(4/4/25) With nearly 25 years of experience working in television stations and niche cable channels, sometimes it is hard for recruiters to see the value, or how that experience translates into a non-television industry.  When I was recently challenged on whether those 25+ years would have any benefit to this particular company, here is what I said – and I think it holds true for nearly anyone who has worked in television…

In TV we are driven by deadlines. If the news goes on at 6pm, it goes on at 6pm, not 6:02pm. 

We often have to react very quickly to changing circumstances, whether breaking news, adjusted quarterly budgets, corporate mandates, advertiser demands, competitive opportunities, to name a few.

We are instinctively competitive. Maybe it’s the drive to win ratings, market share, landing an advertiser account that is up for grabs in the market, or a licensing opportunity. We hate to lose, and when we do, we “find another gear” to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

More than ever, we open ourselves to criticism. It could be internal if the boss has a subjective opinion about something we did, or it could be external if a viewer is displeased with something they saw. This mandates thick skin, diplomacy, and professionalism.

Finally, we are typically wired to jump in when and where we can (assuming things like union restrictions are not violated).  Some of my most impactful memories from TV include working in the newsroom (not my department) on election night or during storm coverage, volunteering for a station event, or producing a presentation for a salesperson who needed a little something extra to land the ad buy.

So, if any of those characteristics are appealing to your organization, that’s how 25+ years in TV will benefit your company.

FYI… Recruiters – if you ever find yourself looking at a resume from someone who worked in TV and can’t figure out the why, focus on the what – we have a very unique DNA that won’t let you down.