What Is Required to Become a Talent Manager?
There is much more involved in being a talent manager than having an eye for talent. Sure, a background in fine arts and knowledge of theories and techniques used to produce visual arts, compose music or deliver dramatic performances is a good head start. But a talent manager must also possess a strong business sense and be able to facilitate clients in all facets of their career; and sometimes their personal lives.
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Administrative Business Skills
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Managing performers requires many of the same types of management skills found in general business procedures. General management skills include strategy planning, resource coordination and allocation experience, leadership and organization. Accounting and economics skills are needed to manage client's budgets, financial statements and career-related accounts. Human resources experience is helpful in determining appropriate team members and associates, such as publicists, booking agents and personal stylists. Basic clerical skills are a must, as talent managers usually manage files and records and perform a variety of office duties.
Interpersonal Skills
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A number of interpersonal skills are required to be a talent manager, according to O*Net Online. In this profession, you're required to frequently conduct business with talent agents, directors, producers, endorsers and business executives on the client's behalf. You must exhibit good communication skills to effectively convey information about the talent's background and capabilities. Active listening and social perceptiveness are required for recognizing and understanding audience reactions to client performances. You must also be skilled in negotiation and persuasiveness to arbitrate business contracts.
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Marketing and Media Knowledge
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A good talent manager possesses sufficient knowledge of dissemination methods and techniques, according to O*Net Online. You'll need to be familiar with media production procedures and communication strategies to formulate multiple talent promotion plans. A background in marketing is helpful to a talent manager because many marketing, sales and product demonstration techniques are easily transferred to talent management strategies. Simply put, marketing managers sell a product; for talent managers, the artist is the product.
Industry Connections
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Artists, musicians, actors and other talents rely on entire teams of industry professionals to pave their roads to success. Such teams generally consist of publicists, talent agents, booking agents, personal stylists and promotions agents. It is the job of the talent manager to coordinate the "team," delegate responsibilities, arrange and negotiate compensation and closely oversee the operations of each department. You'll need a sufficient list of contacts within multiple areas of the entertainment and marketing industries to succeed in the talent-management business. The ability to network and build solid industry relationships is essential.
Education
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No formal education or college degree is required to become a talent manager, but you may find some advantages to acquiring the proper training. Participating in a business management, public relations or marketing degree program might give you an advantage over other, less-educated talent managers in the employment market. O*Net reports that in 2008 about half of the talent managers nationwide held at least a bachelor's degree in one or more of those areas. Course study typically includes topics in contract negotiation practices, entertainment marketing strategies and talent acquisition techniques.
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