Tommy Kramer CCM Coaching Tip #41: A Hiring Tip - Writing Something

Speaking from over twenty years' experience in this format, I think hiring an air talent or a Producer may be our greatest challenge. But assuming that you do have a candidate for one of those jobs, here's a very little-known hiring tip that I learned the hard way.

Before you actually give someone a job, get him or her to WRITE something. It could be an assessment of a popular station (maybe even yours), for instance. That'll give you a window into just how he or she thinks, and whether or not this candidate understands where the real "gold" is.

Plus, it'll save you from possible embarrassment. Nothing is more cringe-worthy than having someone who represents your station send out or post something on social media or your website that contains misspelled words, awkward or incorrect punctuation, or grammatical errors.

Being undereducated is NOT a plus, and SHOWING it is not okay. It just makes people think we're idiots. I shudder every time I hear (or see) someone say something like "between her and I." It just means they couldn't pass 7th-grade English. Why would I support that by giving it my time or my money?