Here are the best modeling tips to help you get signed to a modeling agency. This post will give you a step-by-step guide on how to become a signed model + bonus modeling tips from an actual model agent!
Photo by: Abe Bermudez
Getting signed to a modeling agency can be intimidating but I promise it’s not as bad as you think. This post shares the steps you should take to help you become a signed model. I also share my personal experience with getting signed to an agency and some modeling tips I’ve learned along the way. This is the perfect place to start your modeling career!
How I got signed to a modeling agency:
I got signed to Willow Models a little over two years ago. At first, I was nervous to apply to modeling agencies because I was afraid of being rejected. Due to Covid, agencies didn’t have any in person open calls so I had to submit my pictures online. I took the time to research agencies that seemed like a good fit for me and then in one day I submitted applications to about 15 agencies in the San Diego/Los Angeles area.
After about a week of waiting impatiently, I got an email from Willow saying they are interested and would love to set up a time to call and chat with me. I spoke with one of the agents for about an hour and she explained how the agency runs things and what I can expect if I sign with them. The phone call was the deciding factor for why I signed with Willow. It was clear that the agents genuinely care about who they sign to their agency. A few days later, I signed a two-year contract and I’ve been working with them ever since! I receive the most amazing jobs from Willow. One of my favorites was getting to go to Mexico for a few days to shoot a campaign!
Photos by: Jenna Mohn
How you can get signed to a modeling agency:
There are a couple ways to get signed to an agency. I’ll be talking about two of the most common ways: Applying online and going to open calls.
Applying online:
This is the easiest and most convenient way you can apply to an agency because you can do it anywhere and anytime. Applying online also allows you to apply to agencies that may not be in your area, for example, international modeling.
Here’s what to do:
- Make a list of at least five agencies in your area. Or, if you’re willing to move, you can make a list of agencies in a different area.
- Take your measurements.
- These include: height, bust, waist, hips, shoe size and dress size. Don’t lie about any of these. If you sign with an agency and book a job, they will choose clothing based on these measurements.
- Take your headshots.
- Don’t worry, these don’t have to be professional photos!
- Typically, agencies require 4 photos: A headshot, side profile, 3/4 pose, and full body.
- Wear all black and tight-fitting clothes so they can see your shape.
- Agencies prefer no makeup, but if you wear a little concealer, they won’t be able to tell ;).
- After you’ve completed these steps, you are ready to apply! Go back to the list of agencies you made and fill out the forms on their website.
- On modeling websites, there is a tab that says “Become A Model” or “Get Scouted” and that’s where you can apply.
Open Calls:
This is the traditional way of signing to an agency. An open call is when an agency sets aside 2-3 hours twice a week (more or less) and allows people to come in and apply. At open calls, agencies usually ask to see any pictures you have of yourself. Some people show their Instagram, others have a portfolio, some have nothing at all. While it is beneficial to have decent pictures of yourself to show agents, it’s not a requirement.
Similar to applying online, you should wear black clothes that are form fitting. If you decide to wear make-up, make sure it’s very natural; they know how good you can look with makeup, they want to see your natural beauty! Make sure to put your hair behind your shoulders or pull it into a ponytail.
Tips:
- Be confident. Fake it if you need to. Whether you apply online or in person, have good posture, shoulders back, chin up and make eye contact!
- Don’t be afraid to reapply to agencies. I applied to agencies years ago and never heard back. I even went to open calls before I was signed and most of the agencies weren’t interested. Just keep reapplying and be patient.
- Show your personality! Especially if you apply in person. A great personality is what a lot of agencies look for.
Social media:
- Clean up your social media.
- Agencies are now asking to see your Instagram. They are looking for people to represent their agency. If your Instagram is full of inappropriate videos/pictures of you, you’re likely to not hear back.
- Your social media can also help you get future modeling jobs. Present yourself how you want others to see you!
- Use your social media to reach out to photographers, hair stylists, makeup artists, other models, etc. Follow models from agencies you want to sign with and genuinely interact with their content (do not spam them).
Tips from my agent:
- Send in simple and unedited photos when submitting online. No professional pictures. Photos taken on your phone are perfect.
- If the agency’s website has a message box, use it! Agents love to see your personality and it’s your chance to stand out in the crowd when applying.
- Be honest about your measurements when you apply.
- If an agency wants to set up an interview, be on time and prepared. First impressions are very important.
Things to keep in mind:
There are a lot of things to keep in mind when applying to agencies. Everyone has a different experience with modeling. Some have really great experiences and others have horrible ones.
Safety first:
When applying to agencies, the most important thing to keep in mind is your safety. There are several fake ‘agents’, ‘photographers’, etc. who will try to take your money or get you to meet them in person.
On most agencies’ sites they will also inform you of these scams. This is why I stress the importance of doing your research on agencies. Don’t just send your photos out to random agencies that you’ve never heard of. There are several stories about girls who apply to an agency that no one knows about and they go to meet the ‘agent’ in person and it’s ends up being a creepy man who is just trying to take inappropriate photos of them or scam them for money.
If an agency does reach out and wants to set up an in-person meeting, that meeting should take place at their actual headquarters (you can often find the address on their website). You can make sure an agency is legit by looking at their website and looking at their social media.
Official Modeling websites have several portfolios of the models’ who are signed to their agency. You can verify that the agency is legit by clicking on the models’ portfolios and going through their pictures/social media.
It’s free:
When applying to agencies you should not pay a single cent! Applying and signing with an agency is completely free. If anyone tries to get you to pay, that should be an immediate red flag to you. The entire process of applying is free; from taking your headshots to taking your measurements and submitting applications. Even doing test shoots are free if you choose photographers who are looking to build their own portfolio!
Modeling isn’t for everyone:
This is so important to keep in mind. Modeling is a lot of work and it’s also very inconsistent when you’re first starting out. A lot of people have a misconception about modeling and think that once they are a signed model, they will get countless high paying jobs every week. This is simply not true. If you’re a new model, your agency will likely start you off with smaller jobs and ask you to do several test shoots so that you become comfortable in front of the camera.
You will be rejected over and over again. Don’t take it personally! It’s easier said than done (trust me). I’ve been rejected countless times for potential modeling/acting jobs that I wanted really bad and it hurts, but if you take it personally, you won’t last long. Remember that companies are looking for models to represent their product, maybe you don’t have the look they’re going for and that’s fine! There will always be more jobs.
Before getting into modeling, you should ask yourself why you want to model. If you want to model to make money and that’s it, then this is 100% the wrong job for you. There are countless other jobs that will make you money more consistently than modeling.
Social media:
Social media is great to have, because you can network and get to meet so many great people in the modeling world. Having a lot of followers on social media is also great, but don’t expect to get work solely based on the number of followers you have. If you have 50,000 followers on Instagram, but don’t post any professional modeling pictures or your modeling portfolio isn’t impressive, companies are likely to choose someone with more experience (even if they have significantly less followers). I know several models who rarely use social media and have a couple hundred followers that are consistently being booked for high paying jobs several times a week.
Wrap-up
This post was all about the steps you should take if you are interested in getting signed to a modeling agency. Hopefully, this article gave you some insight into the modeling world that you weren’t aware of before.
Make sure to follow these steps and modeling tips for the best chance of becoming a signed model!
*Feel free to leave any comments or questions down below so I can answer them for you!*
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