If someone begged you for work as in “please help, I need money”, would you hire them?  My mind started to spin when I got this email, verbatim from an acquaintance with a full time job in a major market.

The human person in me said yes, I can help you.  The business person said, wait, please send me a demo.  I knew this person’s work and they are awesome, but I had to follow the precedent I’ve set up.  This is the problem, they’ve not entered the digital world.

Things are tight for all of us, we work in all sorts of places and many of us radio folk have to hold down 2-3, sometimes 4 jobs in one station so we can keep our on-air gig.  That’s okay.  But since times are changing, we must stay on top of ever-changing technology.

It would be impossible for me to hire someone who’s still in the tape deck era and has not embraced online work in a seriously fast-paced environment.  And don’t get me started on how breaking news (read: stress), affect the person who’s not on top of technology.  Cool heads must prevail.  Mistakes are made when we’re not calm, cool and breathing through our noses (mouth breathers beware!).

So in my most professional and respectful response, I must decline your application.