question

[newslady_26]

Dilemma of sorts:

So I have done phone interviews with three stations now and am in the dreaded "waiting period" to see if I get the job.

I talked to the ND of the station I really want the job at last week and she seemed very enthusiastic about me and told me to send over my references. I did that a couple of days ago and called to make sure she got them.

So here is where my question comes in: When I asked her WHEN she planned to make a decision, she said, "When I find the right person" and then later added, "I will be in touch with you really soon"

I took that to be a good sign however, when should I contact her again or should I even?? Should you just sit idly by and wait for a ND to make a decision or call and see what the status is from time to time, (like every week and a half or so)..I dont want to be annoying but, I do want to appear interested.

[Roy Hobbs]

The key is not to appear desperate or needy.

Otherwise, you move yourself from the top candidate pile to the "Oh it's HER calling again" trash bin.

In most cases, the best you can do is move on and forget about the results until there is a result. Once a news director has called you, you're as close as you're gonna get without them making the decision.

Three people have liked you enough to contact you, go find the next three!!

[ January 29, 2007, 06:21 PM: Message edited by: Roy Hobbs ]

[WXDUDE]

There is a fine line between letting them know you are interested and really want the job...and pushing a little too hard. You are still behind the line, but don't cross over to the other side. When and if they want you, they will let you know. It's not like the ND is sitting back saying "Well, I'll just wait for one more call from newslady_26, then I'll decide to hire her." Sometimes the process can take weeks, if not months! Just sit tight, keep sending out tapes and hope for the best. You have done all you can do at this point.

[newslady_26]

thanks guys, I think that is sound advice!

[Pro]

Originally posted by Roy Hobbs:
The key is not to appear desperate or needy.True dat.

It also puts you in a much worse negotiating position. You're basically telling them "I'll work for whatever you say."

The key to any negotiation is the willingness to walk away.

[Gil]

It is really OK to call after a week and a half or two... remember the ND has all the normal daily duties in addition to making a hire, so she is busy, and time slips away.

It is especially OK to call if you have other prospects and need to know in order to make a decision.

Personally, I never mind calls, and no, it does not hurt the other person's position. Contrary to popular belief, we don't try to pay people as little as possible. I always try to pay as much as my budget will permit. I want you to like our station and to stay a long time.

[Jane Craig]

Have any of your references let you know she's called? I've always asked them to give me a heads-up. If references don't get called, that may be very good (they're sold on you), bad (they're going to pass) or indifferent/too busy with other stuff. But if you references ARE being called you can guess they are moving toward a decision. I would agree with Gil -- after 1 1/2 to 2 weeks, a quick call or e-mail wouldn't be out of line.

Good luck!

[Pro]

Originally posted by Gil:
I always try to pay as much as my budget will permit. I want you to like our station and to stay a long time.I felt the same way when I was a ND. Unfortunately I was overruled many times by a GM or corporate VP who said "I think he/she will work for less. Give it a try"

I hated it, but I was forced to "lowball" some good people. Secertly, a part of me was hoping the candidate would tell me where to shove my insulting offer. Incredibly, more often than not they said "OK". I was willing at least to TRY to get my GM and/or corporate VP to authorize a better offer, but rarely had to. They were right - damn it.

[ January 30, 2007, 01:11 PM: Message edited by: Pro ]

[Focker]

Originally posted by Pro:
I felt the same way when I was a ND. Unfortunately I was overruled many times by a GM or corporate VP who said "I think he/she will work for less. Give it a try"

I hated it, but I was forced to "lowball" some good people. Secertly, a part of me was hoping the candidate would tell me where to shove my insulting offer. Incredibly, more often than not they said "OK". I was willing at least to TRY to get my GM and/or corporate VP to authorize a better offer, but rarely had to. They were right - damn it.Wow, a ND who admits to not being a corporate lackey! Thanks, Pro...you certainly are one in a million! graemlins/icon_pray.gif

[ January 30, 2007, 02:44 PM: Message edited by: Focker ]

[Pro]

Well,before you heap praises on me, I remind you that I did, in fact, do their bidding. I didn't like it, but I did it.

I argued my case to GM's and VP's, but it mostly would fall on deaf ears. I suppose the truly noble thing to have done is said "Get someone else to do your dirty work." But I didn't say that. I did what they said.

So all you newsies, consider this: the next time your ND is being a dick, it may be because he/she actually is a dick. Or it may be because they're under orders. They may be dying a bit inside. Some do.

