A good agent plays a very important part in any actor's life. People who are aspiring to become actors do everything to find a competent agent. Yet very few of them are lucky to work with a good agent. Actors complain about their worthless agents and how they are unable to find them any work. Many aspirants spend a lot of time in networking with good agents yet they fail to arouse their interest. How can you find yourself a good agent? What makes an agent work with certain actors and reject the rest of the applications he receives? To find answer to these questions you need to start thinking like an agent. Now how can you do that? The best way to start thinking like an agent is to work with an agent. If you have time, approach a big and successful agent and apply to work with him as an intern. The pay, if there is any, may not be great but you will be able to get a fresh and a totally different perspective of how agents work and what you need to do to get noticed.

The biggest advantage of working with an agent is that you will be able to see what works with the agents and what doesn't. You will be able to see hundreds of portfolios and headshots and you will develop an ability to differentiate between them from an agent's point of view. You can see the good features of a professional headshot as well as bad points of an amateur headshot. You will see what makes a portfolio stand apart from others. You can also learn from hundred of resumes you will handle and discover how to write effective resumes.

Another advantage of working with an agent is that you will have an opportunity to see actor-agent meetings. This will give you an excellent opportunity to become a passive participant in these meetings and see things from the agent's point of view. You will see different actors and their approach of talking to agents. Observe the meetings as an agent and analyze the conversations. Very soon you will be able to distinguish good conversations from bad ones. You will be able to learn how to present yourself in front of agents and what not to do so that you don't put them off. Further you will see how agents handle different actors. You will see the busy lives of the agent and realize the key elements which are important to impress an overworked agent and make him work for you. You will see how many different things the agent has to coordinate in so little time. You will probably realize that actors who are successful in getting a good agent are those who have first class communication skills, apart from well written resumes and headshots.

When you will intern with an agent you will also realize the importance of credible references especially while submitting unsolicited portfolios. Unsolicited submissions without references are unlikely to be taken positively by the agent. You will also realize that agents prefer those actors who are genuine and honest. Actors who are show-offs and brag about themselves have a slim chance of hitting the chords with the agents. You will also realize how important it is to show enthusiasm and energy to the agent. Agents prefer working with those who are passionate and committed towards their work.

Another advantage of working with an agent is that you will get a chance to connect with many professionals from the show business. As you will be handling all the correspondence and phone calls of the agent, you will have an opportunity to talk with many professionals and develop contacts. You will also accompany the agent to auditions and meet different people who can help you at a later stage in your career. Moreover, you will also develop vital skills such as office handling, talking on the phone, etc. which are important for success in any field.

If you have time and get an opportunity, we would advise you to go for an internship with an agent, even if it's for one week. You will pick lots of new things and gain a fresh perspective of the show business.