If you want to start your professional career, it is important to find a sport agent who will represent you. Agents will manage your sport career and negotiate possible offers and contracts with teams.
Athletes usually decide to search for sport agents because of these reasons:
-they don´t have experience and negotiation skills.
-want to be representative and concentrate only on sport.
-want to experience a new adventure in a different country.
-they want to change the club because they have reached the maximum level in the league they used to play and they have higher goals and want to improve.
-don´t have enough contacts.
-clubs usually do not answer on e-mail or phone calls to an individual athletes and rather communicate with sport agents which have already dealt with the club before.
-athletes don´t know how to communicate with the clubs, to deal better conditions.
-athletes need help with contracts because they don´t know what the contract needs to contain.
When you are trying to get represented by a sport agent, it is important to have the right person which will help you with your professional career and negotiations.
Important are complex services like: communication and organization.
Before you go for tryouts you should negotiate and look at the things that the contract obtains. Be sure the agent is helpful if there are some issues with late payments, apartment, food, tickets, injury.
To help you find the team when your contract will expire, if he is able to consult with you your future steps how to become better athlete, which team would be the best for you and everything that will help you to grow in your career.
When you get in touch with an agent ask him about his professional experience and the athletes he has represented.
Try to verify his certification papers, ask for references from your teammates or friends.
Good agents are highly recommended based on their experience.
If you are planning to play in highest division in your sport which requires the certificate for an agents be sure your agent is certified.
Interview more agents not just one and ask lot of questions.
Meet with an agent personally, so that you can really feel out if you will be able to work with him. You can see better if his personality is good for you and if you can trust him.
You can ask him lot of questions:
How he is usually working, which services he can provide for you, what fees is he asking, players he represents, how many players does he represent, what contacts does he have, in which areas does he work, what contract do you have to sign before you want to start the cooperation together.
All these questions will help you open your mind. Make sure he answered all the questions you gave him and you have enough information about him. Remember that it is important to talk with more agents not just one, even though the first one sounds great, try to connect with few more and then decide which one is the best.
A great agent is well connected in the industry in which he is working. He is in contact with thousands of team managers, coaches, scouts. He needs to have a good negotiation and communication skills, needs to have patience, integrity, honesty, determination and passion for the work. He sincerely cares for you. He is always online when you need his help to solve some problems.
Important, do not forget:
How many number of clients an individual agent can handle and how many clients an agency can handle in total.
If the individual agent have hundred of clients, than it is more likely that he will not spend that much time for your career. It is better to look for the agent who is able to organize his time management and will have enough time for you.
Also be careful how many people are working in the agency. They have usually more athletes on the list but more people can handle more athletes. It is up to you which way you prefer. It is easier to find the right place for you with the sport agent. You can ask your teammates or friends and coaches if they can recommend you to somebody. Good agents are attacked with lots of e-mails every day from different athletes around the world, so don´t be angry if he doesn´t answer immediately on your e-mails. When he will have time (or you will be an interesting athlete for him) to contact you be sure he will. It is not possible to answer on all e-mails he receives every day. If he is not answering at all try to contact him one more time after two or three weeks after your first try. If he is not answering, probably he is not interested in you. But be patient. Do not give up and try to contact other agents.
There is not an agent who can guarantee you the club. But there are agents who will take care of you and will help you move forward and offer you some opportunities how to improve and get big deals. The better player you are, the higher chance you have to get a good contract.
