10 Ways To Get Hired (In This Job Market)

By Don Anthony

I've always hesitated publishing articles that strike negative chords, but given the amount of changes, cuts and budget-scrubbing going on lately, it's one that's well worth attention. At the end of last year, I wrote that the morning job market was showing signs of recovery. It was based on recent activity that was more promising than compared to similar periods from previous years. All of that still stands true as markets such as Atlanta Dallas, San Francisco and others have remained active.

The downside was/is the larger than normal adjustments being made recently by some radio groups. It hasn't been pretty, and I'm sure, not fun for the companies either. Among the casualties included several big names, support players and even a few market icons. Just in case, here are some thoughts worth considering should someone find themselves on the hunt:

Manage Your Job Search Like A Campaign: A campaign is about creating buzz. Nothing gets the attention of a prospective employer more than a show with lots of buzz. Start with key endorsements. A big name in radio who thinks your show is "the goods" is nearly as powerful as a great aircheck. And if they're friends with an employer or group heads, you couldn't buy that kind of support. At the end of last year, the same 8 or 9 shows/names came up in nearly every major opening. While they may not have been hired the in first go-around, you just know they will eventually. The trades can help too. Don't hesitate to drop them/us an email.

Start Your Own Job Network: Within our industry, there are literally dozens of people and organizations who get hit up daily about leads on candidates. You already know a lot of them: consultants, chart editors, etc., but there are hundreds more (okay, shameless plug time coming up): Morning Show Boot Camp - if you've never been, you should make it a point to change that this year. Outside of its unique brand of information is a vast network of other personalities you can't find at any other venue. Plus, you'll meet numerous show prep providers. Your name mentioned at either their websites or with one of their numerous daily contacts and your chances of connecting with the latest opportunities are increased substantially. Create a network of 15 to 20 people or organizations that you connect with regularly and you'll step up your chances immediately.

Always Sound Like You've Got Action: By nature, we're attracted to people that others are attracted to (see above). Even if your phone has been deader than a door knob, keep track of every contact or inquiry and use it to your advantage. Instead of saying you've had 5 or 6 calls, picture how it would sound saying you've had calls from CBS, Entercom, Clear Channel, Citadel & Cumulus? It doesn't matter if you weren't a finalist, this wording sounds like you've got action and if they don't act quickly, you'll be out of rotation. Psychology plays a big part in the hiring process.

Offer To Pay Your Own Way To An Interview: Under most circumstances, stations will cover travel for its top candidates--at least in the early stages. But if a search has been going on for awhile (which is common these days) and you get a bite but they're hesitant to fly you in, offer to do it yourself. There's a good chance they'll at least cover your hotel room, and if hired, you can bet they'll reimburse you. One other thing to consider, most stations would never allow someone to pay their own way in, if there wasn't some solid interest. Put the right presentation together and it could be the wisest move you'll ever make.

Don't Wait To Reach Out: Several weeks ago, a rather big-name personality was cut loose and had been urged to call me, but hesitated because he thought, given his track record, he'd have a dozen offers right off the bat. Six weeks later, when he finally reached out, at least two or three opportunities had already come and gone. Pride is understandable, but it doesn't pay the bills. The minute you're in the search mode, is the minute you start reaching out.

Don't Let Perceived Income Become Keep You Out of Consideration: If you were fortunate enough to have made six-figures or more, there's a good chance some stations will take you out of consideration before you've even spoken. This same thinking often happens with medium market operators for morning shows who've just left jobs in a major markets. If you have an agent, and you should, he or she will know how to handle this. But be flexible! If you're coming off a long stint at a morning show in Dallas and an opportunity pops up in Austin, don't be afraid to put in a call or email. Even if their compensation package is somewhat smaller than what you're accustom to making, great deals can still be negotiated. And so long as you produce, there's no reason you can't get back to where you were and then some.

Be Pleasantly Persuasive: Pushing too hard with prospective employers can sometimes lead to more than a "no," but hell no! Plus, it's likely they won't refer you to other opportunities in their company. Instead, I recommend the pleasantly persuasive approach. That is, being persistent without becoming a pain in the buttŽ. Measure you follow-up calls or emails by their response. No response typically means either they haven't reviewed your package, or are not interested. Don't assume the later. If you left a message, but haven't gotten a reply, wait a week, or at least several days and then leave another email. If still no reply, give it more than two weeks and drop another email. Just remind them you're still availble and interested. Sometimes there may be another show they're trying to get; thus, other packages aren't in play yet. If the first show falls through, a process that can often take weeks, they'll then have start the process all over again. Regardless of their response, or lack thereof, NEVER leave a message or email which complains about them avoiding your calls, or worse: lecturing them on having the courtesy of responding.

Send One Aircheck At A Time - Keep It Short - Make It Special: Your aircheck is your commercial. And like an ad, you've got about 30 seconds to make the sell. DON'T begin with a speech, monologue or explanation: start with a bang! Personally, I like some form of quick imaging or a jingle to kick it off and the first voice they hear should be YOU! And for morning opportunities, people like to hear you talking, not jocking. Personally, I like hearing interaction with someone else, too. This gives real insight to your personality or likability. I also believe including that daily aspect of your show which is its true selling point or main feature(s) should absolutely be included. As for how long, 3-5 minutes is plenty. While you're at it, make 2 or 3 airchecks and have them ready to fire off in case someone likes the first one and wants more. Finally, avoid 'best of' material. Let people hear your show. Ultimately, they're going to hear the real deal sooner or later and if you "best of it" too much, your actual product could be a let down.

Become Your Own Job Detective: Don't wait to hear about jobs, track 'em down. Some of the best jobs in radio are confidential and there's not a programming executive in radio that's not familiar with at least one of them. But even if they're coy, other people at the station, or even direct competitors are likely not to be. Don't limit your line of questioning to just programmers and management. Also, when someone else lands a major gig, call them and ask if there were any other gigs they were up for - be sure to congratulate them on their new gig, too.

Set Daily Goals For Your Job Search: The average radio job search goes something like this: You start off sending out airchecks like crazy; lots of calls and then if no luck in four or five weeks, things begin to trail off. Don't let your search fall into this rut. Rather, commit to a daily routine. X number of calls, including follow-ups; X number of airchecks sent out, and, as mentioned in my first tip, work your job network. There's nothing like consultants, show-prep rep's, your agent and a network of morning radio friends working for you even with you aren't. Reaching out to two or three of them daily, keeping your name in front of them is vital. Timing is everything. If you're at the top of their minds when someone throws them a call about an opportunity, I can almost guarantee your name will be mentioned. As part of your daily goals, I'd also commit to at least 6 hours work at your home office.