Thursday, February 12, 2009

"do it all now" job

I had noticed that a major radio broadcasting company had posted on their website that they were accepting applications for a personality for the evening shift at one of their radio stations in a major market. After seeing all of the duties they expected the person in this position to perform, I decided I would not apply for it. Then, I saw it was listed at a part-time position: it was as if I never saw the punchline coming. Though I found it funny, I was too shocked to laugh.

A few days later I thought about it, and decided to take another look at the posting. It was now listed as a full-time position...but appeared to be a worse job than before. (I have corrected their misspellings...)

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Job Description:
...The leading candidate will know how to entertain, connect, and win...You'll need to create a one to one bond through the air and online experience. You must have strong digital production skills, be great on phones, and be able to work in a strong team environment. You'll work with the APD/PD and Online Content Director to create compelling daily content that will air both on-air and online, which includes HD and Stream.

Employment Status: Full-Time

Job Requirements:
Your responsibilities will be to adhere to all company policies and procedures regarding indecency and obscenity; maintain a website personality page; must be current with relevant daily material; search out and share all possible web content with the Program Director and OCD; participate in required station Programming, Promotions, and Sales staff meetings and events; make regular approved appearances at paid and non-paid station events; execute only Program Director approved interviews and events on air during the regularly assigned shift; be on call for possible disasters, breaking news, or acts of nature; assist with the voice over and production of paid and non-paid spots required to run on the station; be an ambassador for the radio station when out in public; maintain a positive and approachable attitude when around listeners and clients. This position is a Weekend Air-Shift position.

Education Requirements:
...you need to be creative, energized, funny, able to relate to the adult audience and have a strong desire to be part of the future of radio...

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Any radio personality with enough experience can see that they are asking for someone to do too much, with not enough time to comfortably get it done. I've had those gigs before...

My first professional radio job was in Rantoul, Illinois. It was part-time, and I did "everything" but was never asked to do more than that which could have been considered reasonable. (It was there I was snowed-in at the radio stations alone for a few days, and stayed on-air live so I could broadcast weather and news information to the community that needed it.)

Later in my career I had jobs where they wanted me to: do a "great" morning show, produce "great" commercials, attend lots of promotional events and many meetings, have on-air content cleared prior to putting it on the show, do weekend shifts...all with no (full-time) assistant(s).

For all their expectations, it was a better position when it was part-time: they must pay you for your work by the hour. As a full-time employee they can expect that you will work more than you are paid for. I can't imagine many desire this position...though they may apply for it out of need for employment.

No wonder radio stations are just slapping on Ryan Seacrest.