Early last August, a football play-by-play guy asked how he should go about trying to get a job calling games in the coming season for one of the regional TV networks.
He had already made one big mistake. He waited too long.
Follow these steps if you want a shot at a football play-by-play gig on a regional TV network this fall . . .
1. Act now
Contact the regional networks today because they don’t wait until summer to make those hires. They’re already completing their rosters for the fall.
If you’re an STAA member, take advantage of the TV directory on the STAA Members site. It features contact information for the people in charge of hiring at the various national and regional networks.
2. Send only football
If you are looking for football, employers don’t want to see your basketball or baseball. If you’ve never done football but you’re great at basketball, unfortunately its not enough to send basketball. Employers need to see you doing football to know you understand the rules and nuances of the game.
Remember that you are contacting employers at the highest levels of the industry. They’re not going to hire someone who doesn’t have proof they can handle the job when they have dozens of other applicants who have already demonstrated they can.
3. Follow up
Jobs are often won and lost in the follow-up. It’s one way to distinguish yourself. The job market is called that for a reason. Following-up then staying in touch with polite persistence is key towards marketing yourself and making yourself stand out.
4. Introduce yourself via email
Employers at regional networks are incredibly busy. Plus they have several dozen employees who are higher priorities than you. As much as they might want to immediately to return your call or email, they only have so many hours in the day. You’ll be much less obtrusive if you introduce yourself via email instead of phone.
