My Best Advice For Someone Who Wants To Be A Broadcaster

I spoke at St. Cloud State University's second annual broadcast panel this morning. The topics up for discussion were aimed at how to be successful after graduation, and what skills students need in order to get jobs when college is over.

Here's my best advice! When I was a student broadcaster, I had zero idea where I'd end up working someday. It's a scary time--because you're told in school how competitive and uncertain the job market is. To an extent, that's true. But, here's what I didn't know.

It's OK to start out and completely suck at it. That's what practice is for. That's what experience is for. For that reason, I decided early on that I was never going to say no to an opportunity that would teach me something. I chose the path of experience over working at a random part-time job that had nothing to do with my field of study. That's where I went right.

It was hard for a very long time because it meant I was BROKE! But, that's OK! College is a time to be poor, broke and chasing after your dreams. It's your golden opportunity to take big risks.

Employers are looking for people with a passion for what they do and experience. To a certain extent, books can only teach you so much, and a degree can only go so far in this field. Doing Internships and getting involved in extracurricular activities really gave me the confidence and competitive edge that I needed to be successful.

I found that having a "can do attitude" can really take you far in life. I got my degree at St. Cloud State University in broadcast journalism. If you're looking to have a career in radio, television, print, PR or media in general, learn everything you can.

I often hear people say, "It's not about what you know, it's who you know." But, I've found that the more I learn, combined with the opportunities I take, the more people I ended up knowing. I think that the two go hand-in-hand.

Yes, this field can be intimidating--but, if you prepare yourself enough in school then, you become the competition.