Being patient – sometimes it takes that little bit longer to be chosen

There are so many proverbs associated with patience. Whether you prefer “A watched clock never ticks” or “A watched kettle never boils”, the meaning is the same. Rome was not built in a day. Patience really is a virtue, and good things often come to those who wait. Simply put, we cannot expect things to happen in an instant, however much we want them to.

Like waiting for an exam result or hearing from a job interview, it’s human nature to dislike too much hanging around. Prolonging an unforeseen outcome can be painful, and it’s better to know bad news than to idly speculate; knowing the facts means we can move on and hope for a better result the next time around.

Hire a model

Whilst patience may not be our best feature, it remains an essential part in everyday life. This applies to being a Models Direct model. Sorry to say it, but some models invariably must wait for our clients to pick them when we put them forward for jobs.

Would it be realistic for models to expect to be contacted with news of their first job a week after registering with us? Not really, as it’s largely out of our hands, and some jobs are advertised well in advance. What if the wait for a modelling job takes a couple of months? This is not unusual either. Models need to have patience, be realistic and practical in equal measure.

We have the largest client base of any commercial modelling employment agency in the UK. Whether it’s famous names like John Lewis, Morrisons, Disney and renowned sports teams, or notable charities and start-up businesses, every vetted client we work with will need models at some stage.  However, the huge number of brands we work with doesn’t necessarily mean that every model will be offered work soon after registering.

There’s some hope for models who haven’t been selected by client because there are ways to improve the chances of being chosen, and it’s these that models should focus on. Because modelling is hugely competitive, our clients need to know what models look like just before the assignment. It would be pointless for a brand to ask us for a female model with flowing brown hair for a phot shoot if that model has recently cut her locks and dyed them blonde. Likewise, if you’ve been a keen gym-goer and enjoyed pumping iron, your physique will have changed since you uploaded your initial photos. Therefore, keeping current looks updated in your portfolios is the most effective way of being noticed by the decision makers (the clients).

Merely being patient and hoping that one of clients will pick you may work for you, but we remind models that they must help themselves, too.

Patience is a fine characteristic, but making things happen is a better one. We’ll do our very best to give our clients the most suitable talent on our books, but models should also do all they can to be chosen.

Rome was definitely not built in a day, but models can improve their chances of bring chosen in a matter of hours.