Uh oh…I’ve heard from another sports broadcasting employer who is frustrated by lack of attention to detail from job seekers.
I’ve written posts based on employer feedback before. This is the latest.
While I was disappointed to learn that many of the careless job seekers in this scenario were STAA members, I am glad to have received the comments. The best way to learn about how to apply for broadcasting jobs is to listen to the employers who are evaluating your application.
When applying for jobs, you must carefully read position descriptions and give credibility to what they say.
I just had a conversation with an employer who recently hired someone for a news/sports position. The job description clearly placed the emphasis on the news part of the position. However, the employer told me that many people who applied barely referenced the news part of the job in their cover letters, if they even mentioned it at all!
Those applicants were immediately eliminated from consideration, and understandably so.
There are multiple lessons here.
Employer’s priorities take precedence over yours
The sports part of a position may be the most interesting part to you, but that may not be the case for the employer. Job applications are not about what the employer can do for you and your career.
Write your letter to fit the position description
If the description emphasizes news before mentioning sports, then emphasize your news experience in your cover letter before mentioning sports. Demonstrate your ability to be a good employee by showing you can identify the priorities of your potential future employer.
Apply only for jobs for which you are qualified
Applying for jobs for which a person doesn’t have the necessary skills and experience makes the applicant look ignorant while annoying the employer by wasting their time.
Don’t just work hard in the job market. Work smart.
