RE: Resumes

["Pete Ferrand" <petef@sprynet.com>]

>  Dave Faneuf writes:

> attention of mgmt.  I know what works for me. Simple, one 
> page give it your best shot...other ideas or examples on the topic?  

 

In broadcasting there is an almost imperceptible difference in response
between a perfect resume and sending a blank piece of paper.

Just to illustrate the difficulty (and let's not turn this into a thread
of job hunting disasters) I received calls of some length this week from
two GMs and one ops manager purportedly interested in maybe perhaps
someday hiring me as a talk show host.

One of the GM's had comments about almost every station I'd worked for.
The others gave no indication of having read the resume at all, in fact
they had clearly not read several major points of the resume and the
cover letter. Go figure.

I've been using the same resume style for decades and have been told
many times it's a very well done resume, and I've prepared maybe a dozen
resumes for friends over the years, all of whom have had a much easier
time getting a job than I have.

A broadcast resume gets a five or ten second initial read. They look
for:

a) does this character have real experience or is it some kid or whacko?
This not to  imply the latter individuals won't be hired.
b) any impressive big stations or big jobs?  
c) do I know this guy from somewhere or does someone I know know him?

(c) can be the crucial element since most people want to minimize the
risk to themselves  and their stations when they hire.

With that in mind, the resume should clearly display the stations, what
your major job  function was, and the dates.

No one will look at a second page and no one wants to wade through
discussions or  objectives of the "a progressively responsible position
where I can be creative,"  nonsense. I suppose a neatly expressed one
like "Active Rock morning talent" would work.

We're a little lucky in radio that most of the time there's not much to
say about the  jobs since they're pretty well defined. If you're the PM
drive host, it's format, and  whatever other accomplishments you can
think of, ratings, computer and other systems you work with, and the
ancillary tasks but there's not a lot to take up space.

Resumes that are not in reverse chronological order confuse and look
like you are trying to hide something. Remember you are talking to
broadcasters.

It has to be tidy and clean looking and error free. I use either 100%
cotton paper or 25% depending on job. To my great sorrow and
consternation my preferred and superior in every way 75% rag paper has
disappeared from the market. Resumes should not arrive folded. FedEx
Ground will get a flat box with a resume and demo in it to most of the
country in 2-3 days, on-line traceable, for about $4. And it says
"FedEx" on it, of course. And you can get an account so the billing is
handled via computer and the label prints on your printer, just drop it
off at the depot counter(nowhere else).

All email resumes should be submitted in ASCII text in the body of the
email unless  otherwise requested. MP3's run a good chance of getting
lost if they're over 2 meg,  really 1 meg sometimes is the limit, which
makes that form of attachment impossible for a talk show aircheck. And
don't ever under any circumstances send an MP3 attachment, or any
attachment, unless it was specifically requested. 

Cover letters are required because if they aren't present you obviously
don't know what you're doing. Some read 'em some don't, I think the best
idea is make them interesting and say things that your readers haven't
seen before. The classic use of the cover letter is to say things about
the job, such as why you're interested, what's unique about you, and so
on that can't be put on the resume. And if you can talk about some
special relationship, like you grew up across the street from the
station, or worked 20 years ago with the person you are writing to,
that's the place to put it.

Now since I can't send an aircheck via mp3 attachment I just direct
people to the web  page. Note this is only for motivated prospects, I do
believe that just sending an email saying "I'm available, go to my web
page and check me out" won't generally work because it takes effort that
people will only make if they really want to. Also it looks like porno
spam.

I think the key with this whole project is to make it as easy as
possible for people to find out about you and ultimately hire you.

My example is available at radio.maclab.org for anyone who cares. It
will have some  updated commentaries in a few weeks.

More than you expected but this has been on my mind these days.

-Pete
Enfield, NH