Looking for on-air work in Talk radio?

Looking for on-air work in Talk radio? Holland Cooke Media Looking for on-air work?

"Nobody ever tells me anything."
It's stunning how often I hear this from on-air talent who are desperate for direction and getting none.
Oh, it USED to be awkward when I'd visit a client station for the first time.
On-air talent was SO apprehensive that -- if you listened carefully -- you could hear sphincters clicking shut, all around the table in the conference room.
But now, more-often-than-not, talent EMBRACES me!
Why: Consolidation.
At too many station clusters, the music FM sister stations get all the attention.
Often, talent at the Talk AMs I'm hired to work with tell me that my being there is a welcome message from management that "AM MATTERS TOO."

Are you looking for an on-air job in Talk radio?
Recent station transactions -- many at eye-popping prices -- have saddled owners with big mortgages. So every station expense is questioned, something's gotta give, and many local on-air positions have been eliminated. High-quality syndicated programming and inexpensive PC-based automation allow stations to operate with fewer on-air folks than it took ten years ago.

Competition for remaining on-air jobs is intense. There are more applicants than positions.
Some Talk stations now have no local talent! But what most money-making News/Talk/Sports AMs continue have in common is engaging station personalities who bond with the community, and can move advertisers' products off the shelf. Like any industry, radio cost-cutters can only slash so much before they hit the bone. No business ever downsized its way to greatness.

So, while the quantity of local talk jobs may have shrunk, the quality bar has been raised. Because every hire has to be a slam-dunk, management is hiring more carefully than ever.

For every call I get from a "Rush or Dr. Laura orphan" or other unemployed talk host, I also hear from a GM or PD with an opening...but no qualified candidate for the position.

Talk radio jobs and talent never had a tougher time finding each other.
One big reason: Most employers are overwhelmed by the number of unqualified applicants. If the stakes weren't so high, it would be comical. To management, many applicants look alike, and most make the same mistakes during the job-seeking process. So if YOU can distance yourself from the field, you will have a colossal advantage.

Does it seem like chance has a lot to do with who gets hired?
It does! Everybody involved is taking a chance. Just as every hire is a gamble for the employer, you take a chance every time you change jobs.

Face it: When it comes to getting hired in talk radio, you're not just in "Programming," you're also in "Sales." You're a product, and your next employer is a consumer.

After comparison-shopping all the available choices on a crowded shelf of applicants, station management commits to a decision. Like anyone buying anything, an employer does so based on how he or she feels about information they've gathered. Think back about big-ticket items you've purchased: major appliances, your car, a house. You favor the choice you know most about, the one in which you've invested the most time. These are rational, sensible criteria, but there's an emotional factor, too: We choose what we feel best about.

One of several clear themes running through an exclusive survey of general managers from Talk radio stations across the USA: The "mass-mailing" look is a turn-off. Verbatim comments of respondents suggest that job applicants avoid:

"NOT PERSONALIZING PRESENTATION."

"GENERIC-LOOKING PRESENTATION"

From the very first moment you apply, your audition has begun.

SURVEY QUESTION: "CHECK ONE OF THE FOLLOWING: MOST APPLICANTS...

...SEND MATERIAL THAT PERTAINS TO YOUR STATION'S SPECIFIC NEEDS. (16.9%) OR...
...SEND GENERIC MATERIAL THAT LOOKS AS IT IT'S PART OF A MASS MAILING." (83.1%)

Isn't Talk talent supposed to be curious? And thorough?
Appreciate your consumer's dilemma. Every Talk show is a minefield. Unchecked facts can provoke lawsuits and license challenges. Every single word you speak on-air has to be right. Remember, multi-million-dollar franchises are on the line and the person you're applying to is responsible. So look meticulous. How you handle your personal business tells an employer a lot about how you'd handle the station's business.

You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Double-check everything you send. Proof it twice! No typos, type-overs, or smudges. Make sure your material looks as if it's from a very thorough person. The most common misconception among Talk radio job applicants is "MY WORK WILL SPEAK FOR ITSELF!"

You've just read an excerpt from my book
GET THE JOB! How Talk Radio General Managers Hire On-Air Talent
(Based on a national survey.)
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