Situations Wanted Has Become AA's Most Entertaining Section

[shannonmurdoch]

OK.. you mention you're a former PD. Which begs the question, how long ago?
Job seekers need to be professional? How about broadcasters being professional.
Is it professional to tell a job seeker he/she is too old? Is it professional to say they're looking for a
male, female, hispanic, black or christian and NOT you? Since broadcasters are EEO employers, no it isn't professional. Neither is legal.
So is it any wonder listeners and job seekers alike know "how radio is" nowadays, and react accordingly. Listeners turn it off, and job seekers make it clear from the onset "i'm not taking your crap".
I really think that's what it comes down too.
EVERYONE is wise to radio. Have been for the past 10-15 years. Because what goes on inside radio, does not stay inside radio. it gets plastered all over the internet. The good, the bad and the ugly.
Mostly bad and ugly, though.

[toosharp]

thanks

[Drakea83]

Nothing in the Situations Wanted area grabs me and makes me want to hire someone. They all blow smoke saying how great they are at his or that without giving vital details. I'd like to know where the person is from and what exactly they want. Too often it's "I've done it all and kicked arse at it! Hire me now." Well if I'm looking for a promo director, I want them to specifically tell me they've worked promotions and for how long. If I'm looking for a night country person, I want to know they know the format. I'm in Texas and would rather not pay to move someone from Oregon here when there's someone in Louisiana that's just as qualified. It'd be very beneficial to them if they didn't try to make themselves seem like the greatest thing ever on radio and give me an earnest reason why I should hire them.

Just my 2 cents.

[halltalk]

Drakea83 - Exactly. I have to hold myself back from contacting some of these guys with suggestions. Most of the ads are trying to be different or clever and they're neither. You really need to be a salesperson: as succinctly as possible, tell the PD your features and the benefits those features will provide. Be specific - not (as you say) how you'll kick butt, etc.

IMO, the worst ads are the ones begging. The ones that say "Get Me Back Home!" or "Help Me Jump Start My Career!" or "Please Help Me!" As a one-time well known PD once told me, it's not the station's job to rescue anyone or help their career or get them back close to mom, etc. It's the job of the unemployed to sell him or herself to that PD and pleading is weak.

I honestly wish all the best. It's truly a difficult time to look for employment - I know first-hand.

[1lossir]

I don't know if I'd call it "entertaining"...more like "sad". Virtually all the SW ads are from folks who have no idea how to market themselves. If you're trying to get someone to be interested in you, putting things like "demos on request" or "I'm ready to talk to you", writing your life story in a SW ad or (as noted above) the "plea"-type ads aren't going to cut it.

If you have a SW ad, ask yourself this question HONESTLY: If you were a PD, would YOU bother responding to your own ad?

[jamie804]

What I find amusing about the entire process is... after the stations have padded their "EEO"( more like lol) files with applicants, they end up paying someone to VT, or finally promoting the weekend guy. I honestly stopped applying to all the corporate sites (clearcareers.blah enterthis.com/jobs) because I have yet to see anyone get hired from a website.
I use WCDX is richmond as a prime example. a few years back they fired the entire staff for a few weeks changed the name to ipower and then after a LONG extensive search for new personalities, through the radio one website, hired the same exact staff back...(probably for way less pay). i know cause that is my home town and i left the state to gain enough experience, to try to come back and get a job... 11 years later same exact staff in same time slots... Maybe thats why the company is only worth 83 cents a share.