EEO / EOE / EIEIO!

We all know that far too many want ads are really just for the sake of EEO / EOE. It's an absolute disgrace because no "equal employment opportunity" is actually made. It's simply about giving the appearance thereof for legal reasons, and there's nothing we can do about it - however:

#1: Sometimes an ad that reads like a BS EEO ad really isn't. Maybe the ad was written by a clueless HR person rather than a PD. Maybe the PD (foolishly) wants to scare off people who don't have the level of experience being sought. Or maybe the ad was written by a PD who knows little of what the job really entails - which, by the way, isn't always a bad thing. This is especially true of PD's writing ads looking for production, marketing, and so on.

#2: Let an EEO / EOE ad serve as a reminder to build your industry network. SOMEBODY got that job after all. Maybe that somebody could have been you. I landed a gig that way early in my career. I'd mailed a tape to somebody in a bigger market, asking him for a critique. He passed my tape on to a PD that was quietly looking for someone & a few weeks later the job was mine. I remember feeling really weird after starting when I saw an ad for my new gig. I asked my new PD "am I in trouble here?" The PD laughed and explained EEO. Hey, I was young and still very green.

I would bet that less than 15% of all job openings are advertised, so don't limit your search to those ads! This is true not only in radio but other industries as well. The best time to look for a job is while you still have one, which is a sad statement, I know. I've known many teachers who would get a job - any job - just to have a job teaching. Then they'd network with teachers & administrators at better schools to make the move on to a GOOD job.

Best wishes for all gig seekers. My heart goes out to anyone in need of work - especially during the holidays.

Cheers!

P.S. In case you don't get the title of this post, just think Bingo. Bingo was his name-o. Go ahead and sing it out loud. You know the words.