I’m sure most of our parents have told us that modeling is not a suitable career to pursue or a good path to take at least once in a lifetime. The reasons behind them were probably “You will have to wear very revealing clothes in front of many men”, “Modeling will influence you to do bad activities like smoking or taking drugs”, “Some rich well-known man will pay you to sleep”. with him” and many more. But then you see models like Tyra Banks, Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner and many more doing so well in the fashion industry, they all seemed so content with their luxurious life. You just can’t seem to decide which is true and false.And as an aspiring model who has a degree or a PhD, you are not sure if you would really want to enter the modeling industry, risking getting involved in activities you did not sign up for or just playing it safe and pursue your career on a more secure and stable line as a physiotherapist or public relations practitioner or something else.So is modeling a suitable career to pursue?
Modeling as a career has its pros and cons. It’s a huge industry that many are dying to get into, but only a few can make it to the top. It is an industry that is always surrounded by cameras, famous people, media and more. Therefore, whatever you do, you are being watched by everyone. Many are willing to sacrifice themselves to get this kind of attention and life, some would even cross their personal boundaries in the hope that some agency would notice them. However, life as a model is, of course, glamorous too. You get to travel the world, wear designer clothes, meet superstars, maybe even be lucky enough to have an affair or two with them, get an expensive makeover that no one else can have but you, get exclusive access to many places without the need to queue, earn a lot of money and more. While there are many good things about being a model, there is also a dark side that everyone should be aware of before transferring ownership of their life to the world of trends.
PROS
- If you’re hurt enough to be hunted down by a major agency, be sure your bank accounts will be flooded with a large sum of money. If it’s a small but legitimate agency, you still get your paychecks which can cover your bills and keep you more than alive.
- You can see the world for free! Yeah, you can definitely check off all the places on that travel list of yours before you die.
- Free branded stuff! Clothes, bags, shoes, whatever. Generous designers would give you one or two of their creations as a token of generosity or gratitude. And that’s only if they really like you. But of course they are also sometimes for advertising purposes.
- Increase your confidence. Trust me, the more shows you schedule, the higher your confidence will be.
- The fame factor. You are definitely going to have more reputation than being a common person. Your followers on Instagram and Twitter will increase, designers and editors will observe and remember you. Also, if you really get to the top of your game, artists, actors, big name people will contact you and you might get involved in some adventures.
CONS
- Models do not earn a steady income. Paychecks only come when you do projects. Therefore, if you do not book any shows or projects, there will be no income for you. But if you do, it’s enough to keep you going for a month or more.
- The models also do not receive health benefits or vacations. Unlike office jobs, whenever you need to go on vacation, you just ask for permission and leave or some companies pay for their employees’ medical expenses.
- Dubious modeling agencies. There are many agencies that are out there to suck every dollar out of the pocket of gullible would-be models. They will not give you their portfolio or market you to potential clients. They will leave you there with nothing but false hope of achieving your dreams.
- Black market. Some scammer will trick you into doing ‘modeling’. Be careful around them as they could be sex traffickers trying to get you into the black market realm.
- Witness drug use backstage or in hotel rooms by models, so they can stay slim or stay awake during photo shoots.
- Witness models dealing with eating disorders, all in the name of beauty. Additionally, you will find many models dealing with emotional distress and insecurities in the industry. In your mind you’d probably think ‘how does a model deal with insecurities?’, you’d be surprised.
There you have it, the pros and cons of the modeling industry. For many models, modeling is like a part-time job or something to do when they have time while they continue studying or working elsewhere. It is quite a reliable platform for them to earn some extra income to support them. Only 1:10 models will do well enough to commit as a full time model like what we usually see on screen. Even Karlie Kloss was studying programming while working in the modeling industry. She now she is not only a supermodel but also an avid programmer who does a lot of social work to inspire more women to learn programming. Many models would tell her that modeling is a suitable job, but not something she would like to pursue as a career.