I’m sure most of our parents have told us that modeling is not a suitable career to pursue or a good path to follow at least once in a lifetime. The reasons behind them were probably “You will have to wear really revealing clothes in front of a lot of men”, “modeling will influence you to do bad activities like smoking or taking drugs”, “some well-known rich 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 can’t seem to decide which is true and false. And as an aspiring model who has a degree or Ph.D., you’re not sure if you really want to break into the modeling industry, risking getting involved in activities you didn’t sign up for, or just playing it safe and pursuing your career in one more way. safe and stable line like a physical therapist or a 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, well-known people, the media, and more. Therefore, whatever you do, the whole world will keep an eye on it. Many are willing to sacrifice to get this kind of attention and life, some would even cross their personal boundaries in the hope that some agency would notice. However, the life of modeling is also glamorous. You get to travel the world, wear designer clothes, meet superstars, maybe even be lucky enough to have an adventure or two with them, get an expensive makeover that no one else can have but you, get exclusive access to many places without it you need to queue, earn a lot of money and more. While there are many good things about being a model, there is also a boring bottom that everyone should know about before transferring ownership of their life to the trendsetting world.
PROS
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If you are lucky enough to be discovered by one of the major agencies, make sure your bank accounts will be flooded with a large sum of money. If you are a small but legitimate agency, you still get your paychecks that can cover your bills and keep you more than alive.
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You can see the world for free! Yes, you can definitely cross off every place on that travel list before you die.
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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, sometimes they are also for advertising purposes.
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Boost your confidence. Trust me, the more programs you book, the higher your confidence.
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The fame factor. You are definitely going to have more of a reputation than being an ordinary 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, well-known artists, actors, people will get in touch with you and you might be involved in some adventures.
CONS
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Models do not earn stable income. Paychecks only come in when you do projects. So if you don’t book any shows or projects, you won’t get any income. But if you do, it is enough to sustain you for a month or more.
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The models also do not receive health benefits or vacation permits. Unlike office jobs, whenever you need to go on vacation, simply apply for leave and leave or some companies pay for their employees’ medical expenses.
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Dubious modeling agencies. There are many agencies that are out there to suck every dollar out of the pocket of gullible aspiring models. They won’t give you their portfolio or market it to potential clients. They will leave you there with nothing but false hopes of achieving your dreams.
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Black market. Some scammer will trick you into doing “modeling.” Beware of them as they could be sex traffickers trying to take you into the black market realm.
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Witness the use of drugs behind the scenes or in hotel rooms by the models, so they can stay thin or awake during the sessions.
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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 would probably think ‘how can a model deal with insecurities?’, You will be surprised.
Here 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 continuing to study or work 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 coding while active in the modeling industry. Now she is not only a supermodel, but also an avid programmer who does a lot of social work to inspire more women to get into coding. Many models would tell you that modeling is a suitable job, but it is not something you would like to pursue as a career.