Are You Ready to Be a Model?

Is modelling your dream job? As well as being glamorous and exciting, modelling is also a difficult industry to break into. You may have the passion, but do you have the right mindset to make it to the top?

Are You Hard Working?

Models must work hard to be successful. As well as applying for work, attending interviews and working jobs, a model must be good at building their book of contacts. It’s also a great idea to build a good social media presence (see more of this below).

Busy models are required to spend a lot of time travelling. During busy modelling periods (e.g. London Fashion Week), models must work with little rest. Despite its appearances, modelling is a physically challenging job that requires hours spent on your feet.

It’s therefore imperative that you have a good work ethic if you want to become a model. Slackers will not do well and anyone who does not work hard will build a bad reputation for themselves.

Can You Handle Rejection?

All models will at some point be turned down from a role. It’s the nature of the business. Models must be ok with rejection because it is a reality that they must constantly face.

If you are the type of person who gets down when things don’t go your way immediately, modelling will not be a good career path for you. You must be resilient and tenacious to succeed in the modelling world. Having the ability to bounce back from negativity and rejection is a skill that’s vital for the industry.

Can You Control Your Emotions?

A model must be mature, calm and great at taking direction. If you struggle to follow orders, are bad at listening, get angry or annoyed when given critique, or become unfriendly on a lack of sleep, the modelling industry may not be the right career for you.

A model is regularly required to perform their job enthusiastically and happily even when they’re tired, stressed or in a bad mood. They need to have the ability to control their emotions in a mature, professional manner.

Modelling is not like working behind a computer screen in an office. Models do not have the luxury of looking down when they’re not feeling their best. It is a person-facing job that requires a certain level of acting skill to perform well. If you’re the type of person who is unable to hide their emotions, modelling will not be a suitable environment for you.

Do You Make Friends Easily?

A model needs to create good relationships with everyone they meet. Knowing people in the industry opens up many doors of opportunity. Building a book of contacts is a key way to ensure advancement in the industry.

If you don’t like meeting new people and struggle to make a connection with people, modelling will not be a fun job for you. A model must meet dozens of new people all the time and it’s important they make a good impression on all of them if they want to do well.

How to Know If You Have the Right Mindset for Modelling

Are you able to tick off the following list? You may have the right mindset for modelling.

• Do you set yourself realistic goals?
• Are you reasonable, even when under pressure?
• Do you follow directions well from parents, teachers or employers?
• Can you control your emotions (particularly strong emotions like anger, jealousy and disappointment)?
• Are you patient?
• Are you tenacious?
• Do you have integrity?
• Can you refuse to bow to peer pressure?
• Do you like meeting new people?
• Do you like learning new things?
• Do you like experiencing new things?

The above list isn’t exhausted, but it is a good example of what skills and qualities a model will find helpful in the fashion industry.

What To Do if You Don’t Have the Necessary Skills

If you said no to a lot of the above and you’re concerned you don’t have the qualities that do well in the modelling industry, don’t panic. A lot of these things are learnt with age and experience. Being patient is difficult for many, but learning to control and manage this is an ongoing process. You can start practising now; even if you don’t feel patient, learn to appear it. Show that you are capable of waiting without getting annoyed.

We are all capable of change. Don’t fret if you struggle to control your emotions, particularly if you are a teenager. Your teens are a time of change and growth; as you get older, you will learn control. Keep practising on the things you are less good at and you will soon see and feel improvement.