There are so many agencies that you can get overwhelmed very fast. They all have their own culture and specific focus. It is very important to know what kind of agency you are best suited for based on your lifestyle and your career objective. If you sign with an agency that does not have the right contacts to get you seen then you will be stuck wasting time and your career is at a stand-still.
There are also some agencies that will send out their models on many castings everyday in a hope that they book something, anything. I have experienced those agencies and I can tell you that models get burned out very, very fast. You want an agent that cares about you and will send you out on castings that you are well suited for and not just send you out to keep you busy.
Then you have the top agencies that represent many of the top working models. In theory it sounds great to be with that agency and you are proud to tell everyone you are with the “top” agency. However, you could also get “overlooked” in that agency and be at the bottom competing with models that have a higher ranking then you.
It is also important to understand the details of an agency contract. What it means to be exclusive and the benefits of pursuing non-exclusivity. How and when you can get out of a contract, etc.
I have not even touched on the vast amount of internet modeling agencies out there. While I have found a couple that I would recommend, I have found many more that I would not recommend to anyone. Please do NOT ever pay any agency or site to be a model. I, and all the working models I know, have never had to pay an agent to represent them.
If it sounds complicated, it is. You need someone to help you determine what direction is best for you. Again, if I feel you have potential, I can help guide you in the right direction.