For those of you who may be considering responding to the ad in FMQB
for the mid-day position at WARW please read about my experience when
I answered the same ad 1 year ago.

Being from the DC/VA/MD area I have been looking for a gig in my
hometown area for a long time. The WARW position sounded like the
"opportunity of a lifetime" that they claim in the headline. I
responded to the ad and got an email from Christie, that in turn lead
to a few phone calls in which Christie said she would "love to talk"
to me. So, I flew to Baltimore at my own expense, (about $350) and
upon my arrival in Baltimore called to make an appointment. Well, Ms
Banks did not take my calls, or return my voicemails, when I did
finally get through on the phone she told me she was "too busy" to
talk, and to try in the next few days.

Well over the next few days Ms Banks did not take nor return my calls.
Now, a year later the same "opportunity of a lifetime" is open again.
Maybe this is the "opportunity of a lifetime" if your doctor gave you
a year to live, or you have lots of money to burn playing hide and
seek with someone with no sense of professional ethics.
I really expected a certain level of professionalism in from
management in market number 8, but Ms. Banks thoroughly dispelled that
fantasy.

Here is the ad, currently running on FMQB.com:
The opportunity of a lifetime! Middays at Classic Rock 94-7 The Arrow,
WARW, Washington, DC! Looking for the absolute best! Someone who can
relate to the lifestyle and engage the listener with an entertaining
at work presentation! Minimum 3 years medium to major market EXERIENCE
a must. Air check, resume, references ASAP to Christie Banks, Program
Director, WARW, 5912 Hubbard Drive, Classic Rockville, MD 20852. No
phone calls, please. Infinity Broadcasting is an EOE. (Posted
01/07/04)


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http://switch.to/resume

On 13 Mar 2004 06:23:48 GMT, wrote:


Being from the DC/VA/MD area I have been looking for a gig in my
hometown area for a long time. The WARW position sounded like the
"opportunity of a lifetime" that they claim in the headline. I
responded to the ad and got an email from Christie, that in turn lead
to a few phone calls in which Christie said she would "love to talk"
to me. So, I flew to Baltimore at my own expense, (about $350) and
upon my arrival in Baltimore called to make an appointment. Well, Ms
Banks did not take my calls, or return my voicemails, when I did
finally get through on the phone she told me she was "too busy" to
talk, and to try in the next few days.

I have the feeling that I'm not getting the whole story here.
Why didn't you make an appointment before you got on the plane?
Did Ms. Banks ask you to fly to Baltimore without one and just show up
at your own convenience?

Most hiring managers, especially in large corporations in major
markets, will pay transportation to the interview for an out-of-town
applicant who interests them. That's certainly been my experience as
an applicant in the past. And yes, managers are "too busy" to just
drop everything for somebody who shows up unexpectedly from out of
town without the courtesy of making an appointment first.

I don't know Christie Banks, and I have no intention of trying to get
a job at her station or anywhere else in that market, but I bet her
side of this story would read a lot differently.

Mark Howell

Subject: a warning about WARW and Christie Banks
From: Mark Howell
Date: Sat, Mar 13, 2004 2:03 PM
Message-id:

On 13 Mar 2004 06:23:48 GMT, wrote:


Being from the DC/VA/MD area I have been looking for a gig in my
hometown area for a long time. The WARW position sounded like the
"opportunity of a lifetime" that they claim in the headline. I
responded to the ad and got an email from Christie, that in turn lead
to a few phone calls in which Christie said she would "love to talk"
to me. So, I flew to Baltimore at my own expense, (about $350) and
upon my arrival in Baltimore called to make an appointment. Well, Ms
Banks did not take my calls, or return my voicemails, when I did
finally get through on the phone she told me she was "too busy" to
talk, and to try in the next few days.

I have the feeling that I'm not getting the whole story here.
Why didn't you make an appointment before you got on the plane?
Did Ms. Banks ask you to fly to Baltimore without one and just show up
at your own convenience?

