They say that patience is a virtue.
Whoever ‘they’ are, they’re right. And nobody knows this better than Mort Meisner – one of the longest-established and most successful TV news talent agents in the business
In his 25 years of placing talent, he’s far too often seen young or new talent in their first, second, and even third jobs, impatient to shoot up the ladder to success. And for those with a TV news talent agent who didn’t have their backs, that success was often elusive. To say the least.
The Trap of Impatience
There’s nothing wrong with being ambitious and aiming to be the best.
But the news industry can be brutal. And for novice TV news reporters and meteorologists, it can be especially daunting. The inclination to grab whatever opportunity comes their way can be very tempting.
And this is understandable. They want to get ahead, make a name for themselves, and, of course, enjoy the financial benefits that come with a higher-paying job. As Meisner has seen, however, such impatience can result in career issues and even disaster. He calls this “short-term gain in long-term pain”
He’s witnessed many truly talented people blow up their careers because they simply weren’t ready for the job(s) they landed. As just one case in point, a young woman whose father was the president of a major network was repeatedly pushed into jobs that didn’t yet suit her. She simply wasn’t ready. And so she failed miserably, over and over again.
Discouraged and burnt out, she was washed out of the business. She would eventually resurface and with proper guidance, encouragement, and patience, would become the host of a nationally televised syndicated tabloid show. Yes, this was a happy ending. But she didn’t get there without having to go backward market-wise – and with a lot of suffering along the way.
The Importance of an Experienced TV New Talent Agent
Any agent worth his or her salt does more than simply place talent.
An experienced TV news talent agent provides stellar guidance to talent throughout the term of their existing contract while helping them to prepare for their next opportunity. It’s up to the agent to counsel the talent on what is appropriate for them in terms of their ability and experience and to inform them when the best opportunity opens for them.
At the end of the day, a solid agent helps burgeoning talent understand what they’ll be getting into with a new job and whether they have the chops yet handle it. In other words, they have to be unafraid to tell the talent what they need to hear versus what they want to hear. Even if that means advising talent to be patient and stay somewhere an extra year on an extension or even two years on a new contract if it’s going to benefit them in the long run.
Because that’s their job.
Does Your TV News Talent Agent Put Your Needs First?
If you feel that your TV news talent agent is more interested in making a buck on placing you than seeing you advance as a person, then it’s time to switch gears.
Contact Mort Meisner today to see how he can help you do more than just climb that ladder to success.
He’ll show you how to thrive.
