1. Establish which type of modelling you wish to go into.

2. Find a reputable agency in a familiar location, then make yourself aware of the type of    work that they do by studying their website.

3. Never answer newspaper adverts looking for models or join random chat rooms. Remember that to ensure your safety, FAMODE will only use professional agencies that have been checked out in advance.

4. Never give out your personal details to someone that you do not know if they approach you on the street or in a club. Instead ask for their business card, and only agree to meet them after you have checked these details out first.

5. Send/e-mail your shots into the agency of your choice in advance. Try not to call them, as they are very busy and won’t have much time to tell you the necessary info.
6. If you send your shots in, include a Stamped Addressed Envelope so that they can send you a quick reply back. Do not send valuable photos as these may get lost en-route and agents will not pay for special postage.

7. Never attend a casting to be recruited by an agency in random locations or hotel rooms. This will only involve expensive ‘fees’ to enter and will most likely be a con to get money upfront from you. You could also be putting your safety at risk.

8. Never agree to join an agency by post. Remember that a good agency will always request an interview free of charge if they are genuine. This will also give the model the chance to see if the agency is genuine.

9. Be prepared to invest in your first professional photo shoot (test shoot). The majority of agents won’t have the financial power to invest in every potential model that comes through their doors. Remember that at this point, agents may still not be 100% sure on how your test shoot will go and how you will look in professional photos. Because of this element of risk, agents sometimes either pay for it first and then take it out of your first earnings (only if they really think you will be successful) or may organise the shoot for you whilst you pay for it yourself (See Test Shoots section for more info www.famode.com/info.php).

10. Do not sign anything at the interview stage if it does not feel right. In most cases an agent will provide a Terms and Conditions form for you to sign instead of a contract, so do not be suspicious. Contracts tend to be mainly done by the larger agencies in the city. If you are asked to sign a contract, be sure to read it VERY CAREFULLY. Whatever you do, get someone else to take a look at it as well; DON’T sign it without truly knowing what you are signing. This could end up in tears over rates, commission, ownership of photos or anything else slightly unscrupulous. Also try to get a copy of what you are signing. If the agent requires a fee upfront in exchange for a contract, it is likely that they are trying to con you. A genuine agency would not ask for this.  

11. If  you are not sure at any stage, just remember that a genuine agency will always let you take the Terms and Conditions away with you.

12. All Agencies should give you something (Terms and Conditions or something similar) confirming how they will operate on your behalf.

13. NO AGENT WILL OFFER WORK WITHOUT SOMETHING SIGNED AND AGREED.

14. A new ‘7 DAY COOLING OFF’ period will come into practice from April 2008. This will mean that BY LAW (under the 'Employment Agency Act' ) all models will reserve the right to change their mind within 7 days of having signed a contract or Terms and Conditions with any modelling agency.

Remember!
Don’t be disappointed if you don’t get accepted by the first agent that you try. If they are honest and genuine, they’ll tell you why you weren’t accepted. If it’s something you can fix (i.e. bad skin) then they may ask you to come back in a few months. 
However, if it’s something that you can’t fix immediately (i.e. your teeth aren’t straight, or you simply aren’t attractive enough – and yes, they will tell you this if they are a good agency) then it might be best to take the hint and give up. 

Don’t be down on yourself if you are rejected a couple of times either, as this is a good test to see how you can cope with rejection from castings or jobs in the future. In some cases, agencies may not be scouting for more models, or they may have set periods of the year when they recruit. In this case, it won’t matter whether you’re appropriate or not, it’s just wrong timing. 

Finally, remember that you must be able to have a good relationship with your agent. If you don’t think you’d feel comfortable talking or working with them everyday, then don’t join them - it’s as simple as that. Go with your instincts - if you think that they might have the potential to be a little too pushy or demanding then go elsewhere. What’s important is that you are happy for the agent to represent you in securing the work for you to succeed.