Hello and welcome back! Thanks for stopping by. After a heated Instagram poll this was the topic that y'all wanted me to talk about the most.
So before I begin let me explain to you my work journey and history. I have always been a worker. Meaning at the ripe age of 14 I asked my mom what I needed to do to get a job and start making my own money. She helped me get into being a camp counselor at the small private school I went to at the time. I did a summer or two at this camp before turning 15 and looking for some place with more hours. At 15 the only places that would hire around me were Braums and Six Flags. So off I went to work at Six Flags for the next year and a half. Until I was old enough to apply for any job.
& so on and so forth until 2015. I decided to work for a local food company as a hostess. After a year or two of that I got moved up to waitress. I moved restaurant locations once (it was a chain) and stayed at the new location until now. I have taken breaks from this company but never felt the strength to fully quit because of the extra cash it provided me. But it also made me miserable. Working in food and relying on tips was stressful to me. Long nights on my feet made me even more anxious and at times sick. I found that the restaurant world was not very lenient towards workers that were sick. In fact many of the times I got sick I never was sent home.
I had been waiting for signs to quit the company. I would have other jobs lined up and at the exact moment I thought of quitting the other job would fall through. Leaving me completely hanging. Rinse and repeat. This happened so many times I've almost forgotten some of the other jobs I thought I would be working right now. But everything happens for a reason.
Fast forward a little bit. I have been modeling for two years now. Throughout my modeling career I have learned over and over again that connections are important but you're not going to get anything if you do not work your ass off. I worked with clients for months and months. Finding that just working with clients was not steady enough. As a model you're not needed as much as a photographer. It is just fact. You do not need a model for weddings, senior pictures, family portraits and the many other jobs photographers can get on a regular basis. So it is much harder to find consistent work if you are not signed. (and even if you are sometimes spoiler alert)
So after a lot of searching I found myself signing to a promotional modeling company. These are much easier to come by and usually have a lot of job options for models. It is not commercial or fashion usually but more product related. But the pay is good and it is another way to get connections. Additionally I am signed with a smaller agency in California called Chic Models. One of their recruiters found me back when I first started modeling through Instagram. They send me occasional jobs in the DFW area as well. Now these aren't as consistent as the jobs I have been working in the food and education industries. I am not put on a schedule and am not promised regular work. So why did I quit?
In short. This is what I love to do. When I go to work as a model I have such an amazing time. I don't dread work the way I have since I was 14 years old. I believe when you love something you put your all in to it. I needed to give my dream a chance. Working in the food industry made it hard to schedule shoots and go to auditions. I was missing out on opportunities to advance and grow. I was also missing out on chances to look into different modeling companies and agencies. There is so much out there and I have barely been able to scrape into it. Because that is the thing with modeling. You have to constantly be searching for jobs and reaching out to companies and clients. It is the only way to keep growing and find money.
Many do not understand just how much effort it takes to search and find your own work. But I believe it will be well worth it to take the time to look.
I am both excited and scared to start this chapter of my life. I do feel like if there was any a time for me to be "feeling ready" it is right now. I have some jobs lined up for spring and some possible clients and companies as well. I also plan on spending more time traveling and expanding my connections in other cities and states. I encourage you to take a look at your life. If this is something you aspire to do - do it right. Make sure you feel ready. Because when you know...you know.
So before I begin let me explain to you my work journey and history. I have always been a worker. Meaning at the ripe age of 14 I asked my mom what I needed to do to get a job and start making my own money. She helped me get into being a camp counselor at the small private school I went to at the time. I did a summer or two at this camp before turning 15 and looking for some place with more hours. At 15 the only places that would hire around me were Braums and Six Flags. So off I went to work at Six Flags for the next year and a half. Until I was old enough to apply for any job.
& so on and so forth until 2015. I decided to work for a local food company as a hostess. After a year or two of that I got moved up to waitress. I moved restaurant locations once (it was a chain) and stayed at the new location until now. I have taken breaks from this company but never felt the strength to fully quit because of the extra cash it provided me. But it also made me miserable. Working in food and relying on tips was stressful to me. Long nights on my feet made me even more anxious and at times sick. I found that the restaurant world was not very lenient towards workers that were sick. In fact many of the times I got sick I never was sent home.
I had been waiting for signs to quit the company. I would have other jobs lined up and at the exact moment I thought of quitting the other job would fall through. Leaving me completely hanging. Rinse and repeat. This happened so many times I've almost forgotten some of the other jobs I thought I would be working right now. But everything happens for a reason.
Fast forward a little bit. I have been modeling for two years now. Throughout my modeling career I have learned over and over again that connections are important but you're not going to get anything if you do not work your ass off. I worked with clients for months and months. Finding that just working with clients was not steady enough. As a model you're not needed as much as a photographer. It is just fact. You do not need a model for weddings, senior pictures, family portraits and the many other jobs photographers can get on a regular basis. So it is much harder to find consistent work if you are not signed. (and even if you are sometimes spoiler alert)
So after a lot of searching I found myself signing to a promotional modeling company. These are much easier to come by and usually have a lot of job options for models. It is not commercial or fashion usually but more product related. But the pay is good and it is another way to get connections. Additionally I am signed with a smaller agency in California called Chic Models. One of their recruiters found me back when I first started modeling through Instagram. They send me occasional jobs in the DFW area as well. Now these aren't as consistent as the jobs I have been working in the food and education industries. I am not put on a schedule and am not promised regular work. So why did I quit?
In short. This is what I love to do. When I go to work as a model I have such an amazing time. I don't dread work the way I have since I was 14 years old. I believe when you love something you put your all in to it. I needed to give my dream a chance. Working in the food industry made it hard to schedule shoots and go to auditions. I was missing out on opportunities to advance and grow. I was also missing out on chances to look into different modeling companies and agencies. There is so much out there and I have barely been able to scrape into it. Because that is the thing with modeling. You have to constantly be searching for jobs and reaching out to companies and clients. It is the only way to keep growing and find money.
Many do not understand just how much effort it takes to search and find your own work. But I believe it will be well worth it to take the time to look.
I am both excited and scared to start this chapter of my life. I do feel like if there was any a time for me to be "feeling ready" it is right now. I have some jobs lined up for spring and some possible clients and companies as well. I also plan on spending more time traveling and expanding my connections in other cities and states. I encourage you to take a look at your life. If this is something you aspire to do - do it right. Make sure you feel ready. Because when you know...you know.
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