(August 4, 2017) STAA member Will Palaszczuk started 2017 in one of the worst ways possible – getting laid off. Now, he is celebrating being back in the full-time sports talk game. Palaszczuk is joining the South Carolina Radio Network (SCRN) as a sports talk show host and reporter.
Palaszczuk will co-host a daily, two-hour sports talk show with veteran Phil Kornblut and report on college and pro sports for the statewide radio network.
“This opportunity is a gold mine for me, because it provides some of the best parts of the business. Hosting a daily talk show and reporting on location from games are my bread-and-butter and I couldn’t be more excited,” Palaszczuk smiles. “Covering a team in the SEC where I have some familiarity, in addition to covering the defending national champions at Clemson, makes this job one I can’t wait to start.”
The roller coaster began in February when Palaszczuk found himself unemployed after almost two years at Gow Media’s SB Nation Radio.
“I wouldn’t wish a lot of the emotions over the last 5+ months on my worst enemy, but I did learn a great deal from this experience. The absolute key is to keep yourself busy, but also to budget the time each day looking for your next job, so that it does not completely consume you. The first thing I did was I left the country — got off the grid immediately to recharge. I had a trip to Cabo planned previously for after the Super Bowl and it honestly was the best thing for me.
“Then I used my network of program directors and executives in the industry to have them listen to my work and seek advice for how I should present myself. None of these people had openings, but the fact that I’ve kept in touch with them over the years meant I could trust them to tell me when a friend or colleague at another station has a need and can recommend me.”
Happily, Palaszczuk’s network came in clutch. The SCRN opening was never posted on the STAA job board, but the lead was sent to STAA members. Palaszczuk knew about it even sooner.
“Getting this job was a textbook lesson of, ‘Connections mean everything.’ I’m going to be working for a very dear friend, Learfield’s Bill Pollock. He told me very early in the process about the potential opening, and how he could envision me working with my new partner, Phil Kornblut. When I was in Missouri, we did some tandem shows and Google Hangouts with the South Carolina show, so I was already familiar with them and their network, as they were with me. Our station also did work with Bill through our Learfield relationship, including riding together on a pair of cross-country car rides to cover Mizzou football in Atlanta and Dallas for the SEC Championship and the Cotton Bowl.”
When it came to building relationships, Palaszczuk used STAA to establish connections.
“I can’t stress enough to use the STAA directory to build yourself a network. Think of yourself as a company, you need a “Board of Directors” filled with people outside of your workplace that can not only give you honest feedback and recommendations, but also know you’re not just calling them when you need work.”
Palaszczuk also values the job leads and access to STAA CEO Jon Chelesnik.
“I learned that a lot of jobs posted publicly are already filled, or a lot of times there’s already someone in a PDs mind or someone already there getting promoted. STAA brings you unpublished openings and opportunities to get jobs others never see. I took freelance work for Blueframe technology and the NJCAA that originated from an STAA Job post email.
“Jon’s advice and encouragement throughout my years as a client continues to be the best part of where my money goes (and will continue to go) every month.”
With the events of February now fading in the rearview mirror, Palaszczuk is grateful and excited for what lies ahead.
“I greatly appreciate the opportunities and events I covered while at Gow Media. What I achieved there makes this next great step possible.”
(Visit Will’s STAA Talent Page).