10 Questions with ... Dave Mazur

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

• WXRX/Rockford (Part-Time)
• WJTW/Joliet (Part-Time)
• WERV/Aurora (Part-Time)
• WSOY/Decatur (Nights/Afternoons/PD)
• WXSS/Milwaukee (Part-Time)
• WRTS/Erie (Nights, APD)
• WVKS/Toledo (Nights/Afternoons/PD)
• WKQI/ Detroit (Part Time)
• WJQM/Madison (Afternoons, PD)

1) What do you do to maintain a positive mental attitude and to stay motivated?

I was cut right before the holidays. I've spent the last couple months with family and playing with my niece and nephew. As a radio professional, I know that creating content is the main part of the job. Even though I do not have a radio station at this time to interact with listeners, social media and the web are still at my disposal. I've been working on my social media presence, and I'm in the process of building a YouTube following, as well as a website/blog. I'm also taking the time to just enjoy life. In my last position, I became a little bit of a workaholic. Since I love what I do, I didn't feel like I was doing anything wrong by working all the time. I still don't, but I have found in the last month or so that I need to do other things than work. It's been good to get away; I took a minute and visited old friends in Ohio. I've been going out to eat, just enjoying life again.

2) How are you occupying your time, besides looking for a job?

I am in the process of creating a YouTube channel. A lot of people have told me to start a podcast. While I think that podcasting is great, I'm taking the time to teach myself Adobe premiere and other editing software. With platforms such as Instagram, Facebook video, and YouTube, this is giving me another way to create great content. Plus, it is a way to engage listeners to become more interactive with a potential station.

3) Some people get discouraged or enlightened with the business when they actually step out of it for a while. Tell us your observations from the outside.

Initially, I stopped listening to the radio. In fact, I hadn't listened for the first month or so that I was out. But I never stopped looking at social media. I'm finding joy in watching how other air talent and stations are utilizing these platforms to engage with their listeners. I've gotten a lot of great ideas on how to utilize it, and plan on "borrowing" these tactics myself. As far as the air product itself, I've slowly started listening again. I'm finding inspiration there as well. I've been spending a lot of time in the Chicago area, and I'm extremely encouraged by what I hear on stations such as WKSC, WBBM, WDRV, WXRT and WTMX. These are the stations that I grew up listening to, and it's nice to be reminded why I do what I do.

4) Do you plan on sticking with radio?

Yes, it is something that I have wanted to do since I was a kid. I love it. The best part of working at a radio station is talking to the listeners. I enjoy meeting all kinds of people, and just having fun. I can't imagine myself doing anything else.

5) What's the longest stretch you've had on the beach?

This is the first time I've been really been on the beach in radio. I had been let go from a station before, but I was fortunate to find another job within 24 hours that time.

6) What's the best way to get your foot in the door?

Networking. It's not what you know it's who you know. Talk to people, and utilize social networking.

7) What has been your best resource for finding out about job openings?

Allaccess.com is the standard while looking for a job, but I have found that if you keep your eyes on the corporate sites for radio companies, the jobs tend to pop up there first and within an hour or so they are on your site. I also believe in just talking to people; I have a great network of individuals who are all looking out for me as well.

8) What's the craziest thing you've ever done to get a job?

I was visiting a friend who was working at the old KKDL/Dallas. I was doing part-time work in Rockford and a job popped up in the Killeene-Temple market when I was down there. So, I took a 100-mile drive and showed up at the station and told the PD, "Here I am, let's do this." The PD was impressed, but because my resume said I was living in the Chicago area, but I didn't get the job.

9) What is the next job you'd like to obtain?

Being a PD is great. I love making music decisions, being a part of the advance planning on promotions, working with sales to make great promotions for clients. I would love to do that again. I've also never had a full-time job in a major. That is a bucket list move for me. I would love to be in a top 25 where I do afternoons and have an MD title as well. In reality, I just want to be part of a great team who are all like-minded and want to see the station succeed. A team that is focused on the listener and creating great content. I just want to be happy; market size doesn't really matter anymore. Of course I want to be able to live comfortably as well.

10) Are you finding salaries/benefits lower than you ever thought, about the same, or have you seen some pleasant surprises?

I'm finding them to be about the same as what I thought. As far as salaries go, it's radio. You're not going to get rich; this is a business of passion. If you want to become a millionaire, you should probably look into doing something else.

Care to contribute a recipe for our "On The Beach" cookbook?

I'm not much of a cook. To be honest. I prefer going out, or ordering in. I bartended a little in college, we used to have a drink on the menu that I enjoyed making.

• ½ ounce triple sec.
• ½ ounce light rum.
• ½ ounce gin.
• ½ ounce vodka.
• ½ ounce tequila.
• 1-ounce sour mix.
• 7 ounces Sprite (or enough to top off a Collins glass)
• Garnish: lemon wedge.

It's basically a long island ice tea, but instead of coke, it's Sprite. You can put in a splash of blue curacao to give it some color.