Years ago, the program director of a sports radio station in Oklahoma City applied for the same position at a Los Angeles station. Management in LA loved everything about him – his knowledge of the format, his ability to manage personalities, his proficiency working with sales and marketing departments – all of it.

There was just one thing that gave management in LA reservation about hiring him – the huge jump in market size from where he was to where they were.

When the trepidation came up in the interview, the PD replied brilliantly.
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A highly accomplished broadcaster applied for one a major college play-by-play job. However, when he applied by emailing resume and audio attachments, it made the impression that he doesn’t possess the technology skills necessary for the position.

Sports broadcasting jobs today are much more than simply being on the air. They are about creating online videos, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, blogging, live streaming and web editing. A person who can’t upload their demo and resume to DropBox likely can’t handle the multimedia duties required by most of today’s play-by-play jobs.

It’s okay to not know how to perform these tasks. It’s not okay to refuse to learn. Not if you want to continue your career.
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Did your mom ever tell you that you can’t have dessert if you don’t eat your vegetables? My wife and I tell it to our son all the time. You can’t eat just the steak and garlic bread – you also have to eat the peas.

It’s the same way when applying for jobs. You can’t pretend the stuff you don’t like in the position description doesn’t exist.
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One time, I was working with a radio station owner to find a new sports director. The application instructions provided a two-week window in which folks could apply. On the second day, an application came in that blew away the employer. That applicant was hired before the two-week application window had even expired.

There is an advantage to being among the first to apply for a job.

Here are three reasons to submit your application early:
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A sports broadcaster interviewed for a play-by-play job at a university. The process included meetings with the athletic director, assistant AD, marketing staff and coaches of the various sports the person would be covering.

This individual was nailing the interviews – making a great impression in each of them. He was feeling good about his chances for getting the job when he was told there was one more coach to meet. He was warned, “This one is going to be tough to impress.”
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“ESPN and Fox are hiring much younger these days.” That is one frustration shared with me by a long-time play-by-play broadcaster. Another veteran who is struggling to find work laments that sportscasting “is a young man’s game now.”

For these sportscasters, both in their late 40s to early 50s, age has become the biggest challenge to advancing their careers. “Being cast as an ‘old school’ broadcaster is probably a detriment,” says one of them.

If your perception is that it is harder for older sportscasters to find work, your feeling is accurate. It IS harder. However, understanding employers’ trepidation about hiring older voices can help you better present yourself in the job market.
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Are you sending a form letter with your sportscasting job applications? If your answer is yes, stop it immediately.

If an employer is reading cover letters, your form letter will not get you the job. Instead, invest the time to customize your letters and dramatically increase your chances of receiving a favorable reply.

Here are three keys to successfully selling yourself in your cover letter:
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A friend of mine recently applied for a sportscasting job for which he thought he was a perfect candidate. He had the necessary experience and ability, and he knew the market inside and out.

He didn’t even get an interview.

I share this story with you because his response to the disappointment was awesome.

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Recently, I received a call from an employer who wanted to vent. He was deep into the process of hiring a broadcaster and even had a clear-cut favorite. However, that favorite was starting to heavily annoy the employer because of all the references he had calling on his behalf.

Another time, the director of broadcasting for an NFL team shared with me a similar story. He was being inundated with calls from references on behalf of a particular applicant. Again, it was becoming annoying. That employer told me that one or two calls from credible references could certainly help a person’s candidacy. Any more than that, though, can quickly become counterproductive.
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You can always do more to prepare yourself in the sportscasting job market. I was reminded of that in a phone call from a friend this week.

This person has an upcoming job interview. He thought I might be able to provide some helpful background info on the employer.
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