Starting out in Radio...

Careers in radio, like elsewhere in the industry, are never an easy road and finding the perfect job for you will require both a knowledge of the radio industry and knowledge of yourself.

A degree in media or radio production is an advantage but not essential. What becomes most important is to know

A) Whether you are sure you want to work in the radio industry

And

B) in what capacity within the industry you would like to work.

These seem like basic principles but a confident response to both will most certainly make career progression easier. We'll look at part A) first.

I guess it's most important to point out that careers in radio, like other media industries, and not always well paid and can incorporate long hours (including weekends). Whilst not sufficient to say it is always a labour of love, a job in radio is certainly a consuming vocation that will most certainly develop your knowledge of certain subjects and how they are conveyed in the public sphere.

If you are still thinking a career in radio sounds good to you then experience is the next step is experience. Once again this is echoed across the media industry that it can often be the case that a job will require experience but an individual can't gain experience without a job!

Although we are all not lucky enough to be able to work for free its certainly comes as an advantage in terms of gaining experience of careers in radio. If you're thoughtful enough to have been involved in university, hospital or community radio whilst studying then you are at an advantage, if not its never to late to consider these avenues as an initial starting point. You will find that working in radio where commerce and immaculate production values are not tantamount then you will gain more hands on experience in all aspects of the radio production process.

Many radio production companies, whether big or small, are usually prepared to take on unpaid work experience placements. It is of course a convenient dent in their over heads! During the experience appear keen and dedicated (obviously!), during this time you'll discover which elements of radio production suite you. Think about joining the BBC's CSV courses which train people up in radio for free. Also have a look at the local radio section of the BBC website. From there you can think about who you might need to approach.

The radio industry is generally considered to be split up into the following fields.

Production Engineering Clerical and Sales

Whilst most would tend to approach the industry from the production side (to becoming a producer, DJ, reporter etc) other elements of the industry are worth considering for the type of person that you are and what you would enjoy most. More technical people might consider engineering, great organisers might like producing. It is important to note that technical awareness is beneficial in all jobs within radio and these skills are often the most sought after.

Let's assume at this point you're still absolutely certain you want to work in production and become the next big drive time DJ. Unlikely! But like everything in the media industry if you want something enough and have the tools to build a career there's no reason why you cant (lets just hope you have a good voice!)

Most would enter the radio production route as a BA or Broadcast Assistant. The job can vary greatly depending on what company you work for and what type of programme or programmes they produce. The advantage of the role (forgetting the amount of money you're earning and the hours) is that you will gain a good grasp of how it all fits together in radio production and after time you see what career path you might like to pursue.

Start to think about what type of content your are interested in. Topical call ins? Music based? Sport? Its being in the right production environment for you that will either develop your career in radio in a beneficial way or you'll become bitter about the whole industry rather quickly. As a BA you'll be meeting and greeting guests. Interacting with producers, presenters and engineers. You'll often be expected to lend a hand to all of these parties at some point so soak it all up.

It is also reasonable enough to point out that careers can change direction. It is certainly not un-heard of to start in sales and move across to production as opportunities arise. Some consider this a way into the radio industry. Just keep your ear to the ground. In a sense this might work to your advantage further into your career as multi-skilling becomes more important in the industry. And in order to become a major managerial player (if that's your thing) a well rounded experience in the industry can only be a good thing.

A few things to consider.

Listen to as much radio as possible or read industry press. The more aware you are of how the radio industry is progressing and changing the more marketable you become. If you have niche content or demographics constantly monitor how they develop and change. You might end up in a position where you can anticipate a job before a company knows they need it.

Continue to practice your craft. Pick up some editing software and try to recreate what you hear on the radio. It doesn't happen magically and the more you practise the more confident you'll become and people will notice when you're in the professional radio environment.

Pick a mini-disc recorder and mic. Borrow one if you have to. Start recording sounds learn how different environments effect the mic and recording of an interview/piece.

Sign up to Radio Academy. It's the best 1.50 a month you will ever spend.

Don't give up

The radio industry is constantly changing, for instance the industry is only now starting to harness the potential of podcasting. There are loads of opportunties out there.

About the Author

Rift7 : http://www.mymediacareer.com - A discussion forum for jobs and careers in media. Forums include general Media discussion, Film, TV, Radio, Interactive and Animation/Graphics. Includes Articles, Case Studies and industry resources