No one likes to be criticised. That’s probably as much of a fact as saying fire is hot. Unfortunately, a little bit of criticism can work wonders, even if the person bearing the brunt of the criticism doesn’t think so.
No one’s perfect, right?
We should aim to be the best we can be in all of life’s little facets. However, they’ll be hiccups along the way, so no one should be in any doubt that achievements come with a 100% success rate. That said, being criticised can be a bit of a downer, can’t it?
We’ll give four examples when models might be in the firing line of a little criticism and – more importantly – how models can cope with it to turn the tables and convert criticism into something positive. We’re not insinuating that our models get criticised regularly, because we know that we have the best group of commercial models available to our extensive list of clients – see our client reviews to validate our convictions.
1. Being late. Hmm…this seems to be a bugbear for many and, to be fair, it warrants a ticking off. We’re very open-minded and understanding and our clients are just the same, but there’s no real reason for turning up to a modelling assignment behind schedule. If you find yourself in a traffic jam or your means of transport is not up to par, please do the right thing and call us or your point of contact. If no one knows you’re going to be late without a valid reason, they’ll assume that you won’t be taking the assignment seriously. Take the criticism on the chin and be more organised next time. Remember – if you’re working with another model/s, your lack of punctuality could delay the whole day.
2. Not following instructions. A lot of modelling jobs go exceedingly well on the first time of asking, but it’s customary that a photo shoot or short film will need a few takes to achieve perfection. That said, not paying attention at critical times isn’t professional. Everyone makes mistakes, but models should take notice of directions and do their best to improve on the next take or shoot. Take the criticism on-board and roll with the punches. Be positive that the next take will be a textbook shot!
3. Lack of organisation. This can be a model’s Achilles heel, although it shouldn’t. It’s to a model’s advantage to learn a little about the company they’re representing before arriving on set, and to have with them any personal possessions that’ll help them on the day. Make sure your phone is fully charged and that you know exactly where and who you’re going to meet with. Being criticised for having poor organisational skills is often an indication of a lack of commitment to the job, because models should know that being organised makes the assignment go smoothly for both themselves and the client. Take criticism for what it’s intended: a nudge in the right direction for self-improvement.
4. Lack of communication. Ah, that old chestnut. Seriously, though, telling the client or our wonderful team at Models Direct HQ any essential information you think we’d appreciate is as easy as doing just that. After all, we’re a team of dedicated staff who are just at the end of a phone line or a quick email, so there’re no excuses for not keeping us in the loop prior to any modelling assignments. Don’t be afraid to speak up!
Receiving criticism is an opportunity to learn and develop. Without it, you might not progress in any career. Strive to improve, and have fun doing it along the way. A little bit of criticism can be healthy, after all.
