Questions to Ask a Modeling Agency to Tell if It’s Legit or Not

To be a successful model, you need to take great care in who you associate yourself with. For new models, one of the biggest ‘to dos’ on their list is to sign up with modeling agencies in Pennsylvania, New York or LA. However, that task can be harder than expected, what with the number of scam artists out there posing as modeling agents, ripping off new models and practically stealing their money.

Before you go off in search of modeling agencies, be sure to know how you can protect yourself and avoid running into a scam. Here are the questions to ask an agency or agent you’re eyeing.

What has your agency done so far, and how does it work?

The reason for this question is obvious. You want to find just how successful an agency is, and you want to know what it is they do exactly. Although all modeling agencies follow the same business model, they can have different operational methods, which makes it important to know just what the agency your eyeing does for models.

If an agent has trouble sharing or won’t disclose their track record and nature of their work, you’re probably better off looking elsewhere.

Do you charge any fees?

Although a modeling agency that asks money from aspiring models prior to sign up with them is suspect, it’s not unheard for an agency to do that. Most model agencies will gladly explain to you how they make money, a process which involves agents finding work for models, and in return, getting a commission off of the model’s talent fee.

How successful are your models?

A legitimate agency should be able to tell you their success rate, that is, how successful their models are. Ask the agency for a rundown on the projects their models have handled, and check if they’ve actually done a good job. Most modeling agencies in Pennsylvania will readily give you a background on their models activities.

Can we meet at your offices?

And by offices, we mean an actual base of operations. Not a bedroom, not a hotel room. A legit agency will happily set an appointment for an interview during business hours. Agencies are businesses, so that means they more or less observe regular business hours.

Don’t be afraid to ask these questions from the agent or agency representative. Don’t be embarrassed to be upfront with your questions.