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Broadcasting Job Fairs Are So Bogus!

M

Mark_Giardina

Guest
A number of commercials have recently aired over local television and in the newspaper here in my community and in others, promoting an upcoming media job fair. This is so bogus because all these media outlets are doing is obtaining as many resumes as possible just to show federal regulators that these stations are making a concerned effort to recruit people, when the truth is the complete opposite.

Nine times out of ten if there is a job opening, the station already has someone in mind for that position, and the job posting is just a cover so they don’t get in trouble.

These job fairs also give young people, or those out-of-work, false hope that they might land a job at a certain station. And that is just wrong.
<P ID="signature">______________
"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted and I won't be laid a hand on.
I don't do these things to other people and I expect the same from them".</P>
 
<font face="times new roman" size="3" color="330066">
And what did you expect? Openings for a morning show anchor, perhaps? Sales Manager? GM? PD? C'mon Mark, how long were in the business? Both you and I are ex-radio guys who shouldn't be surprised by the smoke and mirrors.

Do I condone the tactics used these days to satisfy EEO and other hiring manadates? Certainly not. Does any of what's been going on surprise me. Not at all. These "job fairs" are nothing more than cattle calls that give stations a convenient premise to troll for sales people and board-ops. Yet, any GM would argue that it's the perfect opportunity for those seeking employment to demonstrate their skills and make a first impression.

Caveat emptor.
 
I may stop by after work - even if it's just to see who got saddled with working the booths.



> And what did you expect? Openings for a morning show anchor,
> perhaps? Sales Manager? GM? PD? C'mon Mark, how long were in
> the business? Both you and I are ex-radio guys who shouldn't
> be surprised by the smoke and mirrors.
>
> Do I condone the tactics used these days to satisfy EEO and
> other hiring manadates? Certainly not. Does any of what's
> been going on surprise me. Not at all. These "job fairs" are
> nothing more than cattle calls that give stations a
> convenient premise to troll for sales people and board-ops.
> Yet, any GM would argue that it's the perfect opportunity
> for those seeking employment to demonstrate their skills and
> make a first impression.
>
> Caveat emptor.
>
 
>These "job fairs" are
> nothing more than cattle calls that give stations a
> convenient premise to troll for sales people and board-ops.

You've both nailed it. The stations may put bait on the hook to kindle people's dreams of radio or TV stardom---at least among people who still think broadcast performing talent is paid and treated well, and enjoys some degree of security if their performance numbers are any good. (Those of us in the business know better, of course...but I digress.) But after the bait comes the switch...the fact that the real objectives are to garner EEOC brownie points, and find people to fill the thankless jobs (board op, street team, outside sales to retail clients) that they otherwise struggle to fill, selling those jobs as a potential entree to the kind of work people really want to do if they want to join our industry at all.
 
Amen to all of these thoughts. As someone who was in the biz and who's current employment is shaky (due to economic conditions, not anything that I've done), I wouldn't go back. I had a lot of fun, met a lot of cool peeps, and I learned a lot but I've seen the industry's decline. I'll figure something else out.

> >These "job fairs" are
> > nothing more than cattle calls that give stations a
> > convenient premise to troll for sales people and
> board-ops.
>
> You've both nailed it...

>
<P ID="signature">______________
I can't believe I'm sitting here in Buffalo. The only town where you can have a good time without enjoying yourself.
Inez (as portrayed by Amherst, NY native Wendie Malick) "Manna from Heaven", 2002</P>
 
> A number of commercials have recently aired over local
> television and in the newspaper here in my community and in
> others, promoting an upcoming media job fair. This is so
> bogus because all these media outlets are doing is obtaining
> as many resumes as possible just to show federal regulators
> that these stations are making a concerned effort to recruit
> people, when the truth is the complete opposite.
>

Um...no. I can't speak for the industry as a whole, but the company I work for acutally combs through the resumes looking for someone with real potential. I know; I've done a lot of the combing! And I've followed up with some of the applicants. Yes, it does help meet our federal recruiting requirements, and that is part of the reason we do it. But that does not mean we treat it as less than a serious recruiting tool.


> Nine times out of ten if there is a job opening, the station
> already has someone in mind for that position, and the job
> posting is just a cover so they don’t get in trouble.
>

I don't think I would set that at a 90% rate; probably 50% is more accurate. And even then, I still read over the applications that come in. Sometimes those people get a call!

> These job fairs also give young people, or those
> out-of-work, false hope that they might land a job at a
> certain station. And that is just wrong.
>

If someone is unrealistic enough to think that the jobs are just there for the taking at any job fair, they're operating on false hope and need a wake-up call. That's true of any industry. We clearly indicate which jobs we are currently hiring for, usually sales and board op. Yes, those are pretty-much your entry-level jobs. But who expects to start in any industry somewhere other than entry-level? How many morning show teams have been hired right out of college or off the street? You have to start somewhere. And qualified applicants do have a chance to land those jobs. No, they won't be glamorous jobs. The new hire won't be an overnight celebrity. But it's the way into the industry.
 
