At the recent Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, a job-hunting programmer who had signed up for CRS’ well-timed $99 “unemployment rate” told me a heartbreaking story. Just before he left to travel to Nashville for the convention, his daughter had burst into tears and made him a touching offer: if her father would drive her to the bank, she’d withdraw enough money from her own account that he could upgrade to a full-paid CRS registration so he could walk around the convention with the same badge as the other attendees, and with his head held high.

While he declined his daughter’s sweet offer, his story is yet another example of the high personal cost radio consolidation is having on the veterans who once populated the broadcasting ranks, and now can’t easily find work. Many of those stories were detailed in last Thursday’s Stark Country. (If you missed it, you can read it here.) http://www.radio-info.com/sections/21-programming/columns/40-country/essays/1251-radio-consolidations-highest-cost-the-human-toll

After that story ran, I was flooded with e-mails, many from broadcasters who are in the same boat and were grateful to hear that they’re not alone. Wrote one: “I’ve been a successful programmer and air talent for 20 years. Last year, after taking the station to an all-time record high in the market, my position was eliminated due to budget cuts and I’ve been on the beach ever since. While I used to have a comfortable lifestyle, my kids now have to get free lunches at school, I don’t have health benefits, and I’m in danger of losing my home … Try telling your kids they can’t go out for track or basketball because you can’t afford the shoes.”

In today’s part two of this series on the radio job market, we take a look at the typical experience for someone seeking a job in radio, and why many have started to consider jobs outside of the business.

Of the 15 out of work and recently re-employed broadcasters surveyed for this series (some of whom asked to be anonymous), a few did say they’d had largely positive experience with hiring managers when they’ve applied for jobs. Many others told a different story.

One cites a frustrating situation he’s had happen more than once in the past year. “After going through the phone interview, you are asked to spend a couple of days listening to their station on the Internet. You are asked to give your thoughts and ideas on the music, imaging, Web site, air talent, and basically how you would take the station to the next level. After spending several days listening and getting to know the station, you write your report and e-mail it off only to hear … nothing. A few weeks later, you pull up the station on your laptop and, lo and behold, there are your ideas coming back at you through the speakers.”

Beyond that, he says, “My biggest disappointment is it just doesn’t seem like companies look at employees as people anymore. Success and experience don’t seem to count for much.”

Former KNTY Sacramento, Calif., PD Bob McNeill agrees. “If radio looked 40 years ago like it does today, I wouldn’t be in it,” he says. “I’m surely going to offend some potential employers here, but the way companies are being run today they aren’t really looking for ‘broadcasters’ or ‘radio people.’ I’m not really sure what they’re looking for, but some of them aren’t aware that we’re not stamping out fenders in the studios.” Asked if he’s found hiring managers to be courteous and responsive, one job-hunting former PD says, “You’ve gotta be kidding. It would be nice to receive SOME kind of a response, even if it’s a form letter/e-mail. It’s always reassuring to have someone at least acknowledge your existence.”

Former WTVY Dothan, Ala., PD Kris Van Dyke says, “I can’t tell you how many people have not even had the courtesy to even return a phone call. [As a] matter of fact, one friend has even completely disregarded a note I e-mailed to him [asking him] to be up front with me, and if I don’t have a shot at the job to tell me, but at least give me that courtesy. Haven’t heard a word back from him.”

Another programmer wanted to be proactive about a job he really wanted, so he Fed Exed a package containing a signed basketball to the hiring manager along with an interview-appropriate quote from Michael Jordan. The package cost $140 to send. He also offered to fly into the market on his own dime to meet the manager and asked for just 30 minutes of his time. He followed up on the package with calls and e-mails, but never got a response of any kind.

Now, he can’t disguise his bitterness. “I want these hiring people to see what they do to those of us out of work,” the programmer says. “There are a couple of people and companies I’d love to compete with just from the standpoint of revenge.

“I don’t think companies generally value programming no matter their comments to the contrary,” he continues. “Country programmers are seen as less skilled than other formats. Rarely will you see a country PD handed an additional station, but it’s relatively common for the opposite [to happen].”

Almost everyone surveyed for this story says they’ve applied for—or at least considered—jobs outside of radio, although thus far they’re not finding that route to be any easier in this difficult economy.

One PD who recently landed a new gig after a search of more than eight months says, “I was a couple weeks from joining a long haul trucking company. I bagged groceries for a bit too. And pitched a number of jobs outside the biz to no response.”

Former WMZQ Washington, D.C., morning host Brian Egan thought he’d put his tech-savvy skills to use by applying for a part time job at the local Apple store. “Twenty-four hours later, I got a response,” he says. “I was invited to a group interview where every other applicant was 15 years younger than me. I thought I did well, but the next day [got a] form e-mail: thanks, but no thanks.

“Last October, my high school asked me to come in and be a special guest teacher for the TV/radio/media class, and the teacher, whom I graduated with, keeps pushing me to come teach it next fall,” Egan says. “We’ll see. I’m more of a ‘Those That Can, Do’ than a ‘Those That Can’t, Teach’ kind of guy. But ‘Those That Have Kids with Mouths to Feed’ must do what’s best for the family, not what’s best for the ego.”

Former syndicated overnight air personality Danny Wright says, “I’ve been applying for jobs outside of radio for at least six months [with] very little response.” He did briefly take a job which he described on Facebook as being the real-world version of TV’s “The Office,” but quit after a short time. He explains, “When a guy with bills, a mortgage and a family walks out of a job, it says something.” But he’s still got some irons in the fire about a potential new syndication deal, and is also hosting the weekly show “The Live Ride With Danny Wright” for Envision Radio Networks.

Being tied to a particular geographical area due to his wife’s career has hampered one PD’s yearlong job search. He’s been considering jobs outside the radio industry, but says, “Given the state of the economy now, it’s extremely difficult to pursue a career change when you have no specific experience outside of the radio industry. There are now six unemployed people for every job opening in America. If you are No. 6 in line with no experience for that position, forget it.

“In hindsight,” he says, “it makes me wonder if I should have chosen a different career path years ago. I have no desire to work as a PD for five radio stations, four of which I have absolutely no idea about their music, format or audience—and likely wouldn’t be hired for it anyway. But my entire full time working career has been in radio. So now what?”