Then again, some ND's LIKE being dicks! ;)

[fletch f fletch]

Originally posted by Focker:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Pro:
I felt the same way when I was a ND. Unfortunately I was overruled many times by a GM or corporate VP who said "I think he/she will work for less. Give it a try"

I hated it, but I was forced to "lowball" some good people. Secertly, a part of me was hoping the candidate would tell me where to shove my insulting offer. Incredibly, more often than not they said "OK". I was willing at least to TRY to get my GM and/or corporate VP to authorize a better offer, but rarely had to. They were right - damn it.Wow, a ND who admits to not being a corporate lackey! Thanks, Pro...you certainly are one in a million! graemlins/icon_pray.gif </font>[/QUOTE]Ditto that. I had the same experiences when I was an ND. Not always, but often enough. Enough that I now have "a real job". And no, so far, I don't miss the old one.

[Gil]

Originally posted by Pro:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Gil:
I always try to pay as much as my budget will permit. I want you to like our station and to stay a long time.I felt the same way when I was a ND. Unfortunately I was overruled many times by a GM or corporate VP who said "I think he/she will work for less. Give it a try"

I hated it, but I was forced to "lowball" some good people. Secertly, a part of me was hoping the candidate would tell me where to shove my insulting offer. Incredibly, more often than not they said "OK". I was willing at least to TRY to get my GM and/or corporate VP to authorize a better offer, but rarely had to. They were right - damn it.</font>[/QUOTE]I can honestly say that never happened to me in four jobs as news director, and I am quite sure I never did it in my two jobs as GM. The news budget, once approved, is the ND's job to manage. And a wise GM I once worked for told me, "Let's never let $1,000 stand between us and making a good hire." So, I knew I could go higher if needed to land the right person, as long as I found a way elsewhere in the budget to make it come out right.

Depending on what time of year it was, and where we were on expenses, it could be easy or difficult, but it could almost always be done.

[ January 30, 2007, 06:16 PM: Message edited by: Gil ]

[Pro]

Geez, why couldn't I have worked for YOU?

My frist job as a ND, I assumed the money in my budget was for me to spend as I saw fit - I thought that's what department heads did.

Boy, was I in for a huge surprise.

I once lost a producer to a bigger market. I offered the person I wanted to fill the slot a salary slightly less than what the previous incumbent was making. She agreed. Then the GM raised hell with me because HE did not get to "sign off" on it!

I didn't understand, we were saving money, and well-qualified person was filling the slot. But that wasn't the point, according to the GM. I guess the point was that I needed approval even IF I was saving my department and the company money.

I mean, I understood if it was an anchor position. But a producer? Someone no viewer would ever see?

Maybe that's only typical in small markets (this was a 100+ market).

[Gil]

Originally posted by Pro:
I once lost a producer to a bigger market. I offered the person I wanted to fill the slot a salary slightly less than what the previous incumbent was making. She agreed. Then the GM raised hell with me because HE did not get to "sign off" on it!

Sounds like someone who was a control freak or insecure.

[newslady_26]

so I found out my references are being called..
This seems like a good sign but, when can I expect a decision? I know that is a broad question but, is it usually a couple days? A week? Should I still lay low and not call?

[Roy Hobbs]

LAY LOW. Sounds like you got it.

If you're absolutely going nuts, drop an e-mail asking what the timetable is for filling the position.

And keep your friends in mind once you bag it! smile.gif

[ February 01, 2007, 07:10 PM: Message edited by: Roy Hobbs ]

[newslady_26]

Thanks Roy...Im not getting my hopes up too high just yet...can never be too sure..
You do give great advice though...and very accurate!

[Roy Hobbs]

Eh, it's not the age it's the mileage! :D

[Mr G]

how much input does the average GM have on a hire? esp. for on-air...lets say a GA reporter and a main anchor?

do NDs get who they want, or do most GMs want their fingers in everything?

[Roy Hobbs]

Olden Dayes Gone Bye:

GM would resume his swim in the station pool filled with $100 bills after saying "Yeah that one's Okay" to whatever anchor the ND suggested. Reporters were just off the radar screen behind judging the local grade school United Way poster contest and approving the receptionist's requisition for pencils that landed on his desk by mistake.

Today:

GM handpicks all the talent and/or rubberstamps decisions by the consultant while ND cowers under his or her desk and prays the corporate VP of News stands by their last awful decision on staff hires and doesn't recommend the ND be tranferred to Bozeman.

[Pro]

Originally posted by Mr G:
how much input does the average GM have on a hire? esp. for on-air...lets say a GA reporter and a main anchor?

do NDs get who they want, or do most GMs want their fingers in everything?For a main anchor, the GM (or corporate VP) makes the final call. Everywhere.

