How to Find a Career Working in Radio
Make the Most of the Employment Opportunities in Broadcasting
Jul 13, 2009
The aim of the Radio Advertising Bureau’s “Radio Heard Here” Campaign in the USA, is in the words of its website “designed to underscore the broadening versatility of Radio’s content, the pioneering innovation of its technology, and the continuing relevance of the medium in America’s lives.” This is a relevance continuing in other countries seemingly simultaneously.
The Future of Radio
In most major markets and small communities alike, and supported by many recently published and encouraging listening figures, the future of Radio is both healthy and hopeful. This is cited by the industry for a number of reasons:
- The Radio Industry is Investing (some say heavily) in New Technology.
- Radio is now available on a number of platforms – eg DAB, the Internet, Mobile Phones & iPods.
- Radio is the most accessible and portable of the media able to adapt more quickly to listeners’ changing listening habits.
- Radio is more easily targeted, with simultaneously both a healthy younger and older listening profile.
- Radio has the ability to remain localised and at the same time cover national and international events.
- Radio research has also shown the listener has an emotional attachment to their radio station. (More perhaps than any other medium)
So far these reasons and many more, the radio industry argue, Radio’s future as a medium, unlike they also say perhaps the declining newspaper industry, is if not assured then at least worthy of investment. For anyone looking for an industry to invest their time and effort into in the pursuit of a profitable career, the radio industry is certainly one worth serious consideration.
Working From the Bottom to the Top
Many broadcasters find themselves firstly working in a position they knew nothing about or never expected to be in, and over time gaining experience in other areas and departments. It’s not unusual to find someone starting in radio as a Runner or a Go-for, and ending up as the Station Director. Here are a few common tips many industry insiders are keen new entrants or anyone wanting to get into the industry bear in mind:
- Be keen and happy to do any job, especially in smaller stations.
- Be enthusiastic and interested, with a ‘can do’ attitude.
- Remember its Radio and entertainment and better than working in an office.
- There are many more worthwhile jobs need doing other than being a DJ.
- Be prepared to recognise and grasp any opportunity that arises.
- Hard work is always rewarded, well usually if only eventually.
Radio is often a difficult industry to get into but with a considerable amount of persistence once the door is slightly jar for anyone the unexpected often happens. A career in the radio industry never happens overnight and the more experience and practical hands on work staff can find the more rewarding will be their eventual positions.
Getting the Right Qualifications
Because the radio industry in most countries is organised into so many disparate groups or companies and businesses of varying size and varying requirements, unlike say some professions, there are very few essential industry wide recognised and essential educational qualifications. That’s not to say that most employers, station managers or HR personnel will not recognise the achievements and usefulness of some training for specific roles and jobs. Most will.
In considering a potential candidate for work, certain qualifications on someone’s CV will be a considerable advantage in getting work in certain departments in a radio station. The most obvious are:
- Engineering – technology or computer focused study or technical qualification.
- Sales and marketing – Sales has few formal educational requirements, but experience of selling is useful, and any marketing, media or research based study is helpful for marketing.
- News room and journalist – Most general media courses are useful, and specific writing or news courses are well regarded.
- Commercials production – sometimes called Creative Services, again general media courses, and/or sound engineering study or creative writing courses are a good advantage.
- Presentation and Production – some colleges offer presentation courses, and hands-on experience of a mixing desk is useful, but few ‘personality’ qualifications exist. DJ work, or mixing can be helpful, and sound engineering study is a bonus, as is a willing personality.
Other Routes to Consider
A radio station is like any other organisation in as much as it needs a certain amount of organising to function, and like any organisation it needs office back-up to do it efficiently and effectively. A well trodden path into radio even by some famous names is to start in one of the many admin roles in the various departments. For the ‘can-do’ and ‘helpful’ persona, one thing can and very often does lead to another.
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