Send your tapes NOW for jobs in the fall

You may not see a lot of job listings right now, and plenty of NDs are on vacation in July and August, but trust me, they are keeping an eye on the near future. If you have an opening this time of year, you generally want to fill it in September or October in time for the November book.

So why don't people get hired so much in the dead of summer?

You guessed it, money. Viewership is way down this time of year, so NDs save a few months salary and hire someone closer to the book. It also gives them a few more dollars to play with salary-wise. Call it creative accounting.

Anyway, now is the time to send your tapes. Don't wait till you see ads, don't wait till Labor Day. Send 'em now. You'll beat the rush and things are more relaxed in the summer, so a ND might take a closer look at your tape. If it makes an impression, it will be put aside for those fall openings.

Get the list of markets, highlight the ones that interest you, cross out the really bad companies or the stations with lunatic NDs you know about, and hit the post office.

Then, of course, follow the fuhgeddaboudit rule. No follow up calls. Send it and put it out of your mind.

You might be pleasantly surprised in a few months when you're the one getting a call.