It’s no surprise that some of the best talent agencies are in New York, along with some of the best talent. That’s one of the reasons you are interested in signing with an agent there. From Off Broadway to Broadway to Films, your New York talent agency knows all the ins and outs, all the connections, and all the jobs that are right for you.

But you don’t want to sign with just any agent. You need the perfect New York talent agency for you and your unique talents. You need that one agent that stands out from the crowd and knows exactly how to make you successful.

Below are some questions to help you find the perfect New York talent agency to work with.

What’s Your Goal?

Do you want to become an international music or film star? Or, do you want to sing Opera at the Met? A good New York talent agent cannot help you until you know what it is you are seeking.

Setting personal and professional goals for your career is essential in achieving success. Short-term goals will help you reach milestones and keep you motivated along the way. Because as you know, big time success does not happen overnight.

Short-term goals are realistic events you would like to see happen in your near future. For example, getting auditions and interviews with important players in the industry. Or, completing a class that enhances your talents.

Long-term goals, on the other hand, are what you would consider the big picture. These are what you want to happen after all your short-term goals are met. Long-term goals may include landing a coveted role in a movie, performing a concert for an audience of 10,000, or modeling for the cover of major magazines.

To Boutique or Not to Boutique?

The perfect New York talent agency may not be a one stop shop agency. Instead, it may be a boutique agency that only focuses on promoting certain talents. This can include only focusing on entertainment booking, or only focusing on modeling contracts. Boutique agencies become the crème de la crème in their specialty areas. This shows in the premium prices they charge.

Most of the time, they are worth the cost. If you are an actor who wants to work on major films, boutique agencies will help you get there. They do so by getting you the best classes, the best head shots, the best resume.

Other talent agencies include the Majors and the Minors. The Major agencies are like one stop shops for their clients. If you are a triple threat like J-Lo who is bound for stardom, this type of agency will be eager to add you to their list of clients. If you can sing, dance, act and model, a larger agency can focus on getting you jobs in each of these areas.

These are the big dogs in the industry. The household name kind of agencies.

But unless your career rises to the top like J-Lo’s did, you may not be with the agency for many years. If they are getting you the auditions but you are not getting the jobs, and making money, they will have to decide whether to keep you or not.

Minor New York talent agencies are just a step down from the Majors. They represent the not-so-well-known talents who have enormous potential, but not enough recognition, yet.

Boutique agencies in New York may be small, but this allows them to focus on every aspect of getting your career to the level you want it to be.

Build Your Resume

New York talent agencies are like others around the world in that they expect you to hone your craft and be a working client while they try to get you the big break you deserve. Do not just sit at home and wait for your agent to call.

Instead, build your resume. If you are a musician, find jobs where you can practice performing and get paid to do so. If you are a model, don’t just wait for the cover of Vogue, model for department stores, local magazines, stock photos and even social media. You need a following, as well as a resume.

Build your resume so you can have an outstanding portfolio.

A Good New York Talent Agency Can Get You Jobs All Over the World

New York has thousands of jobs in your industry, waiting to be filled.

But just because your agent is in New York, doesn’t mean they can only get you work in New York. A good New York talent agency will be able to book jobs for you around the world.

They will have the connections and the networking skills to book you gigs everywhere and anywhere. Not only that, but they will be upfront and honest about the connections they have. If the agency you are talking to is hesitant to answer such questions regarding their connections, it may be a red flag.

These agencies will also have the networking skills to go out and network on your behalf to find you the jobs you are looking for.

Do They Have a Good Reputation?

Remember Saul, from Breaking Bad? This is not the type of person you want representing you. Even in New York, there are esteemed talent agencies and there are low-down agencies. No matter what the agency promises you, if their reputation is bad and they are well-known for doing bad things, do not sign. These agencies are not one to care about their talent representation, and this can be dangerous.

You deserve better than to take the first agent that comes along. Discover if they have the clout, the connections and the know how to get you the great gigs. And if you have been in the industry for even a brief period, you will have likely been told which talent agency is great, and the ones that aren’t.

The sought-after agencies will be licensed and have their own ridiculously good portfolio.

Are They into You?

Some agencies are happy to sign you and add you to the list of other clients they represent. You become a number, not a talent. This could be a good sign they aren’t that into you. They simply want their list of clients to be longer than the other agency’s list.

Choose the New York agency that will make you a priority. They pick jobs carefully and in a strategic manner, so your career is moving upward.

Choose the one who wants to grow with you and who wants to invest in each stage of your career.

You will find the perfect New York talent agency. Do your homework and start choosing the agencies you feel can get you to the top.

Jason Swartz

Jason Swartz is the President and Founder of Alliance Talent, a world-leader in the entertainment business. Growing up in Los Angeles with a passion for music, he took his local childhood concert business and made in an international concert booking company. Specializing in entertainment booking, social media branding and monetization, and music publishing, Jason was the first to scale social media monetization for the music industry across Facebook. Today, he runs Alliance Talent, a leading entertainment company and concert promoter; focusing on concert bookings, talent representation, brand management, and social media monetization.