Modeling Job Description
Any time you turn on the television, open a magazine or see a billboard while driving, the chances are high that you're seeing the work of a model or group of models. Commonly thought of as a simple job--getting made up and posing for the camera--the career of modeling has many facets to it that are often overlooked by the general public. Understanding a model's job description, and the hard work modeling entails, is essential if you are considering a modeling career.
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Types
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High fashion models are not the only types of models on the job every day. Many other modeling jobs exist, according to StateUniversity.com, and they are spread across all aspects of media. The world of modeling encompasses fashion models, photographic models for print media, and video models for TV advertisements, among others. Wherever a product is being sold, you will find a model--in person or in some form of print or filmed media.
Function
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A model may show off clothes on the runway for one job, and then appear in a print catalog or advertisement for another. Models work on the front line of sales, helping advertise products from shampoo to lawnmowers. Says StateUniversity.com, the function of models on the job is to help manufacturers sell their products, whatever those may be.
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Features
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Clients generally want attractive, often tall and slender models to appeal to a wide audience of consumers for jobs in fashion runway modeling. However, jobs in advertising provide models with opportunities for nearly any body type, for every ethnicity and for all ages. Child model jobs are filled to sell products such as games and toys, while elderly models often work in print ads advertising prescription drugs or lifestyle products for older people. In the world of video modeling, the job may require a degree of acting skill as well, so a bit of formal acting training or coaching will help in this market.
Considerations
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Aspiring models should be aware of some of the job's potentially difficult aspects. Models must be comfortable being photographed or filmed in undergarments or swimming suits, no matter what the model's body type. Photo shoots are long, often exhausting days, and the model must stay on the job until the client decides the shoot is over. While modeling work can pay well, it also can be sporadic, and calling in sick could cost a model a valuable job.
Potential
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Modeling, even through agencies, is usually done on contract. That means most jobs do not include insurance benefits. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of May 2008, the mean (average) annual salary for a model was $30,160, although salaries vary greatly depending on the types of jobs a model takes and how much exposure he gets. Job security is another factor to consider. StateUniversity.com says the outlook on models getting work looks good, since manufacturers will likely always need the "human element" to effectively market and sell their products. Successful models are outgoing and enjoy being in the spotlight.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit model image by cherie from Fotolia.com
