by Laurie Kahn
If you now find yourself on the beach and it was not of your choosing, first and foremost, understand why it happened. Was it something in your control or not? If you were surprised and didn?t see it coming, ask for an exit interview to find out what went wrong, what you could have done differently and ask for constructive criticism. If it was a downsizing due to restructuring, this is not something you can control, so don?t take it as personally, take a few days and then start re-evaluating your career and life.
A key step to looking for a new job, inside or out of radio, is to understand your value and knowing how to promote yourself. Many on air or programming professionals don?t really understand how much value they bring to the bottom line of the company. You may be aware of the amount of listeners and your rank, but how is that relatable to your job search? With competition as tight as it is, it's crucial for you to be able to stand out and show a prospective employer why they should hire you.
Ask yourself:
?What growth have I brought to my position ? has my audience increased? If so, by how much and over what period of time. How did that affect revenue?
? Have I created some outstanding events or promotions that helped the station increase audience and revenue?
? Have you worked with a particular client to help grow their brand? How and what did you do and how did it help that client, and ultimately the station?
? What type of community work did you participate in to help the station?
? Have you been involved in doing work with all of the platforms ? on-air, on-line and on-site? Share examples.
? What awards or recognition have you received?
? What makes you unique?
Regardless if you stay in radio or choose to go after a different career; whether you are trying to work for someone else or yourself, you will always need to be able to sell yourself. Building a list of measurable accomplishments will help you stand out. Using numbers or percentages are great to include.
The Internet has millions of job postings so research jobs and companies where you would like to work and read the job descriptions for what that employer is looking for in their next hire. Put together a list of skills that you have that will meet those hiring goals, if you don?t have them, find a way to improve where you need. Then build your resume to fit what that company is looking to hire. Address each resume to each job you pursue as one size does not always fit all!
Check your social media sites and clean them up; ask for connections to people who may be able to help in your job search.
If you have gotten laid off or fired, ask the company if they are willing to include a career coach in your exit package. Often having an outsider work with you can help you open your mind to think outside of the box to not only help you better present yourself but also to help brainstorm about other careers.
Believe me when one door closes, another door opens and often this is what you have needed. I know, I got fired once and it allowed me to start my own business, that was 19 years ago and here I am. So take it from me, there is life after a firing!
Laurie Kahn is Founder and President of Media Staffing Network and can be reached at 480-306-8930 or via e-mail at laurie@mediastaffingnetwork.com. Visit the Media Staffing Website www.mediastaffingnetwork.com
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