Be professional. The key to longevity in the modeling industry is not what you look like, but rather how you present yourself professionally. Respect, courtesy, and hard work go a long way.
Collaborate. Working together is one of the best ways to survive and thrive in the modeling industry at any time. “We’re talking about surviving and thriving and it’s good to survive but it’s great to thrive. During this time collaboration has been key. There’s been a big focus on doing whatever we need to do to help each other, which is so great.
Understand all sides of the industry. Whether it’s marketing, business, photography, whatever, understanding as much as you can about the modeling industry is important for surviving and thriving. Learning more sides of the business definitely help you with modeling in general.
Focus on personal branding. Especially these days. People are going to be looking at your Instagram first, before even going to an online portfolio. So, make sure what you put out there is what you want to represent.
Know the basics of taking photos of yourself. This can be important for creating a portfolio and understand what settings you look and feel best in. The best camera is the one that you can have with you all of the time. Use what you have, don’t make it complicated for yourself.
Keep current in the industry. Make sure you’re at the top of your game with your portfolio, comp card, runway walk, fitness, current style, and overall what’s happening in the industry. Networking can help immensely with this.
Stay positive. Keep positive and find new ways to get noticed even if that means going outside of your comfort zone. It’s easy to feel defeated, get complacent or just unmotivated to pursue new goals or dreams. You may acquire a new skill set or discover a new passion.
Have realistic expectations. You have to have realistic expectations right now, and always. Modeling is not an industry that grants instant stardom. It is an investment, have you to work on it. This is the time to do that, whether it’s learning a new skill, taking online workshops, and just learning all sides of the industry.
