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How much experience will I need before getting a full time gig in the radio biz?

F

fordranger797

Star Participant
I've been doing some substitute on-air work lately on a local radio station, and I absolutely love it. I've been on the air somewhere between 15 and 20 times, but all spread out over a few months. While I am loving the experience, I'd really like to get more opportunities to fill-in (once a month is about typical). I am curious about how long it will be until I start receiving more fill-in offers, or even a chance to do some form of a steady shift? [By "steady shift" I am DEFINITELY not referring to drive time, or anything in a major market!]

Sorry if I am jumping ahead too quickly, but I am eager to advance a little in my radio career. ;) On the plus side, I have moved on from being the guy who sets up the t-shirt booths...
 
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Have you had a sit-down with the PD of the station where you're filling in now? That's the first step. Get an evaluation. Areas to improve. Ways in which you can do more. Think where you'd like to be 1 year from now, 2 years, etc. Then ask for advice. What would he suggest for you to reach your short term goal.
 
TheBigA said:
Have you had a sit-down with the PD of the station where you're filling in now? That's the first step. Get an evaluation. Areas to improve. Ways in which you can do more. Think where you'd like to be 1 year from now, 2 years, etc. Then ask for advice. What would he suggest for you to reach your short term goal.
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That is really good advice. I actually did something that not too long ago, talk to the PD about how I sounded, and they appeared to be extremely impressed with my shows. I definitely do not have the flawlessness and finesse that a radio veteran has, but all of the feedback was very positive.

Unfortunately, when you are around a team of very talented radio veterans, its difficult to have opportunities to hop on.
 
Our present news/sports director wandered in the station one Saturday afternoon with a CD. At that time he was in college, had a CD of his baseball play-by-play on the university station.

Radio openings are scarce, but people interested in radio are getting scarcer. Make a demo CD, resume, circulate it around. Never can tell when something may open up.
 
Many jobs are not filled through the formal, traditional application process. Network. Make contacts. Socialize. Don't make it about feedback or finding out if there are openings. Just make sure as many people as possible in the biz know you. If an opening does occur, you're ahead. Sometimes openings are made because somebody likes somebody.

This applies in radio or most any field.
 
Somewhere between 0 and 20 years.

Once you think you can do this full time, apply for EVERY SINGLE JOB you think you can do. The worst they can do is ignore you. Be ready to move.

And Fred is right. Who you know is 90% of radio.
 
Ravens said:
And Fred is right. Who you know is 90% of radio.
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Who you know, and who THEY know. My big break came when someone I had worked with told me about a new station. He was part of it, and he got me in as well. So don't be afraid to ask the people you know, and who know your work, if they've heard about openings.
 
TheBigA said:
Who you know, and who THEY know. My big break came when someone I had worked with told me about a new station. He was part of it, and he got me in as well. So don't be afraid to ask the people you know, and who know your work, if they've heard about openings.
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That is also a really good idea. I got along great with other airstaff at first, but after I started filling in, things changed a little. I guess jealousy is indeed part of the radio business, and I completely understand. Sure, I may only have a fraction of their talent, but still, I am someone else. I guess that means I just need to apply until I can get myself in.
 
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Okay guys, not to open this thread up again but I could really benefit from some advice...

Things are going extremely well for me at the radio station I currently work for, and I am very pleased with my fill-in status. However, there is one problem. I might have to move out of the area late next year. At any rate, I am looking into other radio stations where I could work (not major market), but I heard that I would basically have to go back to promotions (i.e, having to be a gofer and setting up for events... probably unpaid) if I were to try and find work.

In your professional opinion, do I have a chance of working somewhere else yet? I have experience in drive time slots, as well as airchecks that prove my ability to connect with the audience, not to mention there really isn't anything new for me to learn about how to be on the air. If I have no choice but to go back to square one I think i'll try to scrape up a way to stay where I am.

Thanks.
 
Depends. At your current location, what other job and/or education opportunities exist? If you have other options that can dove-tail nicely with the radio gig, and the radio gig becomes at least a regular, not fill-in only PT slot by the end of eight or twelve months, then I'd stay put. On the other hand, if other opportunities are limited where you live, then you may need to make that move.

