When I worked at XTRA Sports 690 in San Diego in the mid-90s, I felt like my career was in neutral. I felt stuck. Years later, I realized I wasn’t stuck. I just didn’t want to leave my hometown.
Is your sportscasting career really stuck?
Many sportscasters think they have been in the same place for longer than they want because they are the victims of circumstance.
Not true.
There are no victims of circumstance because you have the power to change your circumstance.
If you feel “stuck,” honestly evaluate how you are doing in these three areas:
1. Skills
Are you good enough for the positions to which you aspire? The job market is the ultimate score board. If you aren’t hearing back from employers, work to improve at what you do.
Many sportscasting jobs include non-broadcasting responsibilities (blogging, shooting, editing, social media, sales, etc.). Make sure you are constantly honing old skills and learning new ones.
2. Knowledge
Learn more about the sports broadcasting industry. For example, can you name the five largest broadcasting corporations in the United States? How about the broadcast rights holders for five of the top university athletics programs? Be a student of our industry.
Learn how to go about building meaningful relationships within the industry and be sure to stay up to date on industry trends.
3. Attitude
The enemy of a great career is a bad attitude. Skill will only take you so far. Usually, though admittedly not always, promotion goes to talented people who work well with others and treat people with respect.
Let me wrap up by going back to the point I made earlier — you have the power to change your circumstances.
It is easier to stay in a place where we feel “stuck” than it is to tackle the unknown of moving to a new job. However, the challenges of a new job might be what you need to set yourself free.