Did you hear the story of the University of Texas student journalists who drove 16 hours to cover their women’s basketball team in the conference tournament a few months back? The team’s head coach was so impressed that he offered to be a reference on their respective resumes.
Imagine that! Gen Zs, who we say are not interested in traditional media, going that extra mile (or a thousand) to do what they love. They were that excited about their work.
Several weeks back, the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) held its annual conference in the Big Apple – IBSNY25. Prominent broadcasters from various formats participated in panels and discussions, offering advice and guidance to college students interested in our industry. Over a thousand in attendance.
We hear, repeatedly, that it’s hard to find talent these days because of the lack of a “farm team” in smaller markets. Well, may I present to you your new “farm team”?
Just listening to the various award winners, you can hear that the talent is out there. There were 75 categories of winners at the high school level and over 100 at the college level. Do yourself (and your station) a favor and listen to some of the award winners here.
I can almost guarantee there is more than one high school/college radio station within driving distance of your market.
I get to see the enthusiasm every summer as part of the industry faculty at one of the RAB National Radio Talent Institutes that occur on various college campuses. Check here for the nearest one to you.
Now here’s the hard part:
These kids are not dumb. They see what’s happening in the industry – the cutbacks, the consolidation, what their peers are saying, etc. We have done a poor job of showcasing how radio is evolving and how they can be a huge part of its future. We need to do something to cut through that “noise”. The NAB has developed a toolkit for recruiting young broadcasters here.
Develop a relationship with one or several of these high school and/or college stations and create “career fair” type of opportunities.
- Highlight how radio is adapting to digital with streaming, podcasting, and multimedia content creation. Let them know the roles they can fill in these areas, knowing that they grew up with this technology.
- Emphasize radio’s unique ability to connect with the local community and foster a sense of belonging, and how they can be a part of that.
- Explore the different career options beyond on-air-like production, marketing, sales, etc. Offer them a chance to develop a variety of skills that will heighten their overall value.
- Be transparent about the challenges the industry faces, but show where the growth opportunities lie in the building. Share success stories of their peers and let them know that change is embraced and encouraged.
It also pays to develop and implement specific recruitment strategies:
- Paid Internships and mentorship programs with staff department heads and station leaders.
- Highlight those entry-level positions that would attract a high school or college broadcast student.
- Host departmental workshops for students to learn from and connect with station leaders.
- Share industry insights on school social pages.
- Bite the bullet and pay them something commensurate with an entry-level position in any other industry.
It takes lots of work and lots of time, neither of which is abundant for you, but here we go again with the “5 years vs. 90 days” philosophy. Be ready to hand the keys to who is next in line. Just need to ensure there IS a next in line.
