PATRONS were instrumental in helping lowly painters to become Old Masters, and patrons are crucial to our modern careers too, Max Landsberg writes.

When Rembrandt, dropped out of university, his career was rescued by several patrons: Lastman, a painter in whose studio Rembrandt mastered the portrayal of gesture and vivid lighting; Rutts, a wealthy merchant, who was the first to commission a Rembrandt portrait; and Huygens, who introduced Rembrandt to the Prince of Orange, to further commissions, and to his niece, whom Rembrandt married.

Patrons were sometimes gifted teachers, sometimes clients with a rich network of referrals, sometimes PR agents and even marriage brokers. Today, however, we risk focusing too much on the detail on the CV and risk overlooking the contribution that individual patrons can make to our careers. Here are a few pointers.

Make every job a commission. When patrons provided commissions, the aspiring Old Master was not always overjoyed with the subject matter to be portrayed, but the commission provided an opportunity for the painter to master a technique or try out a new flourish. If we view our jobs this way we can hijack the most routine assignment and use it to enhance our skills.

Turn your boss into a patron. Your boss can also be your patron if you take the initiative to build a slightly different type of relationship with him or her and are clear about the kind of patronage you would like.

Make clients a source of referrals. Satisfied clients can be your most powerful salesforce. Having checked that they are delighted with the quality of your work, be bold and ask whether they know of others who may want similar work. Make it easy for them to introduce you by providing samples, case studies, or other materials.

Find your personal ambassadors. Develop a network of people, esteemed by others, who can speak highly of your work. Do your homework on who could make a difference to your career and make sure that they see your masterpieces. If you feel you don’t have a patron or mentor, look a little harder and you will find people who will fit the role.

Max Landsberg is a partner at Heidrick & Struggles, an executive search and consultancy firm, and author of The Tools of Leadership

Next week: Peers

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