Jacob Fenton, '01
Talent Agent, United Talent Agency
Los Angeles, California
Degree: BA in Business Administration (Marketing and Entrepreneurship)
Home Town: Vancouver, Washington / Portland, Oregon
High school: Mt. View High School, Vancouver, Washington
When were you at the UW? 1997-2001
Why did you go to the UW? Won a Merit Scholarship, and was impressed by the UW Business School's reputation
Where did you live while at the UW? Terry Hall and an off-campus apartment
Campus activities:
Chair of Senior Gift Council; rowed with IMA crew; worked as campus tour guide; undergraduate president of The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life; officer for Program in Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
How did you get started at your current job?
I went straight into this job from college. I got started in entertainment from an internship at KOMO TV (ABC 4) when I was at the UW, working in their Community Relations department. I went on to work for KOMO after my internship, and it all catapulted from there.
What are some of your responsibilities?
I started out in their agent training program (first in the mailroom, then as an assistant to the head of the television talent department) and worked my way up. I work over 50 hours each week on average, but up to 70 hours a week during pilot season. We're responsible for negotiating all the terms of deals for actors, actresses, producers, writers, and directors when they get a job. We also set up auditions for clients, all sorts of meetings, etc.
What do you find most challenging about your work?
Hollywood can be a very daunting place at times. There are amazing people here, but there are also a lot of phonies. You just have to be able to distinguish between the genuine ones and the fakes, which can prove challenging.
Has networking been an important element in your own career development?
Networking is everything in this business. A UW professor of mine once said to our class, "Finish this sentence: It's not what you know...", and the entire class answered in unison, "It's who you know," to which our professor replied, "Wrong. It's who knows you." That always stuck with me.
Why do you volunteer as a Career Connections contact?
I think it's a great way to learn more about specific industries that soon-to-be-grads are interested in. Also, the entertainment industry is a difficult field to break into, to find your way. Hopefully, by being a Career Connections contact, I can help make it more accessible to fellow Huskies. Not to mention that L.A. needs more 'northwest-type' people down here to help balance it out and keep it real!
Are there any Career Connections experiences that stand out in your mind?
A couple of people who have contacted me, I've actually met up with when they've been in Los Angeles. One of them has become a friend, and actually just started working in an agent training program as well - but at a competing agency!
Is there a certain bit of advice that you find yourself offering to students and alumni contacting you through Career Connections?
I'm a big proponent of getting out of your hometown after you graduate. You should do it when you're young and don't have anything tying you down because truthfully, when will you have the opportunity to do it again? Home will always be waiting for you when you return.