Most hiring managers, especially in large corporations in major
markets, will pay transportation to the interview for an out-of-town
applicant who interests them. That's certainly been my experience as
an applicant in the past. And yes, managers are "too busy" to just
drop everything for somebody who shows up unexpectedly from out of
town without the courtesy of making an appointment first.

I don't know Christie Banks, and I have no intention of trying to get
a job at her station or anywhere else in that market, but I bet her
side of this story would read a lot differently.

Mark Howell
------------------
So Mr. Know It all...
how about the GM from a NYC station WHO CALLED ME some years back. Come on
in..fast get on a plane...we'll reimburse you when you get here. Come see me
first thing in the morning.
Flew in from Chicago...for my "first thing in the morning appointment" and they
guy wouldn't see me...and didn't even have the courtesy to let me see someone
else. I was left hanging at the locked office door.
Didn't get my money back either.
So...what did I do wrong here...huh?
That's this business...I don't think you know it all.
Either that or you're another PBS dude working at my expense and spending most
of your time posting here against real broadcasting folks.

On 13 Mar 2004 19:03:32 GMT, Mark Howell wrote:

Most hiring managers, especially in large corporations in major
markets, will pay transportation to the interview for an out-of-town
applicant who interests them. That's certainly been my experience as
an applicant in the past. And yes, managers are "too busy" to just
drop everything for somebody who shows up unexpectedly from out of
town without the courtesy of making an appointment first.

I have to agree. Every job offer I've gotten or job I've applied for
has paid my transportation and hotel for the interview. In each case
they requested the interview and set the time. They also made all
arrangements for plane tickets (I'd pick them up at the airport or
they'd mail them to me) and the hotel. My credit card was needed only
for the mini-bar, since many companies won't pay for alcohol unless
it's part of a business meal.

As a hiring manager in New York I would never have time to interview
someone who just dropped by. I would also not interview someone who
arrived late without calling. I'd simply go on to my next project.

I would never in a million years get on a plane using my own money to
go to a non-scheduled interview. That would be stupid.

Rich

I think "Wiseguy's" error is in failing to close the deal before he made the flight.
If Ms Banks said "I'd love to talk with you", then why didn't Wiseguy ask for an
appointment right then and there? At that point, since the opportunity was "one in a
lifetime" it may have been in his favor to be willing to make the trip on his
dime....but making the trip in the absence of an allotted time to "talk", calling
only once he was in town, demonstrated that he's both impulsive and immature, and
unable to formulate and execute a successful plan to achieve his goal. And what if
she were out of town when he arrived? That would scare me as much as any stalker
would.

Under the circumstances, if I were in a similar position to hire, and even if
"Wiseguy" was my favorite candidate, he'd go to the bottom of my list, if not fall
off entirely. I don't need loose cannons on my staff. Eager, sure, but not so wild
that you'd never know what rabbit he'd go chasing the next time one was presented.
Bottom line when looking for a job...don't do anything weird. It's a guaranteed
deselector.
--
For direct replies, take out the contents between the hyphens. -Really!-



"Mark Howell" wrote in message
...
On 13 Mar 2004 06:23:48 GMT, wrote:


Being from the DC/VA/MD area I have been looking for a gig in my
hometown area for a long time. The WARW position sounded like the
"opportunity of a lifetime" that they claim in the headline. I
responded to the ad and got an email from Christie, that in turn lead
to a few phone calls in which Christie said she would "love to talk"
to me. So, I flew to Baltimore at my own expense, (about $350) and
upon my arrival in Baltimore called to make an appointment. Well, Ms
Banks did not take my calls, or return my voicemails, when I did
finally get through on the phone she told me she was "too busy" to
talk, and to try in the next few days.

I have the feeling that I'm not getting the whole story here.
Why didn't you make an appointment before you got on the plane?
Did Ms. Banks ask you to fly to Baltimore without one and just show up
at your own convenience?

Most hiring managers, especially in large corporations in major
markets, will pay transportation to the interview for an out-of-town
applicant who interests them. That's certainly been my experience as
an applicant in the past. And yes, managers are "too busy" to just
drop everything for somebody who shows up unexpectedly from out of
town without the courtesy of making an appointment first.

