Saturday, October 3, 2009

In case you hadn't noticed....

There's a google bar at the top of this page. So if you make us your home page, you can take care of all your "googling" needs.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Got a phone interview coming up? Suggest Skype

I remember how much I hated phone interviews, both as a job applicant and as a manager. There's just something about looking at people face to face that cannot be duplicated.

If you have one of these coming up, you might ask the person interviewing you to do so via Skype. It's free, simple to set up, and can add so much to a simple conversation.

News Directors might like the idea as well, as you can always read a lot more from a person's face.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

News Director's playbook: Where managers find job openings

I thought I'd share something with you that most people outside of management are not aware of. It's a weekly newsletter that talks about News Director openings, along with more arrivals and departures than LaGuardia Airport.

Why do you need this? Well, if a new ND is headed to a market you're targeting, that kind of info can give you a little time advantage. Or if a ND who liked your tape but didn't have any openings moves on to another station, said ND might have openings at the new station.

One thing to keep in mind: a new ND always wants to make changes and bring in some new people. So when you see a new person, shoot a tape their way.

Check it out. It changes weekly.

http://www.rickgevers.com/news-director-updates/

Monday, September 28, 2009

Age is a state of mind, and in the current state, nobody minds

I see a lot of comments on various boards ripping the industry for hiring young people to work in major markets. Most of this is of course based on jealousy, and the people posting fail to realize how much the business has changed.

Time that those of you looking for jobs realized it as well.

Back in the day you'd need ten years experience to get a network or major market job. Now? Fuhgeddaboudit. Here's what you need in 2009:

-Lots of potential
-A good head on your shoulders
-Maturity
-Willingness to work cheap

And while that last one is a big factor, you're not going to get a great job without the other three.

I've had many clients under 25 crack big markets. Each had the four qualities I mentioned. And don't be jealous, they all had a ton of talent and were exceptionally mature for their ages. (At one station we used to joke that the 19 year old intern was more mature than some of the anchors.)

So don't be surprised when you get interest from big markets even though you've only been in the business for awhile. If you're good, you're good. And don't be afraid to apply to big markets either.

If you see someone your age with a terrific job and wonder, "Why not me?" well, the answer might be that the person sent a tape and you didn't.

Trust me, there are no rules anymore. You don't have to pay a ton of dues anymore.

Your dream job is closer than you think.