“The only constant is change”, my journey speaks to the importance of adaptability, resilience, and an undying thirst for knowledge.
Beginning my academic voyage at Montclair State University, I was a fledgling with eyes wide open to the wonders of technical broadcast production. Little did I know, this was merely the prologue to a saga filled with highs, lows, and the relentless pursuit of mastery in an industry that waits for no one.
The early days of my career saw me as a production runner for ABC Sports, a role that had me zigzagging across the country for 10 exhilarating months a year. This nomadic lifestyle was my first real taste of the industry’s demanding nature, a precursor to the marathon of challenges and achievements that lay ahead.
Fast forward through years of hard graft, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of excellence, I found myself ascending the ranks within ABC in New York City. My toolkit expanded, from field and studio production operations to the nuanced realms of management and logistics. However, in 2010, amidst corporate restructuring, I became one of the 800+ souls who transitioned from being an integral part of a team to a mere statistic in a layoff. A sobering reminder that in this industry, attachment can be your Achilles’ heel.
Yet, where one chapter ends, another begins. The digital revolution was at full throttle, and I pivoted with precision towards the burgeoning fields of engineering and streaming, diving deep into the world of codecs, streaming technologies, and the digital handshake that now defines modern broadcast. This was not merely a change of direction but an evolution, a metamorphosis from a broadcast professional to a digital technocrat.
Today, my knowledge spans the entirety of the network string, from the initial spark of content creation to the final delivery to screens worldwide. This comprehensive expertise, however, comes with its unique set of challenges. The freelance or “permalancing” path I’ve walked for years seems to have branded me with an invisible mark in the eyes of hiring managers, a mark that whispers, “She’s too accustomed to freedom; she won’t settle for a full-time gig.
Moreover, my diverse skill set, rather than being seen as a treasure trove of versatility, often leaves hiring personnel baffled. They struggle to find a place for me in traditional roles, fearing I might vanish as swiftly as I appeared, driven away by boredom or a lack of challenge.
But here’s the kicker: I don’t step into battles I don’t intend to win. Each position I apply for is a carefully considered chess move, not a desperate or whimsical leap. The frustration lies not in the rejections or the misinterpretations of my resume but in the industry’s hesitance to embrace the multifaceted professionals it so desperately needs in this era of rapid technological evolution. So, to the hiring managers out there, let’s cut to the chase: What you perceive as overqualification is versatility; what you fear as my boredom is your untapped potential.
I am not a relic of the past but a harbinger of the future, a bridge between the analog days of yore and the digital dominion of tomorrow. My odyssey from a technical broadcast production student to a digital technocrat is not just my story but a narrative about the broadcast industry’s transformative journey.
As I stand at this crossroad, looking for the next chapter, I remain a student of the game, ever-eager, ever-curious, and always ready to leverage my expansive skill set for the next challenge that dares to come my way.
Let’s not allow misconceptions and stereotypes cloud judgment. Instead, let’s embrace the diversity of experience and expertise, for it is in this diversity that the future of broadcasting—and indeed, all technology-driven industries—depends.
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