A career as a model recruiter(scout), agent or booker can be a fun and exciting career. It's a career that often involves lots of travel, attending spectacular fashion shows and events and, if you're lucky, working with models, fashion designers, photographers and other famous celebrities.

As fun and glamorous as the life of a model recruiter, agent or booker can be, it can also mean a lot of time in airports and hotels, dealing with grumpy models and difficult clients, very long hours and a lot of disappointment when things don't go to plan.

The role of a scout
It's important to clarify the difference between a scout, an agent and a booker. In general, scouts spot new faces and introduce them either to the modeling agency that employs them, or to various modeling agencies. If one or more of these agencies wishes to contract with the model, the scout must have the knowledge to guide the model in choosing the agency best suited to her particular goals. Recruiters are always scouting, and models can be discovered anywhere, in shopping malls, airports, on the beach or at organized events.

Once a scout has placed a model with an agency, agents and bookers take over. The terms "agent" and "booker" are interchangeable and generally correspond to the same role. Agents and bookers book jobs, take care of the model's "card" and manage the model so that he or she not only gets the best jobs, but also jobs that match his or her style and career goals.

Have a passion for the industry
If you try to build a career as a recruiter, agent or booker without being passionate about the industry, you'll quickly burn out. The most successful recruiters and agents are those who can't imagine doing anything else, and it's their passion that gets them through the tough times. The modeling industry isn't all glitz and glamour, and it takes enormous commitment and hard work to succeed.

Study the industry and its history
Get to know the modeling industry and its history. The popular saying "to know where you're going, you have to know where you've been" is true even in the modeling industry.

Know who founded the major agencies and who runs them today. Know the names and faces of early superstars like Twiggy, Jean Shrimpton, Lauren Hutton, Beverly Johnson, Carmen Dell'Orefice and others who paved the way for today's superstars. And study what made these models so successful.

Know the names and faces of today's superstars and up-and-coming models. Show potential employers that you've taken the time to learn the business and can apply that knowledge to the talent search.

Know the lingo
Make sure you know and understand the meaning of modeling terms and phrases, such as "time for prints", "buyouts", "vouchers" and "comp cards".

Don't expect agencies to teach you the basics, such as the most common modeling terms.

Work as an intern or assistant
At many of the big agencies, and especially the recruitment agencies, the only way for an aspiring agent to break into the industry is to work as an unpaid trainee or assistant. Many Hollywood agents and moguls, including David Geffen (estimated net worth $6 billion), Barry Diller and Michael Ovitz, began their careers working in the mailroom. Anyone serious about becoming an agent should read David Rensin's The Mailroom: Hollywood History from the Bottom Up.

Be prepared to start on the first floor and work your way up to recruiter, agent or organizer. By immersing yourself in the industry, you'll gain a solid understanding of how modeling agencies work, the scouting and contracting process, and meet valuable industry contacts.

Focus on one type of model
Until you've been working in the industry for a while, it's best to specialize in one area and become an expert in that field. Decide where you're going to focus your energy, i.e. what interests you, whether it's representing only female models, male models, child models or swimsuit models. By focusing on one type of model, you'll become a specialist and the go-to person for that type of model or talent.

Attend conventions and networking events
If you want to work internationally, it's important that you meet and network with agents and recruiters from the agencies you want to sign your models with. The International Modeling & Talent Association (IMTA) organizes annual modeling conventions in New York and Los Angeles. A less expensive option is the Faces West conference in Vancouver, Canada.

If you can't attend a modeling convention, an excellent online resource of agents and recruiters is ModelScouts.com. ModelScouts.com recruiters often mentor new recruiters who bring them new faces to market to major agencies.

Understanding the basics of contract law
You certainly don't need a law degree to be an agent. However, you should have a basic understanding of contract law and how to negotiate it. There are many online resources that teach the basics of contract law at little or no cost. There are also more targeted resources, such as the book Hollywood Dealmaking - Negotiating Talent Agreements by Dina Appleton and Daniel Yankelevits.

Be prepared to take risks
To succeed as a model recruiter or agent, you need to be prepared to take risks. You'll need to approach strangers in various locations who you think have modeling potential in order to build up your clientele. For example, Gisele Bündchen, in an interview with Vogue magazine, said she was discovered as a teenager while sitting with her friends at McDonald's.  

If you really believe in the potential of a new model, don't hesitate to negotiate "photo shoot time" or other special deals with photographers or clients in your area.

You should also be prepared to work on a commission basis. Most model recruiters and agents don't earn a salary, but a commission based on a percentage of what their model earns.

Always behave professionally
Being a professional doesn't just mean calling yourself a model agent or recruiter and establishing yourself. You also have to behave professionally by keeping appointment times, always taking the lead in difficult situations and never speaking ill of other agents or recruiters. You'll also need to pay your expenses and wages on time, and never owe money to your models, photographers or others whose services you've used. Although the industry has a relaxed image, to succeed as an agent, recruiter or booker, you need to be very professional.

Inappropriate behavior
As in any professional setting, never make inappropriate or sexually suggestive comments, and never approach or stare at a model in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable. The very nature of the industry can make even the most innocent behavior seem unsettling and even frightening to a young model.

Follow your instincts
To succeed, you also need to follow your intuition and instinct. If you think one of your new faces has star potential and none of the big agencies or clients agree with you, you have to do whatever it takes to convince them.

That's the kind of instinct model recruiter David Cunningham had when he first saw Kate Upton. Cunningham introduced Kate to New York super-agency IMG Models, but given Kate's figure and dynamic personality, everyone at IMG Models thought Cunningham was crazy because Kate "wasn't fashionable enough". But IMG Models director Ivan Bart saw Kate's potential and hired her anyway. And the rest is history. Kate Upton has earned millions of dollars, making her one of the highest-paid models in the world.