Success in the modeling world of today involves a certain amount of luck and more planning than one might be interested in making. Luck is just something that one either has or does not have. Planning, on the other hand, is a skill that we must develop in order to put ourselves into a good position of being marketable. Being in the right place, at the right time, and having the right looks is all that luck is about, but sometimes that is all it takes. The "right" look often gets us in the door, but it is planning that will keep us employed.

As we sell ourselves to those who would purchase our services, we must consider ourselves as a market product that will be desired by all with whom we associate. Our responsibility to ourselves and future employers is to demonstrate what one would get when purchasing our services. As we sell our product (me), we honor ourselves by presenting a complete package to our employers. We do not present that complete package when we do not have faith in our abilities to produce. Many models present a vulnerable image to the agencies and that is the first thing that causes problems with any relationship we might be trying to develop. This vulnerability leads many young people to the “casting couch” in hopes of securing a position. The couch is not a good place to start.

The development of a plan requires the following of guiding principles which have worked in the business world, with a small bit of modification. Sit down at your table and write out your plan. The first thing that we must do is define what it is that we want and what we have to offer the agency or professional. List your personal strengths and weaknesses, as you see them. In other words, how do you rate when considering the competition? Establish who you need to know or meet, within the agency. Make sure that you have a portfolio of current photos and a listing of your past assignments. If you do not have any past assignments, be sure to have letters of recommendation that you can present.

When you have established the basic plan for promoting yourself, become aware of what is in the market place. What jobs appear to be hot now and how can you position yourself for an interview? If you know someone in the industry, now is a good time to have them give you pointers and make you aware of what is available and who is hiring.