How to Get a Job As a Radio DJ
This following article will help with tips and suggestions for breaking into the radio industry. Radio DJ jobs are few and far between, but with the ever-growing emergence of video- and audio-sharing programs via the Internet, there is always an opportunity to showcase your talent. To be an on-air personality you do need to know more than just the logistics of programming and working a soundboard, but you must also possess a likable persona that stands out among the rest of the population of radio DJs.
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Instructions
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How To Get a Job As a Radio DJ
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Many high schools have radio station programs for students, which encourage hands-on experience and formal industry knowledge. If you're unable to get experience early on, nearly every college campus has a radio station and will have a time slot for on-air experience. As a student, working as a radio DJ will start you off with an appropriately small audience and more freedom of programming. At a college radio station you will be able get the chance to see which type of format best suits your personality. For instance, news, sports, and freeform radio formats allow you to find a comfortable relationship with the audience.
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The second and most important step for getting to that final goal of becoming a radio DJ is to get your foot in the door. If you have the experience and skills, that might be not be enough to get a position where you want. Your best bet is to get work on the inside and hope for a chance to someday speak into the microphone. The secretarial work of answering phone calls and setting appointments could be the first small step into getting in-the-know with who is in charge. When there is an opening for on-air personality positions, you will most likely not see these directly advertised. It's up to you to build relationships with people in the business and to make connections with those who will recognize that you have what it takes to be a radio DJ.
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If you were unable to get that needed experience from a high school or college environment then don't fret. Where there is a radio station there are most likely training opportunities and classes to receive a radio broadcasting certificate. If your local radio station isn't sponsoring any classes, call the nearest school or institution to see if they offer similar experience training. For a cheap approach, your local library will most likely have helpful guides to the radio broadcasting industry. It doesn't hurt to have as much knowledge on the industry as possible. For specific ideas, a simple search on Amazon.com will give lists of helpful literature on radio broadcasting. For example, the recent Sound Reporting: The NPR Guide to Audio Journalism and Production would be helpful for learning about public radio and broadcast journalism.
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Gain experience speaking to an audience. Luckily, you live in the internet age, where you can gain experience and popularity by showcasing your personality on Youtube and blog sites, or from producing a podcast. Several DJ podcasts exist and it is now possible to create your own radio station from the comfort of your home. With these tools you can work on creating a transmittable personality that garners audience interest. Don't be afraid to work as creatively as possible, showing what makes you stand out among other radio DJs. Do you have a memorable voice? A great sense of humor? Extensive knowledge of music? Work to make your advantages even more presentable and memorable, but also work on areas in which you feel you are lacking.
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FInally, if you didn't graduate with a radio broadcasting or similar degree, then don't hesitate to obtain the right certificates. Schooling should pay off in the end as long as your dedication never falters. If you still can't get that foot in the door, try your hands in similarly skilled areas like studio recording or writing. Always make the effort to go to the radio stations in person, give them a resume with your long list of experience, and the odds are that your qualifications will be etched in the minds of those in charge.
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Tips & Warnings
Keep in mind the radio stations have different rules and regulation in each country as they are regulated by national governments.
