Your perfect next job just opened. The responsibilities fit your strengths; it’s at a station for which you want to work in a market where you want to live…
The catch is that you don’t meet the minimum experience outlined in the position description.
Do you apply anyway?
Yes.
Employers publish minimum requirements so less talented broadcasters will eliminate themselves.
Radio and TV employers are no different than NBA general managers. They care more about how good you are than where you come from. The NBA drafted LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett from high school even though they didn’t have the college experience teams generally prefer.
If you genuinely believe you can handle the job and can say without bias that you are good enough to work for that employer in that market, apply.
When you DO need to meet the requirements
One exception is major college play-by-play. You have to be good enough, but you also must have a resume that the university can sell to its fans.
What about college graduates?
Do college radio and internship experience count toward minimum experience requirements or am I wasting my time with the application?
Experience on campus radio and TV stations counts only for entry-level jobs. Otherwise, if a position description states that three-to-five years of experience are required, they mean in commercial broadcasting.
If you have just two years in commercial broadcasting but know you are ready for the next step, apply anyway.
Generally, employers want the best people, regardless of experience.
1 Comment
Logan Anderson
Now we know what books Jon reads in his spare time :)