Christmas Opportunities

The supermarkets have started to stock advent calendars and radio stations have already planned their Christmas schedule. Over the festive periods there's often opportunities to help out.

With skeleton staff in the station over the festive period there's a chance the Programme Controller is looking for someone to...

• Tech Op shows
• Look after music logs
• Be on stand by for heavy snow or breaking news
• Make the tea for the poor presenter who is stuck in on his own on Boxing Day
• Produce ROT's
• Load production for the New Year

Now is the time to get in touch, specifically mentioning your COMPLETE availability over Christmas (because you're so keen to work with them). Stress how local you are, how easy it would be for you to get in through ice and snow and that your are totally reliable.

Contact them today! And just incase you're yet feeling festive...

Where's something you made earlier?

One of the best things to improve your skills is to MAKE STUFF. Produce your own podcast, documentary, drama, vox pops, community/student radio -ANTYHING! Just produce stuff.

You only need a PC, Microphone, Audio Editing software and speakers. And some good ideas.

This will fuel a demo. Because there is absolutely no point meeting someone in radio for a job in radio without taking audio that you have produced. But don't just leave your work on a CD waiting for the next interview, get it online and share it to the world. It will help you network, you never know who might hear it but more importantly if you've put in alot of hard work to produce something you want as many people as possible to hear it. And it's great and invaluable to get feedback from people, without this you won't develop and improve.

SO PRODUCE LOTS OF GOOD AUDIO, CONSTANTLY, AND SHARE IT TO THE WORLD.

I'm going to lead by example here; http://soundcloud.com/jaydormer

Why?

So you want to work in radio? WHY?

Every interview i've ever been to they have always asked me 'Why do you want this job?'. So make sure you ask yourself that question everytime you apply for a job and explain why. It may seem like an easy task but can you really answer the question in a way that fairly portrays your passion and obsession for the job?

You would think it would be an easy question to answer but it really isn't. It requires you to open up and talk about feelings/opinions and your personality in front of a complete stranger. Some people are great at that, others aren't (for various reasons).

But before you can answer this question you need to understand for yourself why you want it. If you're sat thinking now "well i don't know why i want to be a XXX" it may mean you don't really want it, on the other hand it may just mean there are many reasons and you've got yourself so excited about the propects you haven't actually thought about it. If you fit under the latter then you need to think about all the pros and cons of the job, your strengths and weaknesses and what makes you tick...what would make you wake up on monday morning and be excited to get in the office.

Here's some bad reasons for wanting a job in radio (some apply to other industries)...

• It looks/sounds showbiz.
• I imagine it pays well.
• I want my friends to be impressed.
• To meet celebrities.
• I love listening to the station. (That is the one station you apply at, love listening to radio generally is to be encouraged but you'll never be hired for being a fan).
• I want to be famous.
• I want to be on the radio. (when applying for a Production role).
  

Would you do whatever it takes?

When i was trying to get my foot in the door, gain experience i would bend over backwards for potential employers. Would you?

Would you travel a couple of hours to get to the station just to tech op or record some vox pops?

Would you do eight hour days for free just for experience?

Would you get up at five in the morning just to go and make a cup of tea for the presenters?

Would you call in sick from the regular bill paying job to help out one day?

Would you live with mum and dad so you could afford to just do a few hours a week?

Would you give up your Christmas and New Years Eve?

If your sending loads of CV's off, desperate to get a job, and constantly getting frustated asking yourself why you're not getting much luck your answer to each of those questions should be....YES!

You should be willing to bend over backwards to get the experience and your foot in the door.Now, you maybe sitting there saying to yourself...i would, easy...i would do anything. But would you really? Have you ever turned an opportunity down? No matter how miniscule it seemed at the time. That rejection could have been your first error. Why? You gave off the wrong signals.If someone will call in sick to their regular bill paying job just to spend an hour in the station it shows they're keen, they're a hard worker and will do anything to get their dream. And that means alot more to employers than anything.

Be passionate.

Be keen.

Be willing.

Be able.

And hope you're lucky. But your luck will increase if you have the right attitude.

That's your lot for now.

December is here, but it's not too late!

December is here, only a few sleeps til santa. But it's still not too late to reap the benefits of the Christmas and New Year holiday. Tis the season to be lucky.

Full time staff want time off over Christmas but the station must go on. Even in local commercial stations that network a large percentage of their programmes from London there's still a need for hands on deck (or should i say desk?).

• Pre-recorded shows might need Tech-Ops.
• Music might need scheduling.
• Local stations within a large network might need audio loading.
• The office might need someone to man the phones.
• Maybe news need someone to go out and record interviews/vox pops.
• The PC might want someone to keep an eye on timings on NYE to make sure Big Ben hits 12 on time.

There's loads of opportunities and time's running out. You never know where a quick phone call offerring your services might get you.

Good luck, feel free to post below how you get on!

Switch on

If you have already gained some experience, learnt some skills and worked hard to spread your name, trying to get programme controllers (and alike) to talk about you and offer you some work make sure you have a mobile phone which is switched ON. Always. Never turned off. Always by your side and controlling your life (just as the likes of Nokia dream of).

When someone has called in sick or the studio phones go into meltdown programme controllers need someone who is reliable, savy and enthusiastic like no other. They'll need someone to say 'yes' pretty quick, this is where your persistence will pay off. If, however, your phone is switched off when they ring or your mates answer taking the piss, you've missed your shot. In their urgency they'll ring the next reliable, keen and enthusiastic person (because trust me...there's alot of them to contend with).

So your mobile phone should always be switched on. Make sure its on at 5.59am just as the breakfast show realise that the assistant producer is off sick today.

Have a clear and professional answer message. No "Yo Bitch, me isn't answering the phone innit, so holla after the beep" or playing songs into the phone answer machine (i hate that!).

When they do get through to you; be polite but not un-naturally, friendly and KEEN. Don't say "oh sorry but i'm going out to get pissed that night", be eager to put off other plans to help them out. If you have major commitments they will understand but atleast offer or explain. If you can't do it because of something else that you really can't cancel make it obvious that you're gutted and that if there was a way you could do it you really would. You need to be available everytime they need you and keen to go out your way to help them.

Finally, if they leave a message on your answer machine; REPLY! Ring them back straightaway otherwise the opportunity could well be gone.

Jays Quick Tip

Spread your wings...Be multi-talented. If you can help cover an on air show when they're stuck on a Friday night or film and edit a short video of an event for the website you'll be useful to have around and will give off the signs of eagerness.