How to hire a talent agent

How to hire a talent agent, step by step

Here's a step-by-step talent agent hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a talent agent job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new talent agent
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The talent agent hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect talent agent also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents talent agent salaries for various positions.

   Type of Talent Agent	Description	Hourly rate
   Talent Agent		$10-34
   Artist Manager	An artist manager handles the scheduling, events, activities, and well-being of an artist. Often, artist managers handle celebrities and other famous people who are in the limelight... Show more	$18-61
   Talent Scout	Talent scouts are primarily responsible for finding out the talented individuals in the field of entertainment and sports activities. They often attend sports activities and organize recreational events and also foster marketing campaigns and engage the talent hunks in such platforms.	$25-51

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Client Relations
   • Booking
   • Travel Arrangements
   • Press Releases
   • Sag-Aftra
   • Photo Shoots
   • Contract Negotiations
   • A-List
   • Contract Terms
   • Print ADS
   • Background Checks
   • Business Development
   • Account Management
   • HR

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Attain media/marketing opportunities for NFL clients such as (interviews, autograph signings and appearances . )
   • Conduct model searches and castings.
   • Facilitate the process of booking talent for all concurrent jobs while remaining organize and detail orient.
   • Work with clients to arrange auditions and booking of talent in TV and radio commercials, corporate videos and print advertising.
   • Operate remote telecommunications using applications and secure computer communications to troubleshoot and resolve issues on customer Samsung devices.
   • Review life insurance, annuities, investment, and international banking documentation for operational and regulatory compliance.

   More talent agent duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your talent agent job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A talent agent can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, talent agents' average salary in florida is 58% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level talent agents 69% less than senior-level talent agents.
   • Certifications. A talent agent with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a talent agent's salary.

   Average talent agent salary

   $40,285yearly

   $19.37 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level talent agent salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average talent agent salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Maryland	$57,944	$28
   2	Connecticut	$57,539	$28
   3	Pennsylvania	$56,857	$27
   4	Massachusetts	$56,329	$27
   5	Washington	$56,044	$27
   6	Washington	$55,775	$27
   7	Washington	$55,772	$27
   8	Virginia	$55,733	$27
   9	Minnesota	$55,251	$27
   10	Ohio	$53,744	$26
   11	Virginia	$53,145	$26
   12	Virginia	$53,140	$26
   13	California	$52,458	$25
   14	California	$52,296	$25
   15	California	$49,475	$24
   16	California	$49,426	$24
   17	California	$48,979	$24
   18	New York	$46,413	$22
   19	Hawaii	$46,286	$22
   20	Alabama	$37,208	$18

   Average talent agent salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Pfizer	$89,024	$42.80
   2	Agency For the Performing Arts	$58,832	$28.28
   3	United Talent Agency	$55,870	$26.86	1
   4	Johns Hopkins University	$55,514	$26.69	2
   5	Ellevest	$48,583	$23.36
   6	BigID	$48,400	$23.27	2
   7	Sezzle	$48,382	$23.26
   8	WME	$45,008	$21.64	1
   9	BMG	$43,425	$20.88
   10	Mangos Agency	$37,568	$18.06	1
   11	Playa Vista	$35,358	$17.00	1
   12	Robert Half	$34,481	$16.58	98
   13	Aquent	$27,229	$13.09
   14	McDonald's	$24,650	$11.85	6

4. Writing a talent agent job description

   A talent agent job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a talent agent job description:

   Talent agent job description example

   Headquartered in New York City with a worldwide presence, we are building a global team with a passion for innovation and next-gen technology. BigID has been recognized for its data intelligence innovation as a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer, named to the 2021 Forbes Cloud 100, #19 on the 2021 Inc 5000 (the list of fastest growing private companies in America), and an RSA Innovation Sandbox winner.

   At BigID, our team is the foundation of our success. Join a people-centric culture that is fast-paced and rewarding: you'll have the opportunity to work with some of the most talented people in the industry who value innovation, diversity, integrity, and collaboration.

   About You:

   Are you interested in BigID but haven't quite seen the job posting that fits you? Then tell us how you would fit! Let us know your story and your job description and what your impact on BigID would be.

   What's in it for you?!

   Our people are the foundation of our success, and we place a high priority on offering a wide range of benefits that make our team happier and healthier.

   • Equity participation - everyone shares in our success
   • Flexible work arrangements
   • Other compulsory benefits based on country of residence

   Our Values:

   We look for people who embody our values - Care, Do,Try & Shine.

   • Care - We care about our customers and each other
   • Do - We do what it takes to make a positive impact
   • Try - We try our best and we don't give up
   • Shine - We shine and make it our mission to always stand out

   BigDiversity: We're committed to creating a culture of inclusion, diversity, and equality - across race, gender, sexuality, disability and neurodiversity - where innovation and growth thrives, every voice is heard, and everybody belongs.

   #LI-Remote

   #LI-AB1

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right talent agent for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your talent agent job on Zippia to find and recruit talent agent candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting talent agents requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new talent agent

   Once you've found the talent agent candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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