uofa_diva said:
First off, I really and truly do not like your tone. Just because I'm working at a college radio station, you take me for an idiot. Just because YOU feel underqualified for the position doesn't mean than I am.
As far as those programs you mentioned, Selector and Linker, no I do not know them yet. However I can run circles around most anyone when it comes to computers and software applications. Those should be no different. Secondly I have taken both extensive leadership courses and have practical real world knowledge of managing events. Who do you think helps put together the U of A Spring Fling every year? That involves months of organization with both staffers and commercial vendors.
Furthermore I have also taken two accounting classes that deal with every aspect of corporate finances. So again, YES! If need be I can easily execute and design a radio station's annual budget... probably in my sleep.
Anything else you need to know?
I don't take you for an idiot because you work at a college radio station. I take you for an idiot because experienced pros here have been graciously giving you tons of free advice here, and you've been throwing it back in their faces by calling them bitter old men and telling them how you think the real world works.
Here's some more real world advice for you, though I don't know why I'm taking the time to do this since, given your track record here thus far, you'll ignore it and tell me how my tone is bitter and angry and disrespectful...
- Regarding Selector and Linker, these are two basic programs that you have to master before you can be a music director, let alone a PD. I'm not dumb when it comes to computers -- in fact, in a past life, I did IT work and have done software troubleshooting and set up an entire office network, but Selector is still confusing as hell. My best friend, who's been in radio programming for the past 7 years, admits that even she is still not fully versed with all that Selector can do.
- That's great that you've done that Spring Fling work, and that'll look good on a resume. Seriously, I'm not being condescending. But it's a lot different when you're trying to manage a staff of people, a fair amount of whom can potentially be egocentric divas who need to be handled carefully and especially won't take marching orders from someone who hasn't proven themselves in an industry that they've spent years working in. But the other problem is that radio stations, especially one with a format like Hot 98.3's, is that they are CONSTANTLY promotionally active. Imagine having to do a Spring Fling-type activity once every two weeks, plus other events in between. You probably put in a ton of work for the Spring Fling, would you be able to handle the load of doing it that frequently -- in addition to managing the jocks, playlist, engineering, sales, imaging and everything else that needs to be updated on a weekly if not daily basis?
- I took two Economics courses in college as well. And I can tell you again that things are very different in the real world than in a college course, because two courses did absolutely nothing to prepare me for business and I couldn't even possibly begin to do any kind of corporate accounting based on what I learned in those classes.
- Look at all the questions the other people have posted here. These are posed by seasoned pros who know their stuff and know what a PD -- or even an APD or MD -- has to deal with on a daily basis. Can you answer any of them? We're not trying to make you look dumb by asking you these questions, we're trying to teach you that radio isn't just talking between songs and throwing whatever you want into the CD player.
I know you're probably reading this and thinking how condescending it sounds, but it's the truth, and I can only hope that in a few years, you'll think back to me saying this and realize how much you've learned/changed/grown over those post-college years. I will fully admit that I had some of those "I know everything" thoughts when I was your age, but I can tell you that actually getting into the field commercially taught me how much I really DIDN'T know -- it was a real dose of reality to see that a PD, even for a station in a market the size of Tucson, has to be like the conductor of an orchestra of ADD-affected monkeys, and it takes a TON of patience, multitasking ability and experience in a lot of different areas to be able to finally learn how to do a PD's job. Which is why I said that I was underqualified for it -- despite what I've done already, I don't feel that I've learned enough to be able to tackle the job. And you'll just have to trust me when I say that you don't either.
That said, feel free to disregard my advice as you've done with everyone else's thus far. Enthusiasm is something PDs love to see, and I'd love to see you prove me wrong and be the next Tom Poleman (or Tracy Austin, as the case may be)... but I can pretty much guarantee that the attitude you've displayed thus far won't get you anywhere, and all the enthusiasm in the world won't cover for your lack of commercial radio experience. A lot of us started in radio by doing overnights for zero pay (or, even worse, as interns), and thanks to things like voicetracking, those opportunities don't exist anymore. To think that you can jump in to being the PD of a top-100 market station is just plain arrogant.
P.S.: Oldiesfan -- does anyone besides WPLJ actually USE carts anymore??
