How to choose an agency

Planning to pursue modeling career? Just as for all models, your first step should be choosing an agency. But how? There are so many, and they all have different requirements and specialize in different fields. How are you, just starting model, suppose to know which one is the best for you? It's not that difficult as it may seem.

The most important thing is to decide what is modeling for you. What is your priority: modeling or your education, job, some other activity? How much time are you ready to spend for your modeling career? Is it what you want to do for the rest of your life, or is it just a hobby? Are you able to travel abroad from time to time, or you would like to do modeling only on the local level? Just when you answer all these questions you'll be able to choose an agency that is best for you and your needs.

First of all you should know that modeling agencies are divided into a few categories: modeling agencies that scout and hire models and have an extensive roster of faces; talent agencies that could be called mediators, for they resemble recruiting agencies; and specialization agencies, which specialize in a particular modeling field, such as petite modeling, body part modeling, kids, actors and other, only. Your first step is to decide which type is best for you and gather as much information on all that particular type agencies as possible.

Once you've made your mind on type of the agency, you should concentrate on the categories each type is divided to: a major, average or small agency. Major agencies commonly work for leading designers, and their models pose for catalogs and magazine covers. Working for such an agency is the best choice for those models that are willing to sacrifice most of their time for the career and those who are able to travel abroad. Average modeling agencies have their fixed clientele, so if you are not dreaming of becoming a really famous model and modeling is more as a hobby for you - pick average agency. Small agencies usually don't have many job assignments and their cast is constantly changing. These are surely for those who want to do modeling from time to time.

Once you've decided what type of agency is the most suitable for you, and once you have gathered as much information about them as possible, visit the ones you liked most. Take a close look at the office, at the people you might happen to work with, and simply have a chat with responsible persons about work conditions. Make a list of what every visited agency offers and you'll see what's best for you.

Choosing an agency is a very important part of every model's career, because only the right choice will make your modeling career exactly as you imagined it. Don't be in a rush and don't sign a contract with the first agency you've visited. Maybe some other agency, maybe not as famous, will offer you conditions that will turn out to be better for you. Although it may seem that name is everything in this industry, it is not, you don't have to work for the best known agency to become a famous model. It depends on you, not on the agency.