changes.

Common work activities

Agents and business managers perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Establish and maintain relationships
• Communicate with people outside the organization
• Get information needed to do the job
• Think creatively
• Convince others to buy goods or change their minds or actions
• Resolve conflicts and negotiate with others
• Use computers
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Judge the value of objects, services, or people
• Schedule work and activities
• Coordinate the work and activities of others
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Perform administrative tasks
• Update and use job-related knowledge
• Process information
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Document and record information
• Develop goals and strategies
• Explain the meaning of information to others
• Monitor and control resources
• Coach others
• Develop and build teams

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, agents and business managers:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a high level of social contact. They spend a great deal of time on telephones and in face-to-face conversations with people.
• Are responsible for the work done by assistants.
• Often work as part of a team, usually with assistants and other agents or managers.
• Occasionally deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous people.
• Are sometimes placed in conflict situations during contract negotiations.

Physical work conditions

• Work indoors in offices. They may on occasion work outdoors at sporting events or outdoor performances.

Work performance

• Regularly make decisions that greatly impact the careers of their clients as well as their own. Agents and business managers get paid solely on commission.
• Almost always act independently when making decisions.
• Determine their daily tasks and goals without consulting anyone first.
• Work in a very competitive atmosphere.
• Must meet strict daily and weekly deadlines.
• Repeat the same mental activities.
• Must be exact in their work. An error in contract language can have serious results.

Hours/travel

• Usually work irregular hours. Performances and meetings often occur throughout the day and in the evenings. They are often on-call in case of emergencies.
• Travel a great deal while accompanying clients to performances, appearances, or negotiations.

Physical demands

Agents and business managers frequently:

• Sit for long periods of time.

It is important for agents and business managers to be able to:

• Understand the speech of another person.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for agents and business managers to be able to:

• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
• Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.

Skills and abilities

Agents and business managers need to:

Communicate

• Understand spoken information.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Understand written information.
• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Write clearly so other people can understand.
• Read and understand work-related materials.

Reason and problem solve

• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Recognize the nature of a problem.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
• Think of new ideas about a topic.
• Think of original, unusual, or creative ways to solve problems.
• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.
• Develop rules that group items in various ways.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Manage the time of self and others.
• Motivate, develop, and direct people as they work.
• Check how well one is learning or doing something.

Work with people

• Persuade others to approach things differently.
• Solve problems by bringing others together to discuss differences.
• Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
• Look for ways to help people.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

• Arts Administration
• Business Management and Administration
• Marketing
• Public Relations
• Purchasing and Contracts Management

Other programs of study to consider

• Communication and Speech Studies
• Directing, Theater Production, and Theater Arts
• English Language and Literature
• Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
• Labor and Industrial Relations
• Law
• Mass Communication Studies
• Music Business and Management
• Pre-Law
• Radio and Television
• Sport and Fitness Management

Training

To work as an agent or business manager, you typically need to:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent;
• have at least a bachelor's degree; and
• have one to five years of related work experience.

Education after high school

The education requirements vary with the talent area you specialize in. However, most agents and business managers have at least a bachelor's degree.

Some sports agents have law or advanced business degrees. College-level preparation in contract law, sports management, or labor relations is very valuable.

Talent and literary agents often have a bachelor's degree in English, literature, music, or journalism.

Work experience

While in college, participate in an internship with a talent, literary, or sports agency. Working at an agency will give you valuable experience and contacts in the industry.

In general, agents and business managers work for several years in another role within their chosen industry. Some sports agents are former athletes. However, athletic skills do not prepare you for this occupation. You need experience working with contracts, negotiations, and sports organizations.

For literary agents, experience editing books or in publishing is good preparation.

For talent agents, experience working in the theater or for movie companies is good preparation.

On-the-job training

Training after you are hired is usually informal and lasts a few months. You help experienced agents with routine tasks. For example, you help book appointments, read manuscripts, collect payments, or write promotional materials. As you gain experience, you work on more difficult tasks and have more independence.

Helpful high school courses

In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum may be different from your state's graduation requirements.

You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Business Law
• Computer Applications
• Law Studies
• Marketing

Also take as many classes as you can in your area of interest, whether it is talent, literary, or sports.

Many agents and business managers are self-employed. If you want to run your own business some day, you should consider taking these courses as well:

• Accounting
• Entrepreneurship
• Introduction to Business

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Employers look for applicants who have a college degree. Some employers prefer that the degree be in an area related to the type of clients the firm represents. Thus, a firm that represents writers might prefer applicants who have a degree in literature. Other firms might prefer applicants who have a degree in law or business because these applicants may negotiate well. Employers also look for work experience in a related field.

Communication is important for agents and business managers. Employers look for applicants who have strong written and verbal communication skills. They also look for applicants who are organized and motivated.

Costs to workers

Workers may need to buy professional attire.

Licensing/certification

Managers of boxers, wrestlers, and martial arts fighters must have a state license. An application, photo, and fee are required. Applicants for licensure also must be 18 years of age.

Managers of boxers, wrestlers, and martial arts fighters must pay a $65 annual licensing fee. They may also wish to join a professional association, which may have annual dues.

For more information, contact:

Washington State Department of Licensing
Professional Athletics Program 
PO Box 9026
Olympia, WA 98507-9026
360.664.6644

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Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

Most agents are paid on a fee or commission basis. The higher paid the client is, the higher the income of the agent.

Agents and business managers who work full time often receive benefits. Typical benefits include sick leave, paid vacation, and health insurance. Those who are self-employed must provide their own insurance.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

About 22% of agents and business managers are self-employed.

Major employers:

• Artist and event management companies
• Performing arts companies
• Entertainers

National outlook

The demand for entertainers is expected to increase over the next decade. As a result, more agents should be needed to represent the larger number of professional athletes and actors. However, this growth will not be in all states. California and New York are likely to add the most new jobs for agents and managers.

Competition for jobs will be strong. The glamour of this occupation and the lack of formal entry requirements attract many people. Only the most talented will represent famous clients.

Other resources

American Management Association 

Music Publishers Association 

National Basketball Players Association 
1133 Avenue of Americas
New York, NY 10036
800.955.6272
212.655.0880

National Management Association 
3055 Kettering Blvd, Suite 210
Dayton, OH 45439
937.294.0421

Showbizjobs.com 

References

Career cluster

• Arts, Audio/Visual Technology, and Communications

Career path

• Enterprising (Business Communications)

O*Net  occupation

• Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes (13-1011.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 4 - Considerable preparation needed. A minimum of two to four years of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations.

DOT occupations

• Advance Agent (191.167-010) 
• Artist's Manager (191.117-010) 
• Booking Manager (191.117-014) 
• Business Manager (191.117-018) 
• Circus Agent (191.117-022) 
• Jockey Agent (191.117-026) 
• Literary Agent (191.117-034) 
• Manager, Athlete (153.117-014) 
• Manager, Touring Production (191.117-038) 

Holland occupational cluster

• Enterprising/Conventional/Social

COPSystem

• Business Professional