The Next Job ...

Being fired or unemployed in this business is a part of the culture and it is nothing to be ashamed of. It causes anxiety and self-doubt. Do not dwell on the reason; you must reset and push forward.

I Can Relate...

It never feels good to be fired; I was once let go three days before Thanksgiving and days before the ratings came back indicating a 13 share for my 6-10p shift. The reason, I naively looked to my PD for advice concerning a job offer and he took it to mean I was looking to leave. I felt like a failure because it was the first time I had ever been fired and I was convinced it was my fault. It took a couple of veteran air personalities to make me understand that regardless of the reason, I needed to get right back out there and move on. It was the first, but not the last time I ever lost a job and had to start over.

Recently, an industry survivor trying to get comfortable with his new job reached out to me through a combination of e-mails and phone calls to discuss his transition to a new job and format.

Jock: I am in a transition period. I did afternoons for years at a Top 40 station in Baltimore and now I'm in the process of trying to do Talk radio. This is different for me because it is a small station in a small town and I have to even do sales, too. I do two hours a day just before Rush Limbaugh. I take calls from listeners and have guests whenever I can book someone. Doing music radio was easy, but this has been hard on me and my family. Making the adjustment to Talk radio has caused me a lot of anxiety and I'm scared I will not be able to be good at this and lose this job, too. Talking for a few seconds or doing a five-minute interview is a lot easier then talking for two hours. Every day before I go on, I freeze up and wonder if I will go blank when I interview a guest. Sometimes I find myself waiting to talk rather than listening to my guest.

Coach: Transitioning is always a challenge.

Jock: The reason I took this job was because I haven't been able to find anything in any music formats and this Talk thing just sort of popped up. I sent in an aircheck of me reading news, talked to the owner/GM, and the next thing I know I got the job. All my buddies have wondered what happened to me. I am a little embarrassed and that's why I will not tell you the city or station I am now at. I want to get better at this, but I am not sure of what I am doing or my next step.

Coach: First, stop feeling embarrassed; you found a job in radio and are trying something different. Your radio friends would understand and admire the fact you are working again. It sounds like you have a fear of failing and need reminding it's all the same. Regardless of the format, all you need is a microphone and listeners. It is a matter of transferring the skills you used in Top 40 to Talk radio. And you mentioned something that separates a good Talk show host from a bad one; instead of waiting to talk, you must listen. An interview is nothing more than a conversation between two people. Learn to ask concise questions; there's nothing worse than an interviewer voicing a long comment and then asking the guest to comment on what he or she just said. Were you successful in your last job at the Top 40 station?

Jock: I did afternoons for more than eight years and my shift was in the top five 18-34 for six of them. I was a victim of cutbacks.

Coach: Well, it sounds like you did well and losing the job had to do with economics and not performance. Many studies have shown the most successful employees are those who consistently get ahead, create value for their company, and are well-liked. You know what to do, but have not mentally transferred your skills from the Top 40 job to this one. Do not let this window of opportunity close; this is a chance to get into a profession with more longevity than any music format. You did not fail in your last job; your employer decided to view you as a widget and decided you were no longer necessary for their strategic plan. In our current economy, this sort of thing has become all too commonplace for many people.

Jock: I could use some advice and direction

Coach: Part of your problem with your new job is the old job; try and completely divorce yourself from the experience. Now let's work on repurposing your skills to your new position as a Talk show host. I suggest you get a copy of a book, "Heat and Light," written by the late Mike Wallace and Beth Knobel. Much of it is about journalism, but it covers interviewing techniques. I also suggest studying other successful interviewers as you find your own style. By the way, you can Google archived shows of present and past Talk show hosts, including Larry King from back in his Mutual of Omaha radio days. You are to be admired for finding a new direction to stay in this business. You've got to get it through your head that two hours of talk is merely an expansion on short-form interviews.

Conclusion:

I have talked with many in similar situations as this gentleman. Regardless of the direction your work life takes, "Get your mind right" for the new job you're in. Sorry for the quote from the movie Cool Hand Luke, but it fits what a lot of you might be going through.