American Idle 2

Part II: When Not To Take A Job

Even if you're currently unemployed, there are some jobs you might still want to avoid. In this the second edition of "Idle" series, we are going to answer the very controversial question of when not to take a job and why.

As tough as it is in today's economic environment to get or keep a job, why would anyone who is unemployed turn down a gig if it were to be offered to them? The answer is you have to look at each situation carefully.

I know of a case where the GM of an Urban station in a medium market in the South wanted to fire the PD he had inherited. The station was operating on a shoestring. There was no money for new equipment or research. The station had been down the last six books and the sales department was in turmoil over new competition and the pending switch to Arbitron's PPM. The manager had high expectations of the any new PD who came in. They were paying just slightly above minimum wage. The PD had to do an air shift, voicetrack another shift, work weekends and run the board for one of the syndicated shows. They offered no contract, no moving expenses and no explanation of job benefits. This is the type of job that if you take it, you know you're going to have to start looking as soon as you get there.

Here's another scenario: This one was a heritage station in the Midwest. The facilities were good. They were part of a large group. The station had been sold recently and the new owner decided that two PDs for the combo were one too many. He wanted one person to program and be responsible for both stations at a salary in the upper 30s. To make matters worse, the current PD didn't know he was about to be fired and he was a friend of the out-of- work PD, an intrepid job-seeker, who was looking to take the job. Again they offered no contract, no moving expenses and no real explanation of job benefits. The consultant called to say he wasn't even sure they were going to stay with an Urban format. If you take this type of job, you need to know what you're getting into. You might just be better off passing.

Next was a medium-market station in the Carolina corridor. The owners were offering an on-air PD position. The PD who was offered the position thought he had died and gone to heaven. He had been out of work for nearly a year, but he scraped up some money to make a fact-finding trip so he could check out the market and drive the signal. He found out the signal was poor and the station had a bad reputation. The last PD was busted for payola. There were a lot of fuzzy questions that went unanswered. Questions like ... how long would he be given to make a ratings difference? What kind of contest/promotion budget did he have?

And in spite of the fact that it was not considered a large market, the local sales tax was 11%. Still he was willing to "bite the bullet" and take the gig. All he wanted was a contract or letter of agreement. The GM said that no one had a contract, including himself. He offered what he said was the only document anyone in the company got. It was an obvious non-compete agreement. Take it or leave it. He left it.

Finally there was this mid-Atlantic market with a GM who seemed like a really nice guy, who just wanted a programmer who could put some Arbitron numbers up on the board so the station could make money. The problem was the GM was brand new, having just moved up from sales director and had some very unrealistic expectations about what could be done, how soon and at what cost. This green GM said that if the ratings doubled in the first year, he would consider giving the PD the salary he asked for.

Now we're not saying that you shouldn't take any of the type of jobs we mentioned. You just might be the right person. One who would be willing to sacrifice everything just to have a gig in the industry that you love.

Our advice: Know what you're getting into. And before you come in, be upfront when talking dollars. Companies would rather have an applicant tell them what kind of compensation plan they're looking for. Employers are not turned off by that, although most people think they are. A good approach when the time comes to discuss dollars is: "Let me give you an idea of they type of compensation I'm looking for, in the event we do get together on this." This approach saves a lot of grief - on both sides. It does one more thing. It communicates confidence on the part of the applicant.

As an applicant, if you're clever and thoughtful, you can interview the interviewer. Ask abut the GM's philosophy. Where do they see the station going? What are the PDs expected goals? Even if you think you know, let them tell you. An applicant can sometimes take control of an interview by asking good questions. It shows confidence.

Finally, don't drink too much at that dinner meeting when you're being interviewed. It may help you to relax, but it could send the wrong message.

Word.

Next week: How to Get the Gig You Want