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Radio Hirings: "We Won't Get Back To You"
Last week, CFRB's Jerry Agar told a tale from his radio past that hit home with me. He recalled being in a small town working for a one lung radio station when he was just starting out. "I was nowhere near ready for a bigger market," he recalled. But with the over-confidence of youth, he sent out letters and tapes to program directors and managers at stations in all the major markets, including Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
He complained that almost none of them even had the courtesy to answer back, not even with a form letter, saying, "We have nothing for you at this time, but thanks for your interest." Instead, there was nothing. Follow-up phone messages to the places he applied were never returned, either. And he admits he was frustrated by the sounds of silence.
He noted there was only one person who bothered getting back to him. And surprisingly, he was a radio legend - New York City DJ and P.D. Scott Shannon, who introduced the "Morning Zoo" format that became very popular in North America, and for a time, was the number one morning man in the Big Apple. Of all the execs. he wrote, the busy Shannon was probably the one he least expected to hear back from. Yet it turns out, he was the only one.
Years later, Agar's career is doing much better and he's at an awards luncheon where several people are being honoured - Shannon among them. Agar cornered Shannon and briefly recounted how much his reply meant to him. To his stunned surprise, Shannon then went on stage and recounted the story for the audience, reminding those radio honchos in the audience how much it matters to respond - even if it's a 'no.'
The story had me remembering how often I also made those calls and how many times I complained to a friend that "Nobody ever gets back to you." I found it interesting that I wasn't the only one who noted this sad state of affairs which has been "that way" in radio ever since I can remember.
I get that these people are busy, and maybe they don't have the time to respond to every email (now) or letter (then) they receive. But surely there's a form letter that can at least acknowledge your existence and that you contacted someone. Because you never know who that person on the other end of the phone or email may one day become.
Anyone else ever have this kind of experience? Did it stay with you? It did with me, which is why that story resonated so strongly in my memory of my very early radio career.
- Johnny B
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Re: Radio Hirings: "We Won't Get Back To You"
This is basically 95% of all LinkedIn job application interactions with corporate HR depts...
- RadioActive
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Re: Radio Hirings: "We Won't Get Back To You"
What's interesting is that Agar recounted that Shannon told the audience filled with people who do the hiring that they should make an effort to get back to applicants, even if it's only an automated reply or form letter. At least they'll know they've been heard.
Shannon then criticized their radio silence and told them to stop ignoring people. Did it work? We'll never know because none of them ever got back to him on it!
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Thread Starter- Chrisphen
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Re: Radio Hirings: "We Won't Get Back To You"
Be kind - or at the very least thoughtful - of the people you meet on the way up. You may meet them again on the way down.
- Tomas Barlow
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Re: Radio Hirings: "We Won't Get Back To You"
Earlier in my career nearly everyone who said no in Canada mailed a form letter.
In later years it has been a phone call or email but now I know most of the people I'm applying to.
- dsgraham
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Re: Radio Hirings: "We Won't Get Back To You"
When it comes to the career path after education, whether college or university, the strategy to land a job with our young folks today for the most part is lost on me now. I think most of them will know enough to be able to navigate it with the tech.
- darcyh
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Re: Radio Hirings: "We Won't Get Back To You"
There is a lesson in this story:
1) People have long memories.
2) That one of the busiest program directors made time to acknowledge the submission is very likely one of the elements to his success.
- Mavridis
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Re: Radio Hirings: "We Won't Get Back To You"
In 2008, New York's WPLJ was looking for an Exec Producer and I was looking for something new, so I applied. 2 weeks later, the phone rings and - I sh*t you not - it's SCOTT SHANNON! He told me the job was awful and only paid about 55K (which wouldn't even cover rent in NYC), but said it was mine if I wanted it (not a great salesman). I passed but I still kinda regret it. That call and his honesty stayed with me. Years later, I was talking to a new colleague who had done the rounds in New York Top40 radio and she recounted the same damn story! Difference is, she went on to co-host with him for a summer. I think the moral here is: only apply for jobs where Scott Shannon is working.
- Just a Radio Fan
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Re: Radio Hirings: "We Won't Get Back To You"
My story on rejection letter. I applied to a small market radio station while I was in college. Of course never heard back. Left school and got a job at a small market TV station. After about a year moved to a medium market TV station, and about a year after that got the letter. At least they finally got back to me. The think is my career had far surpassed the original station I applied to. Laughed out loud, and yes I kept the letter and still have it. Things worked out much better for me because they did not offer me a job. Thank you CKAN.
- RadioActive
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Re: Radio Hirings: "We Won't Get Back To You"
Mavridis wrote:
In 2008, New York's WPLJ was looking for an Exec Producer and I was looking for something new, so I applied. 2 weeks later, the phone rings and - I sh*t you not - it's SCOTT SHANNON! He told me the job was awful and only paid about 55K (which wouldn't even cover rent in NYC), but said it was mine if I wanted it (not a great salesman). I passed but I still kinda regret it. That call and his honesty stayed with me. Years later, I was talking to a new colleague who had done the rounds in New York Top40 radio and she recounted the same damn story! Difference is, she went on to co-host with him for a summer. I think the moral here is: only apply for jobs where Scott Shannon is working.
I guess this means you won't be applying anywhere! Just to finish off this story, Scott Shannon is officially retiring from radio after decades in the business. His final morning show is Friday. He'll be gone but not forgotten - his current employer, WCBS-FM, has named their main on-air studio after him.
You'll need a VPN set for the U.S. if you want to hear it, but if this finale interests you, you can stream it here.
Shannon revisits his 40 years in radio in a terrific 3-minute video you can find here. He may not be a household name in Canada, but his accomplishments are pretty amazing - including once taking the last place station in the heavily competitive New York City market to #1 in the ratings in just a few months. That's unheard of.
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