The Industry

I can’t remember the last time I updated you all about what’s going on with me in the radio business. The past posts have been all about music, or funny videos I’ve come across, but I think it is time to get back to where this blog started from… my personal journey into the radio business. Let’s catch up…

Where were we? Well, frankly I think the last “personal” post was back when I got the job I have now as the community cruiser. I guess I got a little busy with the actual work thing. I’m sure you know how it is… you kind of get carried away and start to feel like this:

However, at the same time, that is exactly what I asked for.

So life got away from me for a little bit and I have to say I don’t understand how it’s almost been an entire year since I graduated college… SCARY! Almost a full year of the “real world” that I have heard legends about since elementary school and I have to say I’m really starting to feel like an adult now…

I have a loan and a RRSP?! I make bank appointments now. My 8 year old self would punch use his words and a big bowl of candy to try and snap me out of this… but like I said… I’m an ‘adult’ now. Not to be confused with ‘Adult’ (a capital ‘a’ comes with another 10 years).  

*Side Note* I’m getting side-tracked by the fact that my sister’s boyfriend is insisting on self-teaching himself the harmonica, which I am now learning is the runner up for the world’s most annoying sound…behind Fran Drescher’s laugh. Where am I going with this?

I’m at an interesting cross roads with my career already and like I said, it’s only been less then a year. My job as the community cruiser is a lot of fun, but the downside comes with the ‘part-time’ portion of my title. I’ll be honest, I knew I would have to pay my dues coming straight out of college, but I did think that I would be in a full time position by now. HOWEVER, I do believe, and I will try to not get all guru-like, that everything happens for a reason… I am just waiting for that reason to show itself.

It is no secret that I have applied to a couple positions recently. In fact if you are reading this entry because you saw it on my resume… you should give me a call. Let’s do lunch. Heck, I’ll seriously fly out to just meet with you. Seriously. Anyways, like with any application, the worst part comes right after you press ‘send’ and realize you misspelled your own name (only happened once, but I didn’t get the job because of it… at least that’s the conclusion I came too)… and then the part where you just wait/hope for a response. What a pain in the butt.

This is the dialogue that happens between my logical and irrational side:

Logical: Program Directors are very busy people, s/he probably hasn’t had the chance to even look at the email yet… it’s only been 3 minutes.

Irrational: That’s ridiculous, everyone carries a blackberry or iPhone these days, they got my email and deleted it because I had a typo… now I’ll never get a job at that station. I’ll end up a high school guidance counselor where all the students believe they are smarter/more talented then me. And every year I’ll get to watch another bunch of students take off and reach their goals all while I’m stuck in a cubicle beside the school nurse with an alarmingly large stash of cat memorabilia including the stereotypical “Hang in There” cat-on-a-clothesline poster. They hated me.

Logical: Alright it’s been 2 days. That’s okay, maybe they are away at a conference, or have a bunch of meetings. Besides, the deadline isn’t for another week so I won’t know until then anyways.

Irrational: This is it. It’s over, I’m finished. They listened to my demo, hated it, emailed it to everyone they knew so that they could collectively laugh at it while sitting next to their fireplaces, using my resume to heat their house. They all posted my resume package online where everyone in the radio industry can read it, and use it as a training tool for their big-shot management team as an example of the worst application in history… I wonder if McDonald’s is hiring.

This dialogue continues until: 1) I receive a response. 2) I read on the radio blogs that someone else was hired 3) I pass out from over analyzing the situation or 4) I create a brain diversion using a highly scientific method of cryogenics… also known as brain freeze (ice cream is the easiest/most delicious method).

I am in this process now… and I have to say it is sucky… but it all comes with the “aspiring broadcaster” badge that I try to wear proudly.

With that said, it’s not really “catching up” if I’m the only one talking. How’s life treating you? How’s the weather? That rash healing okay?

I’ll talk to you in a couple days!

Mitch