Day in the Life of a Radio Station Events Cooridinator

For the past five years, Jillian Wydra, 23 of Dorrance, Pa. has been a 'weekend warrior' as they say in the radio industry. While juggling college and extracurricular activities, Wydra also interned and began working part-time for a local radio station, or two.

She dressed up as the station mascot at live action broadcast, ran the board for syndicated radio programs and produced live talk shows-as well as read the weather. After college graudation in May, where she majored in communications and minored in business, she continued working in the radio world, awaiting a full-time gig.

In November of this year, the interning and part-time work (and patience) paid off. Wydra has hired as an events assistant for a local radio group's marketing department. As an events assistant, she helps plan, promote and run expos/shows sponsored by the radio group.

(PHOTO: One of the perks of a job in radio-- Jillian with country singer, Trent Willmon.)

Meet multitasker, Jillan:

Current job:
Events Assistant for a radio station

Length at current job
Well, I've been an events assistant since November 2006, but I've been with the station as an intern and part-time since June 2002

Tell me a little about your position and what you do on a day-to-day basis.
Well, I basically make calls and try to set up different vendors for the shows that we hold. I also look for various entertainment for the shows. I write the press releases for the shows as well as research different ideas for the shows.

What are your customers like? What type of people do you serve?
Well we look for different types of vendors who pertain to the specific show that we have going on, so it depends on what the show or event is.

Who are your coworkers, meaning what type of people do you work with? Are you in a team environment? Do you work independently?
Being an events assistant you basically work with everyone in the building...sales, promotions, programming, traffic, engineering, IT, web...you name the department and I work with it. We work together for the most part...if we didn't things would never get done!

What keeps you motivated to go to work each day?
The fact that there is always something different to do

What do you like best about your job?
I love working with my co-workers and meeting new people from all around the country. This is the job that I wanted.

Reflect back from Day One to now. How have you evolved in your current job?
How have you maybe evolved as a person?
Well, when I started I was slowly learning the process of what I had to do. I now have many more responsibilities with this job. I have learned to not panic if things go wrong and also to juggle many different tasks at once!

Tell me about any great success story you may have had at your job.
I have successfully booked the entertainment for the Women's Show that we have coming up...let's hope the show is a success now!

What advice would you give someone who is seeking the same line of work?
You have to learn to grin and bear it sometimes. Sometimes you may be doing the same thing for a week and you'll get bored. Just remember that the research is what counts in a job like this. Things need to be well thought out before they can be put together.

Where do you hope to go with this job, or in your career in general?
I'd love to work for a record company, maybe be a tour manager or agent. You basically plan the routes of the stars. I'd love to get into A & R one day.

How did you education or past experiences prepare you for this job?
While in college I learned how to multi-task, due to work, homework, and my internships. I also learned many aspects of the entertainment industry through working at the radio station for almost five years and through the internships that I did while in college.

Are there any challenges in your job?
If so, how do you handle them?There are many! I have come to realize that deadlines are just as important in radio as in newspapers. Commercials need to be made in advance, and paperwork needs to be filled out in advance of the commercial being made. You have to be very organized to know what ends and begins on what date.

Any funny stories?
When I first starting working part-time I was filling in for the afternoon guy at the AM station one day. A guy walked by in the hallway that I had seen somewhere before but I couldn't place where. A few minutes later the guy with a southern accent came in and started talking to me, asking what I did, where I went to school, etc. I asked him who he was and he said Mike, and I asked where he was from and he said Lonestar. I didn't realize that he meant the country band Lonestar, so I said "Oh I love their steak!" It was very embarrassing! (Michael Britt plays guitar for Lonestar!)

What is your proudest accomplishment at the job?
It will be the Women's Show if all goes as planned!

What do you think the climate is for your current industry? Where is it headed? How has it changed?
The climate is ever changing. Things are headed into a more digital era with HD radio coming soon. Also I think that more aspects will be moving onto the Internet in the coming years. It is going to be a totally different experience for everyone!

What types of jobs have you had in the past?
I have held clerical jobs in the past. I was a recruiting coordinator for a company called Vector Marketing for a year and a half. At the radio station I have been a board operator and producer for some live local talk shows for about two and half years, and now have an on-air shift was well.

Tell me a little bit about your life outside of work.
I am still living at home and probably will be for the next year. I plan on moving to Nashville in the coming years to be closer to the record industry.

What are your hobbies outside of work?
I love to dance. It is a great form of exercise. I'm taking lessons for e-factor pole dancing which sounds dirty but isn't! It is a great work out! I also plan on taking Latin dance lessons. I enjoy photography and I love nature! I also enjoy interior design and hanging out with friends!