You could work at some fast-food joint or deliver pizza for a few years while you're young and continue to ply your radio craft (as long as you're at least regularly scheduled PT) where you are and see where that takes you. If you're in a one-horse town like where I grew up and you don't plan on taking over the family business or farm, you don't want to spend more than a few years at fast-food/pizza/other junk retail and PT radio. If that's the case, you will eventually want to move to a larger area with more opportunities, whether that's in radio or not. If you move to a larger radio market, make sure there's a decent two or four year college there.

When you go on to college, whether the tech route or traditional four-year, I would go light on the media courses. You want to prepare for a plan B in case radio/TV/media doesn't pan out. In fact, some journalism schools require students to have a second major that isn't a media concentration.

If I had it to do over again...I'd go radiology or study to be a cell-phone tech for my plan B, but I'm sure there are many other viable options that could be monetized.
 
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Don't listen to others

Just go out with what you have and a positive attitude, and a "will do"mindset. You will be all right.
 
joebtsflk1 said:
Depends. At your current location, what other job and/or education opportunities exist? If you have other options that can dove-tail nicely with the radio gig, and the radio gig becomes at least a regular, not fill-in only PT slot by the end of eight or twelve months, then I'd stay put. On the other hand, if other opportunities are limited where you live, then you may need to make that move.

You could work at some fast-food joint or deliver pizza for a few years while you're young and continue to ply your radio craft (as long as you're at least regularly scheduled PT) where you are and see where that takes you. If you're in a one-horse town like where I grew up and you don't plan on taking over the family business or farm, you don't want to spend more than a few years at fast-food/pizza/other junk retail and PT radio. If that's the case, you will eventually want to move to a larger area with more opportunities, whether that's in radio or not. If you move to a larger radio market, make sure there's a decent two or four year college there.

When you go on to college, whether the tech route or traditional four-year, I would go light on the media courses. You want to prepare for a plan B in case radio/TV/media doesn't pan out. In fact, some journalism schools require students to have a second major that isn't a media concentration.

If I had it to do over again...I'd go radiology or study to be a cell-phone tech for my plan B, but I'm sure there are many other viable options that could be monetized.
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Thanks for some great advice :) Lucky for me, my first radio job is medium market, and not a small station in a small town. I am a student, so I utilize radio as my hobby (and part time job) whenever I can, but I don't rely on it.
 
fordranger797 said:
In your professional opinion, do I have a chance of working somewhere else yet?
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Truthfully, you're the best judge of that. Have you begun networking outside of your own community? Building contacts and references with people who can give potential employers in other markets positive comments about you and your work? What do you know about your next market? That can be a problem when giving traffic information. You may be able to connect with the audience where you live, but can that translate to people in another area? And the bigger question is what's the job environment like where you're going? On air work is the most competitive part of radio. Everyone wants to do it. Much easier to break in to new markets doing other things, learn the geography and community, then go on-air. Just my two cents.
 
Overall, my biggest concern was having to drop down to working on a street team or general event work. It sounds like i've graduated well beyond that.
 
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TheBigA said:
Truthfully, you're the best judge of that. Have you begun networking outside of your own community? Building contacts and references with people who can give potential employers in other markets positive comments about you and your work? What do you know about your next market? That can be a problem when giving traffic information. You may be able to connect with the audience where you live, but can that translate to people in another area? And the bigger question is what's the job environment like where you're going? On air work is the most competitive part of radio. Everyone wants to do it. Much easier to break in to new markets doing other things, learn the geography and community, then go on-air. Just my two cents.
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Well here is where I am...
I'm very happy with how far I have come working in a medium market. Not to mention, I do not rely on radio to pay the bills, therefore I can focus on the unique opportunities (rather than making my living at this current point in time). I would love to make the step up to major market radio and work as a part time fill-in, but i'm unsure of whether or not i'd even have a chance. I've had to adapt to many different challenges, so I believe I have the skill to jump right into a major (or another medium) market if I must leave. Thankfully, I have met a few connections along the way so i'm not entirely alone ;). This thought brings me to a question (if you don't mind me asking).

What would your advice me for approaching a major market program director about working part time as a fill-in? [I tend to find job information very ambiguous on major market radio markets. You can typically find information on promotions assistant openings, but nothing at all on other job opportunities.]
 
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