Dealing With Rejection- You Didn't Get the Gig... Now What?

Photo: Marcus, 48th Street Photography

Let’s set the scene.

You’re a new model sitting somewhere in your house, phone in hand. Or maybe you’re on your laptop. Checking your email for about the fifth time today. You’ve applied to a number of modeling gigs in the last week and have not heard back from any of them. What gives?

The modeling scene is incredibly saturated. Even more so because of social media. Casting agents, “clients,” and photographers alike all get so many submissions when they post a gig that it would be too time consuming to email everyone back saying “Sorry, you aren’t a great fit for this gig,” “We have decided to go with another talent,” etc.

I know from personal experience booking models that emailing back and forth with a bunch of talent the client didn’t want to use can start an endless flood of emails. When booking talent, I need to focus on the few that the client has chosen, and the “Thank you, please let me know when you have more work,” and “Do you know when you will have something else that I would be a good fit for?” emails can be a little distracting. I do answer these because I like to help and I am always on my email accounts anyway, but I think I’m an exception. Most booking agents and clients won’t answer you, and that’s okay.

My advice for models?

Do not sit around waiting for emails back.

Do not wait for the “Yes.”

Do not wait for the “No.”

The last thing you want to be doing as a model is waiting.

You should learn to be okay with people telling you “no” directly to your face, on the phone, over text, email, etc, as well as taking no answer as a “no.” I have been modeling for so long now that I totally forget about most of the gigs I never hear back from (and I don’t hear back from many a potential client, but I apply to so many that I keep myself very busy with work).

Do I get attached to some potential roles? Oh, yes. Sometimes I get super excited when submitting myself and feel all the feels when I’m not chosen for an audition slot, or I am following the production company on social media and see them filming and know I was not the right fit.

What do I do though?

I move on and apply for more gigs.

Photo: 48th Street Photography

But Ashlie… Why didn’t I get the gig?

There are a number of reasons why you may not have gotten a gig. Here are the most common reasons I can think of:

-You just aren’t what the casting agent or client is looking for/you aren’t a great fit.

-The casting agent liked your look but the client didn’t.

Here are the more creative reasons as to why you may not have gotten a gig:

-You don’t fit the description of the casting (i.e.Maybe you accidentally misread the casting (I’ve put out casting calls for female models and men have submitted- I can’t submit a model who doesn’t fit the description to the client)).

-You submitted late/the deadline for submissions has already passed.

-You didn’t follow the instructions for submission (i.e. the casting call says email photos and modeling resume, no Instagrams, to xxxx@gmail.com and you instead commented your Instagram handle on the post).

-You sent nudes or selfies as submissions photos (I have actually gotten both of these from models as serious submissions photos to some of my castings). Unless a casting agent WANTS nudes or selfies (and by the way, a casting agent, client, or photographer should NEVER be asking for nudes, please report them if they do so), DO NOT SEND NUDES OR SELFIES AS SUBMISSION PHOTOS. Nudes will get you added to a casting agent’s blacklist. You’ll get dropped in a heartbeat. I guarantee it.

-You don’t have the availability needed for the gig (i.e. Shoot day is during the week 9-5 but you are only available Weekends after 5p).

-The rate you are asking for is too high for the client’s budget.

-You forgot to add your contact info in your submission (whoops).

-You showed up to the gig and got sent home because your current appearance did not match your appearance in your submission photos (i.e. Update those headshots and full body shots to avoid this!)

-You aren’t reliable and one of your references gave you a bad reference (How to avoid this: Be reliable. Choose great photographers or clients to act as your references. We do contact them).

I am sure there are more. This is all I can think of right now though!

It can be overwhelming to manage yourself. I feel like I am constantly interviewing for a job over and over. The truth is, that’s exactly what self management is. If you don’t have an agent to find the clients, you constantly have to be searching for your own clients, making the introduction, and finding ways to make yourself stand out. It the ultimate never-ending job interview (Note: If that is your worst nightmare you’ll probably want to sign with an agency instead of self managing. They will take care of all of this for you).

Remember: “No” is the worst thing you could hear. You already know that. You’ve been told “no” before and it wasn’t so bad. You made it through. You booked another gig instead. So why not apply for that gig anyway? I believe in you!

Go get those gigs, beautiful people.

ash