(a piece of advice to budding and aspiring broadcasters. . .)
Competence may land you the job, but loyalty will keep you on the job. That is the simple summary of this piece.
Many-a-broadcaster think once they are competent at the job, that is all they need to progress on the career ladder, but no.
Your loyalty will always be called to questioning, having in mind that broadcasting is more than a job, it is a passion, it is a life, it is an essence, and until you see it as such, you are not yet ready.
Examples abound, of people who volunteer in media houses as Sit-in staff, getting stipends or nothing at all, yet you are compelled to come to work every now and then, like you are a staff on the pay-roll already. It is not wickedness; it is just the ritual of entrance into the job
For a starter, let me be factual, submitting CVs to media houses will leave you embarrassed and might even kill your moral as 97 out of 100% of the media houses will not get back to you
So, how does it work?
One rule applies, and works fool proof, always. . . It is Loyalty to the job
You may need to adopt the ‘apprenticeship’ style, whereby you will present yourself to be attached to an established broadcaster who takes you in as a protégé, trains you and rely on his connection to, based on your perceived loyalty to the job, link you up with available openings that your beautiful CV alone cannot get you
The other means is very similar; it is called volunteering or Sit-in. Here the media house takes you in, trains you and begins to ‘use’ you, allowing you to showcase your talent, for free anyways, with the hope that one day, there will be an opening in the media house, and they will enlist you on the pay-roll
Either ways, your loyalty pitches you, it sounds louder than your competence, and you might wish to ask around, but I’ll tell you for free that most of the popular names you hear on Radio and Tv today started same way.
If you are not ready to work for free, you are not yet ready. If you cannot prioritize professionalism above personal comfort and discomfiture, dey play my guy, if you cannot work odd schedules and deliver on impossible deadlines, you still dey jones, if you are not humble enough to take notes from that your ‘young boss’ that you are ‘older’ than, I’m not sure you are cut for this job
As much as I encourage you to strive at being Competent on the job, always remember that Loyalty supersedes competence, 1000 yards.
‘wale MORAKINYO
Head, News & Current Affairs,
Impact Business Radio 92.5FM
Akobo –
IBR925FM Ibadan