The Travel was fun, but it consumes your life, is drama filled, and you lie to kids with dreams.
Pros
You will get to Travel with a group of women titled as "Talent Directors". You get to have some fun, go out for dinner and drinks with them, and make some good friends along the way. Interviewing the kids is also a blast and it feels good to offer them something they have so much interest in. The kids have the opportunity to take a six month course and it can teach them the basics of modeling and acting. It can also really improve their self esteem and give them a true opportunity to get involved with kids their own age with similar interests. Also, when you enroll enough kids each search, ten or more, then you might hit bonus and make decent money.
Cons
There are MANY Barbizons and they are franchises so some are worthless and some will at least teach the kid the basics of acting and modeling plus life skills but the "PLACEMENT DIVISION" is WORTHLESS!! You are essentially are liar and scam artist. You will tell the kids that only a certain amount are being selected. It's a HUGE LIE. Everyone is accepted and we work out the payment plans for as many as possible. The company is only focused on driving these kids through as many at a time as possible and if they don't go on to do "Passport to Discovery Cruise" (another 5 thousand dollars for parent and child and the only real way to get discovered with this company) that child will most likely be forgotten. The team you work with is full of drama and you will LIVE for this job. You have to book your own appointments with leads that are years old and must attach yourself to a online dialing system 4 days a week (more if you don't book enough appointments) from 2pm to 9pm and you will do this FOR FREE. Yes, as a Talent Director, you will slave endless hours FOR FREE. You are commission only. Say goodbye to your days, and every other weekend you will work Friday, Saturday, and Sunday - THIS WILL BE OUT OF TOWN. You will then have to "Close" the kids you've interviewed, calling and giving the "good news" to up to 70 kids and trying to get them to enroll in a 6 month training program. Its exhausting, and honestly, besides your phone ringing non stop to talk to the million parents calling with questions or concerns, you will be hounded by your manager to meet "sales goals". They are kids, not "prospects"!!! So if all that isn't bad enough, when these parents don't have enough in their account when they try to run the down payment, guess who calls them... YOU!! Its hilarious really. You're a high powered director... and a telemarketer... and a bill collector. Good luck with that.
