Getting a job in TV during a pandemic

Being a May 2020 grad, I graduated near the beginning of the pandemic. Meaning I didn’t get to walk at graduation and my whole job search process was during the “COVID-19 era.”

So what was that like? It’s important to note that TV journalism jobs aren’t hired months in advance like you would see if someone was hired in a business setting. So basically, when a TV station has an opening they want to fill that opening right away. So if I was looking at an opening in December they would likely have the opening filled by February. So I couldn’t really start applying for openings until March.

As we all know, March was right when everything started shutting down. That was the month where many schools went online for the remainder of the year and many companies put pauses on hiring—TV news included.

So during the height of when I should be applying for jobs and hearing back, I was constantly getting emails from broadcast companies saying the position I applied for was being put on hold.

Needless to say, it was discouraging. I applied for jobs at over 70 different TV stations (some on a hiring freeze without them blatantly saying so) and several of them were for a job I didn’t necessarily want, but I was applying because I hadn’t heard anything back in weeks from other places.

I eventually got sick of it and sent follow-up emails alllll over the place, not to mention sending emails to news directors immediately after applying just to try and move my name to the front of the pile.

I knew I was not an amazing journalist, no one is perfect when they start off, but I was really looking for a place that would take me under their wing and help me grow professionally and personally. All I needed was someone who saw talent and wanted to grow that talent.

To my surprise, after I sent all those emails I got responses to almost all of them. It was completely overwhelming. Some said the position had been filled, but they had another one in mind for me, while others said let’s schedule a phone call, and some said they were on a hiring freeze but would love to talk when the position was “unfrozen.”

That lead to a full two weeks of straight interviews. I was exhausted, but also extremely hopeful and excited. It was nice to actually hear something from someone, especially when I know a lot of people in my class were hearing crickets.

Sadly, a lot of places were not the right spot for me. My issue was that I had applied to so many places just to apply and hopefully hear something and now that I did, I wasn’t excited about them. I didn’t know what I was looking for. If it was the money, the location, the position, or the environment I was searching to like best. Which for most of the places, the hardest one to figure out was the environment.

Here’s how a normal interview process would typically go during a TV job search:

• I would apply for the job.

• HR/the News Director would look at my information and reel.

• I would be scheduled for a phone call or interview with the ND.

• I would do another interview with a higher-up (such as the GM).

• Then I would be flown out, take a tour of the newsroom, meet potential co-workers, and do some more informal interviews, then be offered a contract.

Here’s the rough outline of my interview process during the COVID-19 pandemic:

• I applied for the job.

• I sent a follow-up email after applying.

• I heard from the ND and we set up a phone call/zoom call.

• We schedule a second phone/zoom call and meet again.

• I get a FaceTime tour of the station.

• I maybe get to meet an employee I would be working with (if I didn’t get to meet them then I reached out personally to get to chat about the workplace environment).

• I have a phone call/meeting with the GM.

• I am offered a contract.

It was all really quick for me. After I sent all of those emails, I officially accepted a job within 3 weeks. And they wanted me to start right away.

It’s all a double-edged sword when you think about it. The COVID-19 pandemic has not been fun, it’s not been easy, and it’s certainly ruined so many lives. BUT the job I ended up accepting would NOT have been available to me had it not been for the pandemic throwing a wrench in plans. While this opportunity would not have been an option if COVID hadn’t happened, a lot of other opportunities were not an option BECAUSE COVID happened.

It ended up working out for me, and almost all of my class. But I don’t think it worked out the way any of us had planned. I’m just thankful to be in an industry that I love and have the opportunity to grow as a journalist and person. That’s all anyone can really ask for.

Xoxo,

Amber