Years ago our local radio station in Cambridge needed a new morning co-host and they decided instead of the regular interview process to open it up to the public and have a radio idol kind of thing.
I made it to the semi finals.
Of course, they wound up hiring an actual radio person anyway but it was sooo much fun for the mornings I did get to go on.
Recently I saw an add for another radio station near where I live now that was also hiring, although they were going the regular route. After reading their add though, I decided to respond. Here is the actual email I sent out:
Good Afternoon Brad,
I’d like to submit my resume for consideration for your morning announcers position, and I’d like to address the requirements as set out in your ad on Corus Ent:
You are a great person in the halls (I’m a great person everywhere, but hallways are my specialty)
You’re funny (Well, yes. Yes I am. At least I’ve always thought so)
You can embrace the FM96 lifestyle and relate to the FM96 audience (I can embrace almost any lifestyle but the sister wives kind. And maybe the vampire kind.)
3 – 5 years on-air experience, preferably with the Rock format (Now, I don’t have this, but I am an amazing learner. I once did a short stint on live air at Dave FM in Cambridge…if that counts)
You can work in a fast paced group environment (I have five kids. I can work fast paced, under pressure AND while answering several wacky questions at a time. Your group environment can’t be faster than mine)
You have great on air production sense and skills (I do a lot of theatre, so I have great presence and am a writer…skills, yes!)
You can entertain, engage and laugh (People love me at parties.)
You are a dynamic on-air talent who can bring your show to life (I can bring almost any situation to life…except for the aforementioned vampires. They’re undead. I can’t help a lost cause)
You can integrate with an established team (Did I mention I have five kids? I can integrate my ass off)
You can say a lot in a short amount of time (Yes)
You have a natural curiosity about the things around you (Absolutely. I love learning new things, I adore documentaries and I like people.)
Knowledge of Maestro/Adobe/VoxPro/RCS/Video Production skills an asset (ah ha, you said an “asset”…I can learn it)
You think out of the box and have excellent show prep skills (as a writer, I can prep the heck out of a show. As for outside of that pesky box, well, three of my kids are teenagers. Nuff said.)
You bring a network of people and are a social media master (Part of my writing career includes blogging. I can blog, tweet, f-book with the best of them.)
You have a valid G drivers license (Yes and my own car!)
You want to win (Well who doesn’t want to win?)
I know I may not have the most experience, but hey, you are interested in new things, funny people, and I really think I could be your man…cough…or woman.
Thanks for checking out my resume and for your time and for the funniest job description I’ve seen in a while.
Nuala Reilly
I didn’t get an interview, but I did get an email back from Brad saying that although they want someone with actual radio experience, mine was the best response they had received in a long time, and he asked me to get in touch with him if I ever wanted to find out how to pursue a career in radio broadcasting.
Not too shabby!
Maybe you need to go stand on some street corners. Worked for ‘Goldenvoice’ in Chicago or wherever he was.
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Lol, I think Shawn would frown on that. Tee hee
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Well, now that you’ve impressed him with your resume cover letter, now you send him a letter outlining the days you’ll be free to yack it up with the morning dj’s and work in the title of your book a few times plus a few shameless plugs for your blog.
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Wouldn’t that be nice? Unfortunately, most station managers won’t allow it unless you’re plugging a charity. I have dj friends at three different stations and that seems to be the concensus. Oh well. I was still really glad to get the response, especially since their ad had one of those disclosures saying “only those selected for an interview will be contacted”. See, it really *was* a good letter of application!!
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