If you’ve consumed enough STAA content, you know I’m a big fan of Jim Rome.
When Rome was working in Santa Barbara early in his career, he wanted to work at the new sports station in San Diego. As a result, he put on an all-out blitz.
Rome regularly contacted the station program director, general manager, a show host, the general sales manager and the station owner. He contacted everybody incessantly.
Finally, the program director responded, “Jim, we’ll give you a one-week try out. If you nail it, we’ll hire you. If you don’t, stop bothering us because we’re getting tired of you.”
Rome got the job, and the rest is history.
When applying for a job, the application instructions are the minimum you should do.
Don’t totally ignore them, but do more than they request.
Here are some ideas.
- There was a San Diego FM radio jock who would record a mock show every day and send it to the program director at the station where he wanted to work.
- A talk show host customizes a daily monologue and sends it to the program director at the sports station where he wants to work.
- A play-by-play broadcaster creates a page on his website for every application he sends out. He directs each employer to a page customized to them.
- You can send a video resume.
- You can apply via snail mail. Nobody does that anymore. If the instructions ask you to email your resume, do that. Also put it in the mail, though, so the potential employer has a hard copy that can’t be filed away on an iPad and forgotten about.
- Send a comprehensive portfolio instead of a simple application. Help potential employers get to know you by providing a variety of information and media.
The options are as boundless as your creativity.
Do more than the application instructions request.
As my friend Jesse Cole – Savannah Bananas baseball team owner – says, “Stop standing still and start standing out.”