Unless you’re living in a cave, you probably know that this country has been experiencing the worst economic time since the Great Depression. Models are not immuned to the toll of this recession. However, there are ways to ensure that your modeling career stays on top despite what’s happening with the economy.

Modeling through the Recession

First, let’s look at some key facts. Unemployment has been hovering around 10%. However, real unemployment, which includes people who are not working and are not getting unemployment benefits, is around 20%. In addition, overall retail sales fell about 10% since the crash in 2008; luxury brand sales fell 25%. As a result, advertising sales are down 15% to 35%, depending on the media. These figures mean that companies are not hiring. People are also not spending money on products and services because they fear job loss. As a consequence, companies are spending less money on advertising their products and services, completing the cycle. (sources: LA Times, New York Times, TIME, WSJ)

Unfortunately, modeling agencies are in a unique disposition; we’re caught between a rock and a hard place. Because we are essentially employment agencies (agencies that find work for people), we are directly impacted by the unemployment rate. So, the higher the unemployment rate, the less jobs there are for models.

In addition, modeling agencies are effected by retail sales and ad spending figures. Modeling services include a wide variety of jobs. For example, models do print jobs for clothes, accessories, beauty products, and other items such toys and cars. Models also lend their faces to advertise services, such as travel agencies, restaurants and hotels. For those who have acting experience, they also do TV commercials, web commercials, and public service announcements (PSA). Because of the cuts in advertisings, these modeling opportunities are now few in between.

Modeling in the Recession

So what’s a model to do to stay on top of the game? Well, there are several things to focus on to stay competitive during the

recession and to be on top once the recession ends.

• Concentrate on building your photography portfolio. Work with as many photographers as you can to get some free images. I don’t normally recommend doing free work, but photographers, even the really good ones, are in the same boat as models. They are not getting as much work either. However, when working with these photographers, make sure that they are reputable and can give you the images you need for your portfolios. Be finicky about who you work with; check out their portfolios and references.

• Diversify your portfolio by adding films and videos. Do some student films in order to get some acting experience, and to get the clips to use for your portfolio. Make sure the quality of the film is good. Take a look at the videographer or director’s reels before agreeing to do the work. You can find these jobs on Craigslist or by calling local film schools. Having this experience will help you get commercials and PSA.

• Have all your materials ready to go. This includes your printed portfolio and comp cards, samples of your acting and/or runway walks, voice samples, and resume. Clients are finicky these days. If they are spending money on a model they’ve never worked with before, they want to get the best bang for their bucks. They want to be able to see that a model is experienced, and has the look and professionalism that they need. I can’t tell you how many times a model would get passed over for jobs simply for not having the right photos, or additional materials, such as resume and video samples. By the time a client calls my agency to look at samples, it’s too late for the model to create one. So, have them ready!

Luckily, I had been working diligently for nearly a year with web developers to create a site that would act as a comprehensive portfolio management system in order to maximize job opportunities for our models. Following the above advice, and you’ll no doubt stay busy during this Great Recession and end up on top when we’re out of it!