In my experience, a large or medium size market GM will want to have a "heads up" on a reporter hire, but will not overrule the ND.

In smaller markets, all bets are off. The GM's I've delt with in markets 100+ want to make the call on all on-air hires (and some even with ALL newsroom positions, since there aren't that many).

[Steve Scott]

Originally posted by Roy Hobbs:
The key is not to appear desperate or needy.

Otherwise, you move yourself from the top candidate pile to the "Oh it's HER calling again" trash bin.

In most cases, the best you can do is move on and forget about the results until there is a result. Once a news director has called you, you're as close as you're gonna get without them making the decision.

Three people have liked you enough to contact you, go find the next three!!My friend Roy is right on the money. I especially like the final line. If three like you, there must be at least three more out there who will like you, as well.

Good luck!

[Signature on File]

The last reporter job we advertised for, created a line, that looked like an "American Idol" audition in front of the station. I told them to stop running ads in the "Help Wanted" column of the local paper.

[ February 04, 2007, 10:57 AM: Message edited by: H R Puff&Stuff ]

[newslady_26]

So now I am really perplexed..and close to going out of my mind.

The ND called all my references and told me she liked what she heard from all of them.
Then, she says, she wants to set up a time for me to chat with the GM and herself, which was supposed to be early this week..so far I have heard nothing.
I may just be impatient but, it is nerve wracking to be so close to bagging a job and then hear nothing for like three days..when your mind is going crazy with thoughts of another person coming in and getting the job instead. So now its the dreaded waiting period where everytime the phone rings, you jump. Then sit back down and take another swig...

[Roy Hobbs]

Hmmmmmmmm.

1. Don't go so wacky that you drive 900 miles in diapers.

2. Now it REALLY sounds like you got it.

3. But not totally. I was at this stage in quite a few places in the past year then nothing. GMs can be fickle. Or dumb.

4. So move on psychologically or you will go nuts.

Give it a week and drop an e-mail checking back. Meantime, get those tapes out and network--we're coming into prime job hunting time!

[newslady_26]

Thanks Roy..it seems like the ND would be the one making the decision but, I guess the old GM holds the keys to the final decision...It sucks cause though she likes me..he could hate me and I end up not getting the job...

[Roy Hobbs]

PREE-cisely.

ND's are not the sole deciders that they used to be, even for lovely talented types in northern climes.

Speaking of which, (cough-cough) I know an ND (ahem) at a CERTAIN (harrumph) station who said he didn't have the budget to take me on last year because of a hiring freeze.

Too bad, we could have hung out together and compared notes on getting lost.

Oh well, at least there was plenty of budget for your Christmas party. (smirk)

[newslady_26]

ahhhh the lies...
yup, I hear you!
The exact reason why I am playing anchor/reporter/producer and more on the weekends when we just hired another anchor that was not needed thats making more money than more than half the staff...

LOL

[Roy Hobbs]

And the paper didn't even bother to profile YOUR wardrobe. Life isn't fair.

Shhhhh. Just between us you have the best looking white slacks in broadcasting.

[newslady_26]

Thanks Bud...those white slacks have done me good...

LOL....ahh the joys of television news...
an article in the paper about wardrobe choices...ha!
amidst the bombings, AIDS crisis and deaths...

[Jane Craig]

Newslady, hang in there. Chances are, you've been inadvertently sidelined by the busy lives of the ND and GM.

My motto: everything will take two weeks longer than they say it will. It's not malevolent -- they just get busy (and forget that they're messing with someone's head unintentionally).

Best of luck -- if not this one, another opportunity WILL come along.

[CKMD]

Well, the ND's posting here have never worked for Nexstar...obviously.

[ February 08, 2007, 08:01 PM: Message edited by: Can't Keep Me Down ]

[Michigan J. Frog]

Originally posted by Pro:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Gil:
I always try to pay as much as my budget will permit. I want you to like our station and to stay a long time.I felt the same way when I was a ND. Unfortunately I was overruled many times by a GM or corporate VP who said "I think he/she will work for less. Give it a try"

I hated it, but I was forced to "lowball" some good people. Secertly, a part of me was hoping the candidate would tell me where to shove my insulting offer. Incredibly, more often than not they said "OK". I was willing at least to TRY to get my GM and/or corporate VP to authorize a better offer, but rarely had to. They were right - damn it.</font>[/QUOTE]Ditto.

[Roy Hobbs]

Meanwhile...one month later...if you've heard nothing welcome to the Broadcast Job Hunt Club, if you've head something, fill us in!

[Roy Hobbs]

The world is fair and nice...eventually.

BTW Newslady_26 got her job so there you go!