10 Questions with ... Don Rau

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

On-air broadcast personality returning to the U.S. after four years abroad working at English-language stations in Moscow, Russia in a non-PPM market of over 10 million people. Stations included Moscow FM 105.2 (Rock/Adult Hits) and Capital FM Moscow 105.3 (Top 40). Also spent three years at WGSU in Western, NY (College/Alternative). Experience includes hosting and co-producing special shows, and dominating the evening drive, along with filling in on mornings.

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

I believe the right opportunity is out there, I've just got to work hard to get it. I stay motivated by creating content through podcasts and voiceovers. I also try to keep my expectations in check.

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

I travel a lot. In addition to podcasts and voiceovers, I also do some business consulting work.

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.

To be honest, I find that radio in the U.S. is more of a "closed loop" than I thought. I'm finding that radio hires from the inside, which is expected, but there are also experienced people like myself who have worked overseas that can bring fresh ideas to the industry. The industry needs to open itself up a bit to candidates with non-traditional backgrounds.

Regardless, I remain quite positive about the business, especially after being out of it for a little while. I really miss being on the air, and the break simply reinforced what I already know -- that radio remains my passion.

4) Do you plan on sticking with radio?

Yes, absolutely. Radio may look different than what we've been used to going forward, but this medium will survive as long as we can keep people engaged and using their imagination.

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

I absolutely loved my run on Capital FM Moscow (English-language station), and we parted on very good terms. I still visit the station when I return to Moscow. After living in Russia for almost four years, my wife and I returned to the states in the beginning of 2018 to be with family. Since then, we've needed time to get settled and to re-establish ourselves after being out of the country, so I've only recently started up my search.

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

I believe it's through networking and putting yourself out there. This includes attending events such as the WWRS and NAB conferences. I'm also always looking to make new friends in the industry and exchange information, ideas, and experiences. I also try to stay on top of new technology and expand my skill set. I also believe that it's critical to target the station you want to work at - scope them out, learn about them, try to hang around station events as much as possible. One of the main barriers to applying for opportunities is that no one knows your face, and you need to change that.

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

Usually, I find the best openings on Allaccess.com. Occasionally I will hear of opportunities on job sites such as Indeed and every once in a while, through word of mouth.

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

After three months in Russia, making contacts at the radio station and trying to get my foot in the door, I went back to the U.S. for a break. When I landed in America, I got a voicemail from the radio station asking me to come in for a demo/interview in two days. I turned around at the airport and got the next flight back to Russia. I did well in the demo and got the job the next day. The next time I would return home would be four months later for a brief vacation.

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

Air personality. I would love to be part of a morning show, especially one where I can develop content and be part of a team. Recently, I've found a niche with success in evening drive. My main formats are Top 40, Adult Hits, Talk and Rock, but am open to many different formats and have a knowledge of Country music. I'm also competent as a producer and can help develop segments and content for radio.

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

Overall, I think we're seeing flat to modest salary growth for those personalities with multiple skill sets - ones who can do everything from audio production to creating entertaining content. I've only started looking, but there are some pleasant surprises in the location of some of the positions. Overall, things seem about the same as I expected from the USA, but definitely less salary and benefits than our European counterparts.

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

Yes. If you are a mediocre chef like me, this recipe for Russian 'Blinchiki' is extremely easy to make, yet yummy at the same time:

Ingredients:

• 3 Eggs
• 3 Parts Milk to 2 parts Flour (you can use 3 cups milk, 2 cups flour but you can scale up/down as necessary)
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Salt

Directions:

Mix the milk and flour in a big mixing bowl and mix like crazy. Add the eggs, sugar and salt. Keep mixing until smooth. The mixture should be thin enough to drip off a spoon.

Heat up a frying pan to medium-high heat. Add some sunflower oil or canola oil to keep from sticking. Pour a spot of the mixture about the size of your fist (flat) into the center of the pan.

Remove from heat and swirl around to the edges so that the edge of the mixture touches the sides of the pan. The mixture should be thin. Wait a minute until the sides start to curl/get brown and then flip. Wait another 20 seconds and then remove to a plate. Place some butter on top of the Blin, and then move on to the next one, you are making a stack.

Once you have run out of mix and made your stack, you can enjoy them right there, or add some toppings or filling. If you know how to roll a burrito, you can add jam, meat, or cheese to the middle and enjoy that way, too!