> A number of commercials have recently aired over local
> television and in the newspaper here in my community and in
> others, promoting an upcoming media job fair. This is so
> bogus because all these media outlets are doing is obtaining
> as many resumes as possible just to show federal regulators
> that these stations are making a concerned effort to recruit
> people, when the truth is the complete opposite.
>
> Nine times out of ten if there is a job opening, the station
> already has someone in mind for that position, and the job
> posting is just a cover so they don’t get in trouble.
>
> These job fairs also give young people, or those
> out-of-work, false hope that they might land a job at a
> certain station. And that is just wrong.
>

Did anyone else notice the missing broadcast companies ?
 
The way the traffic business is going in this market, I'd bring along the demo tapes and resumes while you're at it.


> I may stop by after work - even if it's just to see who got
> saddled with working the booths.
 
EEO rules for radio and TV are a joke. Do they have EEO rules for movies and sit-coms? Does the government expect a producer to cast a 65 year old chinese woman to play the role of Batman? Is radio and TV not "show biz?" When you have a position, and it requires a certain, style, look, lifestyle, gender, etc, why should it be technically illegal to recruit to fill that role?

PTR

> A number of commercials have recently aired over local
> television and in the newspaper here in my community and in
> others, promoting an upcoming media job fair. This is so
> bogus because all these media outlets are doing is obtaining
> as many resumes as possible just to show federal regulators
> that these stations are making a concerned effort to recruit
> people, when the truth is the complete opposite.
>
> Nine times out of ten if there is a job opening, the station
> already has someone in mind for that position, and the job
> posting is just a cover so they don’t get in trouble.
>
> These job fairs also give young people, or those
> out-of-work, false hope that they might land a job at a
> certain station. And that is just wrong.
>
 
Re: A Fair Question

> EEO rules for radio and TV are a joke. Do they have EEO
> rules for movies and sit-coms? Does the government expect a
> producer to cast a 65 year old chinese woman to play the
> role of Batman? Is radio and TV not "show biz?" When you
> have a position, and it requires a certain, style, look,
> lifestyle, gender, etc, why should it be technically illegal
> to recruit to fill that role?
>
> PTR

A fine can of worms you've opened here, PTR and a legitimate question, which deserves a reasoned answer. The difference between movies and broadcasting is radio and television (with the exception of cable) use the public airwaves. As such, radio and TV are a public "trust."

Movies are not.

I would offer that radio and television stations are licensed and mandated to operate "in the public interest, convenience and necessity," and as such, required to reflect, to a reasonable extent, the communities they serve.

One might argue the FCC licensing process is a "joke." But as long as the licensing process is maintained and radio and television stations carry their existing monetary values, the licensing process is anything but a joke. It's serious business and as such, the gravity of the process requires that radio and television stations adhere to the rules, such as they are.

Your analogy regarding "role players" vis a vis radio morning show host to leading man or woman in a film, has merit, but let us remember that there are numerous jobs in any one radio or television station: Sales, secretarial, traffic, production, engineering/I-T, promotions and sadly, in dwindling numbers, news and public affairs.

I don't think it's unreasonable for stations to make a good faith effort to find and hire qualified women and minorities for these positions as well as those on air positions, where applicable.

Job fairs, however, are nothing more than group-gropes, the transparencies of which other posters on this thread have clearly and accurately defined.

-9-
 
Keep in mind that the public airways are used to broadcast hence EEO and FCC regs. Films are intended for a pay-per-view i.e. movie theatre audience.

> EEO rules for radio and TV are a joke. Do they have EEO
> rules for movies and sit-coms? Does the government expect a
> producer to cast a 65 year old chinese woman to play the
> role of Batman? Is radio and TV not "show biz?" When you
> have a position, and it requires a certain, style, look,
> lifestyle, gender, etc, why should it be technically illegal
> to recruit to fill that role?
>
> PTR
>
> > A number of commercials have recently aired over local
> > television and in the newspaper here in my community and
> in
> > others, promoting an upcoming media job fair. This is so
> > bogus because all these media outlets are doing is
> obtaining
> > as many resumes as possible just to show federal
> regulators
> > that these stations are making a concerned effort to
> recruit
> > people, when the truth is the complete opposite.
> >
> > Nine times out of ten if there is a job opening, the
> station
> > already has someone in mind for that position, and the job
>
> > posting is just a cover so they don’t get in trouble.
> >
> > These job fairs also give young people, or those
> > out-of-work, false hope that they might land a job at a
> > certain station. And that is just wrong.
> >
>
<P ID="signature">______________
I can't believe I'm sitting here in Buffalo. The only town where you can have a good time without enjoying yourself.
Inez (as portrayed by Amherst, NY native Wendie Malick) "Manna from Heaven", 2002</P>
 
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