I don't know Christie Banks, and I have no intention of trying to get
a job at her station or anywhere else in that market, but I bet her
side of this story would read a lot differently.

Mark Howell

On 14 Mar 2004 17:16:27 GMT, (Foxsrus1) wrote:

Flew in from Chicago...for my "first thing in the morning appointment" and they
guy wouldn't see me...and didn't even have the courtesy to let me see someone
else. I was left hanging at the locked office door.
Didn't get my money back either.
So...what did I do wrong here...huh?

It sounds like your situation was different than the one detailed
earlier in this thread...again, assuming you had an actual
appointment.

In the case of the original poster and WARW, it appears - by his own
account - the program director told him she'd "love to talk to him"
but without any specific time or date. He took it upon HIMSELF to fly
to BWI and basically just dropped in. No wonder he wasn't given the
red carpet!

"I'd love to talk to you." Fine. Give me a time and a date, and I'll
be there! Coming out there without a firm appointment was his
problem, not the problem of WARW's PD or the station itself.

That's this business...I don't think you know it all.
Either that or you're another PBS dude working at my expense and spending most
of your time posting here against real broadcasting folks.

Mr. Howell is the well-awarded news director of a dominant commercial
station in Central California. Do a Google search on his name with
the acronym APTRA and you'll pick up a few of 'em.

Hey, there are whackjobs in this business, and some of them have
hiring responsibility. But the *usual* experience at reputable
broadcast outlets is far from what either of you describe.

Mike

"Foxsrus1" wrote in message
...

That's this business...I don't think you know it all.
Either that or you're another PBS dude working at my expense and spending
most
of your time posting here against real broadcasting folks.

Mark is a many-time award winning journalist at the #1 commercial station in
a very competitive California market. His credentials are unquestionable.

And he posts with his real name, unlike you. No name, moans and ducks.

On 14 Mar 2004 17:16:27 GMT, (Foxsrus1) wrote:


So Mr. Know It all...
how about the GM from a NYC station WHO CALLED ME some years back. Come on
in..fast get on a plane...we'll reimburse you when you get here. Come see me
first thing in the morning.
Flew in from Chicago...for my "first thing in the morning appointment" and they
guy wouldn't see me...and didn't even have the courtesy to let me see someone
else. I was left hanging at the locked office door.
Didn't get my money back either.
So...what did I do wrong here...huh?
That's this business...I don't think you know it all.
Either that or you're another PBS dude working at my expense and spending most
of your time posting here against real broadcasting folks.

First of all, I've been in commercial broadcasting for 39 years,
(never worked for PBS or NPR for that matter) and currently occupy a
middle-management position in a top-rated, independently-owned, medium
market station. So much for my bona fides. Your story seems
different from that told by the original poster, who got on the damn
plane WITHOUT BEING ASKED! I never said that nobody gets screwed in
this business. I just said the account as posted didn't seem, shall we
say, fair and balanced? There are two sides to every story, probably
even yours, but I really don't want to go there.

Mark Howell

Ms Banks was aware of my intention to come to DC to speak with her,
the timeframe was narrowed down to within a couple of days.

I'd love to hear Ms Banks side as well.

This was not one communication, but several, both email and phone, up
to the day I left Oklahoma bound for Maryland when the last
correspondance was "call me when you get to town" there were no
communications problems until I got to Maryland.

There was nothing "impulsive" about my actions as I expressed
emphiaticly before flying to Maryland, I have wanted to return to the
DC area for many years, it is where I grew up. For whatever reason the
carrot was explicitly dangled, I took the bait and jumped through the
hoop. Based on my experience it sure looks to me like I was down the
list as far as candidates, but usefull as a bargaining chip to haggle
a lower salary for candidate number one.

On a more positive note I found out yesterday that Micheal Hughes
is now OM for the Infinity DC area cluster. I worked with him at KLOL
in Houston, and tried to contact him when he was in Atlanta before I
left for Maryland last year. I would routinely ask him about WWDC when
he was programming it.

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http://switch.to/resume