Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Waiting game

Several years ago I was flown in for a job interview on a Friday. It went very well, I got along great with the ND, we had a lot in common. He dropped me off at the airport and said, "I'll definitely be calling you with a decision on Monday."

I flew home knowing it wasn't gonna happen.

Monday, no call. Tuesday, no call. The rest of the week, no call.

I'd seen this game before. They want to see how desperate you are. If you call, they know you really, really want the job, and will take less money to get it.

So I waited and didn't call. Even though I really, really wanted the job.

Week two, no call.

At this point I moved on, figuring he'd hired someone else.

Week three, no call. I'd kinda forgotten about it. I went on vacation.

Then I got the call and the job offer.

So what's the deal with the waiting game? Why does this scenario play out time and again? Why do NDs say they'll call on a certain date, tell you they have to make a decision immediately, and then make you endure more delays than if you were flying out of the Atlanta airport?

Let's go down the possible reasons:

-The desperation search. See story above.

-They made a decision to hire you, kicked it up to corporate for approval, and are waiting for some beancounter to rubber stamp things. Corporate people don't move fast in this business, especially if the station is part of a large group. You're not on the front burner.

-They're waiting for the results of a drug test, background check, or both.

-They're checking references.

-They're saving money. Divide the salary by 52 weeks, and every week they stall, they're saving that much.

-They can't make up their damn minds. GMs can gum up the works like you wouldn't believe. And so can consultants.

-If it's the middle of summer, there's no real rush to hire since the next sweeps period is in November.

-A big breaking story got in the way. If you're applying for a job in Memphis right now, you're not even on the back burner. You're not even on the stove.

So it's not you, it's them. This is very, very common and happens to my clients all the time. It has happened to me numerous times.

It's hard to put this out of your mind when you're up for a job, but you have to. It's just the way the business works.

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Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Top ten lies of broadcasting

Ironic, isn't it? We work in a business with a basic principle of uncovering the truth and then deal with people who flat out lie to our faces.

Well, that's just human nature. As the old saying goes, a pessimist is merely an optimist with experience.

I'd guess about half the managers out there will be honest with you. The other half? Well, they could spend a year in a confessional, get ten thousand Hail Marys for penance and still lie on Monday.

So here's a list of statements that you can pretty much discount:

1. "We don't need to put that in writing." Usually heard during contract negotiation, this lie will not be unveiled until employee tries to collect on said unwritten promise, upon which manager will suffer from selective memory. Moral: get everything in writing.

2. "It will be a lot better when we get in the new building." Yeah, I fell for this as a rookie when told that we'd be leaving our ramshackle station for a state-of-the-art facility.

3. "You'll be considered for the anchor job." If they were really considering you, they'd come to you, not vice versa, and not give you such a lame flicker of hope.

4. "We have big plans for you in the future." Usually heard after a reporter who has been at one place for awhile gets turned down for a promotion for the umpteenth time.

5. "You should consider this a promotion." Heard when you have actually been demoted to a lousy shift or had your job description drastically changed.

6. "I'll try to get you some more money." Right up there with, "The check's in the mail."

7. "If you don't sign right now I'm going to hire someone else." Typical hard-line approach taken with rookies who fear they will never, ever get a job. If you hear this, leave skid marks.

8. "You don't really need to read the contract, it's all standard." That means you really, reaaalllllly need to read the contract. And have a lawyer do it as well.

9. "Our company doesn't give outs." Do your homework with other employees at other stations. Chances are you'll find that statement isn't true.

10. "We only do three year contracts." See lie number 9.

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