Job Market

Coach Bill Snyder’s Example Will Help You Find Sportscasting Opportunities

Jon Chelesnik

I love Kansas State football. I graduated from K-State and was a walk-on in the basketball program. But it’s the football program I’ve always had a deep passion about because of Bill Snyder.

One thing Coach Snyder’s teams did was enter and exit the stadium as a group. It was a show of solidarity and there is strength in numbers.

You can apply that same “strength in number approach” in the sportscasting job market using the Referral Request Email.
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Posted in: Job Market, My Career

6 Tips For Finding Sports Broadcasting Opportunities

Jon Chelesnik

I love reading books. The one I’m currently reading is the second time I’ve read it: The Last Coach. It’s a biography about Bear Bryant.

Another book I just read for the second time is one of my all time favorites, When Pride Still Mattered, by David Maraniss. It’s a fabulously researched biography about Vince Lombardi. And another I recently read — even though I’m a Kansas State Wildcat and this is a KU book — Phog, about the legendary coach Phog Allen. Fabulous book.

My favorite books are usually recommended to me.

Do you know what? It’s the same in the job market. The best opportunities are going to be recommended to you.
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Posted in: Job Market, My Career

The Time-Saving Key To Choosing Demo Material

Jon Chelesnik

Two years into my first job in McPherson, Kansas, the play-by-play gig at the University of Kentucky opened. Cawood Ledford had passed away. I naively thought I could go from doing McPherson High School games to the Kentucky Wildcats.

I must have spent 20 hours trying to find the best stuff for my demo.

Stupid.
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Posted in: Job Market

Is Your Demo Overwhelming Employers?

Jon Chelesnik

A sportscaster invited me to listen to the demo on his website. He pointed me to a specific basketball play-by-play track he wanted me to listen to. It was one of several on the page.

If you have a single sample you want to be sure an employer reviews, make it the only sample of that genre of sportscasting that you provide.
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Posted in: Job Market

How To Grow Relationships To Build Your Career

Jon Chelesnik

A college play-by-play job opened. A broadcaster wanting to apply told me, “I worked with a guy who is close with the hiring manager at the university.” I replied, “That’s awesome! It’s terrific to have an ‘in.'”

Then he dropped the bomb.

“I haven’t been in touch with this guy for a year and a half. Should I still ask for his help?”
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Posted in: Job Market

3 Tips For Video Job Interviews

Jon Chelesnik

photo of a man wearing a suit jacket with shorts on a video job interview

A TV sportscaster in Georgia had a Skype video job interview with an employer for whom he desperately wanted to work.

He blew the interview.

Follow these three tips for Skype job interviews so you don’t make the same mistakes our friend did.
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Posted in: Job Market

Questions To Ask In Your Job Interview

Jon Chelesnik

“Do you have any questions for me?”

Invariably, most job interviews get to the point where the employer asks you that question. The absolute worst response is…

“Nope, I think you pretty much answered everything.”
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Posted in: Job Market

7 Questions To Expect In Your Job Interview

Jon Chelesnik

The more interviews you do, the more you will realize that many employers tend to ask variations of the same handful of questions.

Knowing what is (probably) coming gives you opportunity to prepare in advance.

Here are seven common questions in job interviews.
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Posted in: Job Market

4 Tips For Winning Your Job Interview

Jon Chelesnik

man shakes hands with manager

A radio station employer in Michigan was looking for a new Sports Director. Following a phone interview with a candidate in South Dakota, the employer thought he might have found his guy. He brought him to Michigan for a second, informal interview over dinner.

That’s when things fell apart.
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Posted in: Job Market