What surprised me most about my profession is the day to day adapting that is necessary. Each day is different and if you choose this profession you must be...[full comment]
I was surprised how very immature many of the people hired as on-air talent beneath me are, and how little their tastes are developed. My radio station allows a certain...[full comment]
The best part of my career is meeting all of the wonderful people in the community and entertaining our listeners. I wake up everyday and I am thankful for my...[full comment]
1. If you are looking to become famous overnight or make a ton of money, look elsewhere. 2. Network, network, network. I can't believe the connections I have made in...[full comment]
School and Career Surprises: Tips From People on the Job
Each comment from a director includes their career and school satisfaction ratings.
Career: "What surprised me most about my profession is the day to day adapting that is necessary. Each day is different and if you choose this profession you must be willing and able to work on the fly."
School: Studied Communications at University Of Illinois-Chicago in Illinois; completed Bachelor degree in 2004. Career: Program Director, male, 7 years of experience.
Career: "I was surprised how very immature many of the people hired as on-air talent beneath me are, and how little their tastes are developed. My radio station allows a certain amount of creativity in playlists, and so many who are hired in have only mass-marketed tastes."
School: Studied Communications at Michigan State University in Michigan; completed Bachelor degree in 2003. Career: Radio Program Director, male, 8 years of experience, currently based in Michigan.
Best & Worst Things About This Career
As reported by people currently doing the job
"The best part of my career is meeting all of the wonderful people in the community and entertaining our listeners. I wake up everyday and I am thankful for my career. I absolutely love what I do and I think that is a key to happiness. The worst part of my career is the salary. If I could make more money, I would be completely happy with my lifestyle. It's a tough road to make it to Program Director and I worked for half of what I make now."
School : BA Communications, University of Illinois at Chicago Career: Program Director, currently based in Iowa.;
Tips for Succeeding in This Career
Helpful Info From Insiders
"1. If you are looking to become famous overnight or make a ton of money, look elsewhere. 2. Network, network, network. I can't believe the connections I have made in the radio business over the years and the relationships I have built in the community. 3. Do whatever you can when you start your career. As a program director, my favorite young announcer is a person who always tries to go above and beyond what I ask from them. 4. Make yourself valuable - Learn a variety of skills so you can be utilized by the company in a variety of ways. It makes you more valuable when the company is looking at making cuts."
School : BA Communications, University of Illinois at Chicago Career: Program Director, currently based in Iowa.;
