Aaron Zolkin is, as he puts it, older than he looks and younger than he feels. He’s worked in the adult industry off and on since 2007, when he was hired to head the IT department and serve as affiliate marketing manager for TitanMen. He’s also worked freelance as a web developer and marketer for other mainstream and adult clients.
Cams.com called Zolkin in for an interview during the summer of 2016 after finding his resume online. He didn’t get that position “…even though [he] totally rocked the interview.” Instead, another position designed to strengthen and develop niche markets was created soon after, and his name came up. Zolkin joined Cams.com and CamBoysLive as their gay model recruiter and manager in November.
Prior to working in the adult industry, Zolkin did a wide variety of clever and creative things — all of which certainly contributed to how good he is at his current job.
“I’ve had a varied career list that includes being a paramedic, an on-air radio disc jockey and a technical writer and marketer for government projects that went on to win the Nobel Prize,” Zolkin said. “And when I’m not busy scoping out fresh meat for Cams.com, I’m the lead singer of a successful San Francisco Bay Area-located cover band, and I’m legitimately a certified massage therapist who specializes in hospice patients and injury recovery.”
Understanding people — including their wants, dreams, and motivations — comes from interacting with folks in a wide variety of scenarios and circumstances. Understanding people is part of what makes a great model recruiter and manager.
Zolkin offered some helpful advice about what models should be on the lookout for.
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YNOT Cam: What does being a model recruiter involve?
Aaron Zolkin: One of the most important skills as a model recruiter is a complete lack of shame or sense of embarrassment. I have to approach people online and in person with what must seem like the worst clichéd pickup line on the planet: “Have you ever considered being a model?” Usually, the response is a laugh and a virtual drink to the face — but not always. Sometimes it’s an actual drink to the face.
For the record, I prefer whiskey. It burns less than vodka.
Seriously though, most of the time I am looking for personality over physicality. A successful cam model is someone who can get a viewer to click on a great photo initially, but keep them engaged by chatting, flirting and building a relationship. An attractive person who has a great social media presence, who is friendly and outgoing, is worth far more to me than a [someone with a great body] who can’t form a complete sentence.
Lest you think I’m all sunshine and rainbows, one of my favorite things to do is read applications from models with no self-awareness and then comment on them via my Twitter account. If you send me a message that says you have “erotic hair” or that you would be a good porn star because you “had a relationship with my very flexible high school gym teacher,” you can bet I’m going to laugh at you publicly.
“You should hire me because I have erotic hair.” – What does that mean? I’ve not looked at someone and thought ‘Damn I wanna fuck his hair.’
— Aaron Zolkin (@aaron_zolkin) January 9, 2017
That sounds like a full time job all by itself, and you have a whole other half to perform. What does being a model manager involve?
A good model manager is someone who sincerely wants to help the model succeed. I often pop into our streams and talk to the model about adjusting their lighting or camera angle to something more flattering. I read over chat room transcripts and point out missed opportunities to engage a member and encourage them to take them private or offer gifts. It’s also part of my job to help monitor the model’s behavior to make sure they are complying with the terms of service on our site. Making sure they are following the rules keeps everyone out of trouble and levels the playing field for all of the other models.
Because Cams.com has such a great technical and administrative support team, I don’t have to spend very much time navigating streaming issues or payouts, but if an issue comes up, I view it as my job to be an advocate for the model.
The world is full of shifty jerks, especially online and often in sex work. What are some things models should look for in networks and recruiters? What benchmarks should be present, and what should a company do for them?
A model should look for a network that has a good infrastructure. Is there a tech support team? Are there multiple people in accounting, or is it one guy named Ed who doubles as the site photographer? How long has the company been around? Who are you dealing with: a recruiter, or is it Ed from accounting again?
The network should regularly offer bonuses and incentives, not only to members, but to their models as well. They should offer a referral system so you can refer new members to the site and get a percentage of their spend for a period of time. You should be able to refer other models and get paid for using your social networks to promote yourself. The company should offer opportunities for you to join them at conventions and networking events.
What red flags should models look out for?
The biggest red flag is anyone who asks you for money to get started. You shouldn’t need to pay a “finder’s fee” or an “onboarding fee.” If you are told that you have to get headshots done, you should be able to choose to do them at your own expense with a photographer of your choosing and not be forced to use Ed in accounting for yet another fee.
A legitimate company will also never put you on the famous “casting couch.” The adult industry navigates some choppy waters when it comes to issues of sexual harassment. For example, yes, it is actually necessary for us to see you naked if you want an on camera-modeling job. But no, we do not need to sample the goods and you should never feel pressured into that to get the job.
Also, a legitimate company will make sure they have all of their 2257 documentation in order. And if they don’t know what that is, you can be pretty sure that Ed from accounting isn’t really a model recruiter.
Make friends with Zolkin on Twitter at @Aaron_Zolkin.
