When you are signing up for Model Mayhem, you will be asked to fill out your “About Me” section with a minimum of 100 words. Yes, photos are an important component of starting your profile, but it is equally as important to write something about you that will encourage your profile viewers to want to work with you, as opposed to click away from your profile the moment they read the first line.

The “About Me” section, your stats/details, and your avatar photo are the first things that a person sees when they go to your profile on Model Mayhem. This is exactly why it would be best for you if you fill it out completely and accurately.

When I was first starting out on Model Mayhem, I made some mistakes in how I filled out my “About Me”, and now I want to save you from doing the same, which is the only reason I wrote this article.

1. For your “About Me” section, you can write what type of modeling you are interested in, themes you are interested in shooting, who you would like to work with, if you have any past modeling experience, your general availability, and if you have any scars/birthmarks/stretchmarks/piercings/tattoos. You may also indicate if you are interested in nude modeling or not, as there will be people who will ask you to pose nude.

It’s OK to write “I am not interested in nude shoots” but do not write “I DON’T DO NUDE, DON’T ASK, I HAVE SELF-RESPECT”. Writing such a statement (especially in capitals) can prevent others from wanting to work with you because you are offending a large majority of MM’s membership who shoot nude (and who make a living doing it). Everyone has their own views on nudity, but you don’t need to make overtly harsh statements one way or the other.

What you also don’t want to write is that you are going to be a rich and famous supermodel, how you’ll be a star, how you will replace Kate Moss, and how you will revolutionize the modeling industry. Having dreams is great, but it’s also good to be realistic when it comes to your chances of actually doing such things.

It’s also not a good idea to have a bunch of negative statements in your profile about stuff that you won’t do.  Having a long list of demands, such as “all photos on a CD immediately after the shoot” “no signing of releases”, can also backfire on you and prevent good people from wanting to work with you (especially when you are new and have those demands).

You also don’t want to lie about your past modeling experience in your profile, nor do you want to say that you posed for Vogue, Maxim, or Playboy (and other such large publications) because people can easily tell if you are lying. First off, if you had posed for such magazines, you would have tear sheets or other evidence to back it up.

Additionally, don’t go on and on about your favorite food, favorite colour, or what you do in your spare time. When people are looking for models, they don’t care that your favorite colour is green, nor that you like to eat your pancakes with maple syrup in the morning, nor that you like long walks in the park. Basically, if it is not relevant to your performance/aspirations as a model or how you are at shoots: don’t write it in your “About Me” on Model Mayhem.

2. When you fill out your stats/details, fill it out completely. It will ask for your weight, height, measurements, and other sizing information. This is very important because if you say that your measurements are 34 24 34 and you show up 38 28 39, people will notice. Also, if you say you’re 5’8″ but you show up to be 5’5″, it will get found out, the same way that if you say you’re 120 lbs and you show up to be 150.
The point of this is: be honest. Whether you are 110 lbs or 210 lbs, there will be photographers for you on Model Mayhem who prefer one over the other. Therefore, lying about your measurements will not necessarily get you more shoots. If you do lie, then make sure that it’s not by more than 1 inch either way, and I realize that MM does not allow for half sizes.

3. Pick an Avatar photo that makes the viewer want to open your portfolio. It should be one of the best photos that you have that show off your talent/look.

If you are thinking of starting a Model Mayhem account, I hope that you found this article helpful.

Cheers and best of luck!

Aviva

P.S. Do you think there should be something to add to this?