(May 24, 2018) What Andrew Pitkin lacked in experience, he made up for in enthusiasm. Now Pitkin is joining R&J Broadcasting in Brainerd, MN as an advertising sales rep and play-by-play announcer for high school and small college sports.
Pitkin gained plenty of broadcasting experience before graduating from Wheaton College in Illinois this spring. What he lacked is sales experience. He had a plan, though, for overcoming that in his pursuit of the job in Brainerd.
“I was not afraid of the sales part of the position,” he says. “I showed my enthusiasm for the idea each time it was brought up in the interviews.”
Also helping Pitkin earn the job was polite persistence. “I was persistent in the application process without being obnoxious. I made my one-week follow up call, then made sure to [stay in touch] with an email or two to get to the interview stage.”
In Brainerd, Pitkin will be working alongside fellow STAA member Devon Kruger, the station’s sports director. “It’s a great opportunity for me to begin my professional broadcasting career and learn from those who are already well established in their careers like Devon Krueger,” says Pitkin. “For the first time I will learn the ins and outs of a full time radio broadcaster. Gaining these skills will provide a steep learning curve, combined with the sales portion of the position, but it is an extremely helpful challenge to help me grow for the future.
An STAA member since December, Pitkin learned of the R&J Broadcasting opportunity through an STAA job leads email.
“There are many things I could do on my own that are made easier because I am an STAA member,” he says. “Things such as finding job openings and setting up my website. Especially right out of college, having someone like Jon Chelesnik to be a job coach both with the articles he provides and how accessible he is through email was a huge help in securing this first job.”
(Visit Andrew’s STAA Talent Page).