10 Questions with ... Maurice "Moe" Smith

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

My career history is very brief, to be honest. I've been working in theatre for a number of years, most recently as a sound designer/DJ in Seattle. Since 2006, I've been working on a recurring talk show, "The Stay Up Late Show with Rebecca M. Davis," acting as an Andy Richter-type to Rebecca's Conan. My work on the microphone prompted people to encourage me to pursue work as a radio DJ, so I took a course at a local Community College in Radio Broadcasting. That led to a weekly show on the college's radio station. However, the time slot I was given (3-5a, Thursday) was incompatible with the rest of my life, and I had to surrender the slot after six-plus months on the air. I'm still involved with the station, as I'm bringing my show back to be available via the station's website. I hope to be back on the air at KBCS, if/when a better time slot opens up. In the meantime, I'm pursuing opportunities with other stations.

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

Well, I do have a day job, which takes some stress off me in regards to finances and supporting my family. It also eats up a lot of my time, but since we have Internet access at work, it allows me the ability to occasionally check out job sites during my downtime and see what's available.

Other than that, my family takes up a lot of time and energy, albeit in a positive way. Sometimes, I just find myself relaxing by watching TV or listening to music - and keeping up with what's being played and listened to.

2) Do you plan on sticking with the music/radio industry?

I've only just started and I don't plan on letting a little sleep deprivation get in the way of discovering if this is something I want to do long-term. I'm hoping to find something either closer to full-time so I can quit my current job, or a position that's more compatible (schedule-wise) with my day job, to give me the chance to gain more on-air time and experience. Something like a weekend shift would be great, as I could work and maintain my current job. I've always been a fan of music and I don't see that changing anytime soon. With radio, it feels like I've finally found something I love doing and I'm not willing to walk away from it so soon.

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

My best resource is networking, just meeting and getting to know as many people as possible, either through direct interactions or online ... like via AllAccess.com or even FaceBook. I've gotten more jobs over the years because I knew someone who knew someone else who was hiring. With someone able to introduce me, or even just vouch for me, I was able to walk into an interview, and have the hiring people already know who I was. That made it possible to start with a favorable first impression before the first question was even asked. You can't be shy when looking for a job, and can't be afraid to ask your friends for some help. They may just know someone who can help you out.

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

Some would call it "stalking;" I prefer to call it "aggressive self-marketing"... actually, all I did was contact a potential employer on a daily basis, after my interview with them, in order to check in, say hello, or do something to remind them that I was still very interested in the position and wanted to work there very badly. After about three weeks, they did hire me and the transition was pretty simple, as I already knew the staff and general temperament of the facility, since I had been there so much over the previous month. It was a matter of being really friendly, really nice and not being too pushy or aggressive when talking to the manager or any of the other staff.

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

That's easy. I'd love to get an on-air position, with a daily/regular shift, at a local station. Even a part-time position, like weekends or fill-ins, would be really nice. I'm not too concerned re: the music format, as long as I get fairly regular work. If there's an opportunity to assist in the programming of my show, that's even better, but that's not something I'd immediately push for. I just want to work and have a chance to show people just what I can do.

6) How are you finding the "courtesy level" at places you've applied? (Callbacks, e-mails, rejection letters, etc.)

Well, to be honest ... I've yet to hear back from any submissions I've sent in, for any position I've applied for in this area. I've never even heard back after I send a follow-up e-mail on an application, to make sure they even received my original application. I get the sense that they are receiving so many applications that it's not feasible for them to reply to everyone who applies ... it would be nice to even receive some feedback, just to know that they heard my demo.

7) Are you spending as much time listening to radio as you used to?

I think I am ... granted, if I get rejected by a station I've applied to, I may "boycott" them for a short time, but I keep listening to radio. I like listening to other DJ -- see how they work, how they do their transitions, things like that. However, there are some times I'll plug into an Internet station and just listen to music for the sake of listening to music, without commercials and interruptions. That usually happens if I'm working on something and need to focus on it, without any outside distractions. Either way, there's almost always music on whenever I'm awake.

8) Are you able to slow down and enjoy free time doing things with your family and friends that you probably did not have time to do while you were working?

I find that I have a ton more time since I took my hiatus -- for my show, I was programming my own music, so I would spend part of every evening working on my show; trying to find music, working to get the playlist "just right" and trying to figure out what I would use for the special features that were part of my broadcast. It became pretty all-encompassing for me, as I didn't want the show to just be something I threw together -- I wanted it to sound like it had flow and cohesion, and I put a ton of energy into making that happen on a weekly basis. With my time off, I've had a lot more time and energy to spend with the family and on myself.

9) How will this experience change you when you get back to work?

When I get back on the air, I think I'm going to appreciate the time behind the mic a lot more ... when I was on the air before, there were times when it felt like I put all this pressure on myself to be "perfect," then would spend time afterwards just beating myself up for the smallest mistake. When I get back, I'll work on being more relaxed behind the mic, having a lot more fun with what I'm doing, and really work on sharing that positive energy with the listeners. If it's not fun, then it's time to move on. And, I know I can have fun with it.

10) Where do you see yourself in five years ... 10 years?

Five years from now, I hope to have a full-time, on-air position with a local station. It'd be nice to have developed a following and to have cultivated a reputation as someone who plays good music and is fun to listen to. I feel like I'm that person now, but not enough people are aware of that fact. Ten years from now, I'd really like to have moved into programming a station. I'd like to still be on the air, but definitely want to have my hand in what's being played on my station.

Uh, oh ... now you're on your own for getting new music. If applicable, name your three most recent purchases since leaving the biz.

Actually, I've got a Zune, so I sprung for a membership to the Zune Marketplace. This way, I get all the new music I want/need. Pretty easy, really.