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Team Zoom
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I own clip-on ties from my youth.
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An "Amazing" Career that pays squatt
- Thread starter X-14
- Start date
M
mchatham103
Guest
I left radio for construction. Does that tell you guys anything? ;D
Not to mention that I'm enjoying what I'm doing now and NOT being constantly stressed about ratings.
MC
Not to mention that I'm enjoying what I'm doing now and NOT being constantly stressed about ratings.
MC
T
The Beave
Guest
mchatham103 said:
$22.00/hr vs $8.00 Wise choice!
mchatham103 said:
I use to think radio was the GREATEST job in the world, until I was hired at my present job.
3 times the money, Monday-Friday, excellent benefits, 10 paid holidays and a wonderful company that treats you with respect.
I now have the GREATEST job in the world, and do radio as a hobby. ;D
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silentsquealer
Guest
I do radio as a hobby now as well.
Not going to get too into my history as I'm trying to stay
secret at least locally in my area to my identity, but I started in radio
a few years ago at the bottom, continually got promoted up
and then BANG glass ceiling. So I luckily found something else
for a career that is about 2 to 3 times what I would get as a full-time
on-air talent. The more I look at the current state of the "profession" though,
the less I would want to be full-time anyway. Very limited chances to
be creative is what kills it for me. Back off and let me get you some frickin ratings ya jerks!
Nobody gives a crap about hearing Pearl Jam AGAIN.
Not going to get too into my history as I'm trying to stay
secret at least locally in my area to my identity, but I started in radio
a few years ago at the bottom, continually got promoted up
and then BANG glass ceiling. So I luckily found something else
for a career that is about 2 to 3 times what I would get as a full-time
on-air talent. The more I look at the current state of the "profession" though,
the less I would want to be full-time anyway. Very limited chances to
be creative is what kills it for me. Back off and let me get you some frickin ratings ya jerks!
Nobody gives a crap about hearing Pearl Jam AGAIN.
A number of people have referenced to their new careers after radio and bragging about how much beeter the neww jobs are. Would ou mind sharing as to what this wonderful employment is. Specifics would be wonderful but generalities would be appreciated as well.
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silentsquealer
Guest
Get to use my voice...
But not doing VO work
But not doing VO work
A
Adgirl
Guest
The pay situation has always been higher on the sales side but it comes with it's own risks. Like having a format switched with no notice and all your accounts go south. But even sales is not nearly what it used to be and we are treated as if we are independent contractors- meaning no expenses paid for at all yet we are expected to entertain clients, pay for gas, tolls, Blackberry, etc.
On top of all this....it just ain't fun anymore.
On top of all this....it just ain't fun anymore.
ricksegers said:
Without going back thru this whole thread to be sure, I think I posted on here that I'm doing fulltime voiceover from home, as many former F/T radio people do.
There are ups and downs to it as well, though.
For starters, a lot of djs find it really hard to make the transition. Voiceover clients do NOT want radio voices! You have to really change your whole mindset about how you deliver copy. It took me YEARS to migrate over. One former radio person I think has done a good job of making that jump is Steve Mitchell (www.stevemitchellvoiceworks.com)
The pay, while easily better than in radio, is spotty. I can make $10,000 in one month and nothing in the next.
You also have to market yourself relentlessly and learn to overcome rejection. It's not at all uncommon to audition for 100 gigs and not land one. And when you do, it may only be a $100 gig.
On the other hand, you work fulltime from home, in your shorts, barefeet and free t-shirts from the stations you used to work for.
You often end up creating some terrific long-term relationships with great clients who come to you again and again and again.
The variety of work is rewarding. I've done movie trailers for small independent films, national spots, e-learning, website narration and more.
I will say this: since deciding to do fulltime v/o from home about 5 years ago, I've easily made more than I EVER made in radio as a fulltime jock/producer. But it's not for everyone. You have to adapt and be VERY self-motivated.
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Twitch
Guest
mchatham103 said:
You may not be stressed by ratings, but are you not stressed by the mortgage crisis? I have a few buddies who lost their jobs in construction because of it.
This is an amazing thread that should be posted in a non-regional location.
Almost every post resonated with me. I left the FT radio world 12 years ago, and constantly miss it. I make more than three times what I did (working in software) and still do radio part time, but I continually have to remind myself why (wife, kids, mortgage, food, gas, etc).
My wife noted that had I stayed in radio, I would still be eating beans and rice. I said I would probably be happy from a career standpoint, and she pointed out that I would have virtually no retirement plan. This would have been a great career for me if I didn't consider the future.
I wish everyone who stayed in well and I hope you never get fired again. I empathize with everyone who left and I'm waiting until I can retire from my day job (when money is no longer my prime concern) and I can run back into the loony world of radio.
Almost every post resonated with me. I left the FT radio world 12 years ago, and constantly miss it. I make more than three times what I did (working in software) and still do radio part time, but I continually have to remind myself why (wife, kids, mortgage, food, gas, etc).
My wife noted that had I stayed in radio, I would still be eating beans and rice. I said I would probably be happy from a career standpoint, and she pointed out that I would have virtually no retirement plan. This would have been a great career for me if I didn't consider the future.
I wish everyone who stayed in well and I hope you never get fired again. I empathize with everyone who left and I'm waiting until I can retire from my day job (when money is no longer my prime concern) and I can run back into the loony world of radio.
I tried to get into radio at one point. I had experience as an audio engineer but found that didn't mean much when most on air talent handle the production of their shows unless you're an am-drive host and even then it seems like someone who's on the air is handling that. I actually had a chance to intern at WGST years ago but my schedule never panned out right so I really missed the window. I was settling down in the area anyway and wasn't ready to move to a small market to get my feet wet. I ended up doing audio for a couple of more years and then wound up in interactive development.
nice to dream though.
nice to dream though.
D
Dixie Jock
Guest
Sorry you all couldn't make it...some of us are having a great career in this market, and are making very good money, well into the six figures.
Dixie Jock said:
Congratulations.
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