Get ready to fire up your mic and spin some tunes. Or dazzle your audience with stories and tales you've produced. Being a radio jockey is all about interacting with your audience, whether you do it from a local university station or a major market station, like in New York City. A great personality, a good voice and a killer resume will get you started.
Understanding the Market
Before you start on your resume, research the radio station you want to apply to. The best place to find station information is at Radio-Locator, which provides a search engine for all of the radio stations. Make sure you know what kind of music they play and what kinds of news and entertainment stories they offer. Tailoring your resume to show interest in and knowledge of the station format will make them take notice. Also note who's in charge of programming. The programming director often makes the call on who gets hired, so submitting your resume to him or her will help you out.
Creating an Audio Portfolio
The best resume for a radio jockey includes a CD or mp3 of your audio work. Put together a recording that includes a sample of you reading some news---just grab a story from a newspaper or online. The Associated Press offers great short news clips you can use. Record an announcer you like from a local radio station and emulate them. Produce a sample of yourself announcing your name, the station's call letters and tagline, the songs just played and the artists coming up. Create a customized version for each radio station you contact.
Highlighting Communications Experience
The basic components of any resume are: summary, objective, professional experience and education. Additional sections can include: training, publications, activities and professional affiliations. Focus on the skills and abilities that would apply to a radio jockey job. If you've worked in radio or television, make sure you put that first in your summary. Any open mic readings or public speeches, whether paid or unpaid, are also signs to the radio station that you perform well in public. Theater and acting experience applies as well.
Polishing Your Resume
Demonstrating that you have the ability to speak clearly, entertain people with humorous or interesting stories and understand the local community are key components to a successful resume package. Make it shine by adding your personality to the phrasing. Don't just write, "Acted in local plays." Write, "Played the lead in Shakespeare's Hamlet two years in a row. Received positive reviews in the Palo Alto Weekly." Be specific and jazz up your language. The wording of your resume can make all the difference.
