Then a friend introduced him to Joe Meissner of Executive PR, a San Francisco career agent. Meissner convinced him to piece together his own company. He launched a public-relations campaign on Maslin's behalf to burnish the executive' s image as a leader rather than as a subordinate and introduced him to potential investors, management talent and even acquisition targets. Maslin eventually created WorldStaff, retaining Meissner as an adviser and career steward. And I wouldn't have gotten it done as fast as we have.
Agents combine executive coaching and career consulting with marketing and negotiations.
They plot career strategy, help build networks of business contacts, advise on salary talks and shape their clients' images. They also screen job opportunities for employed clients. There aren't many of them yet. StybelPeabody Lincolnshire, a Boston outplacement firm, has launched a similar service, complete with a team of financial planners, attorneys and even a theater director to polish presentation style. Most such agents work for a percentage of their client's salary.