OK, maybe I’m a sucker for these insane job ranking surveys. But somehow DJs (and radio broadcasting) keeps coming up. These little exercises in generating web traffic may have no real world validity, but people read them. And they make judgments.
In many cases, the on-air talent profession often does not fare well. Back in 2012, it really got crazy in a Huffington Post article that suggested that DJs might have a tendency to be psychotic. We blogged about it at the time. And while it generated some humorous responses, the fact is, these surveys have impact.
Similarly, another gnarly study that came out last year by Salary.com about endangered jobs might have had a similar effect on those considering radio as a career path. We blogged about that one, too.
So maybe you’ll look at this new “study” by CareerCast.com as being just more clickbait. Broadcasting (with a picture of a DJ in the studio) is listed as their eighth most stressful job of 2016 (behind firefighters, police officers, and airline pilots, but more stressful than taxi drivers and newspaper reporters).
Here are the 11 stress factors that go into creating the Jobs Rated Stress Score you see in the graphic:
- Travel, amount of 0-10
- Growth Potential (income divided by 100)
- Deadlines 0-9
- Working in the public eye 0-5
- Competitiveness 0-15
- Physical demands (stoop, climb, etc.) 0-14
- Environmental conditions 0-13
- Hazards encountered 0-5
- Own life at risk 0-8
- Life of another at risk 0-10
- Meeting the public 0-8
As you can see, some of these DJ stress factors are conditions that talent generally thrive on – working in the public eye, making appearances, and competitiveness. Clearly, what is stressful for an outgoing, personable type is much different than for a recessive Type B.
In fact, many DJs and hosts would probably tell you the stress surrounding their jobs has more to do with other factors, rather than those listed here in the CareerCast.com survey. Learning new digital skills, longer hours, voicetracking, more live appearances, and other pressures might have more to do with being stressed out than the above list.
And it also begs the question about who actually has higher stress levels in radio – talent or management? And maybe we can throw owners into the mix as well. So what’s stressing you out?
Lists may be effective in generating millions of page views, but these “surveys” might also be subtly shaping career decisions. When entire fields are categorized and ranked, young people surfing the web, doing career research, and trying to determine their place in the world are paying attention.
That’s what’s stressing me out.
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The constant fear in the air that you could be the next jock cut due to ‘budget cuts’ is what stressed me out the most. It never had to do with talent or “chops.” Just money. We were constantly waiting for the axe to drop as the year winds down. “Who’s next” was the constant question on our minds. I’m grateful for the 15 years I had behind the mic, but after the thousands of pages of show prep miticulously compiled, endless hours of voicetracking and commercial production spent, being tossed out without so much as a ‘thanks’ stinks. I regret how much I stressed over what eventually became my reality.
Stacey, interesting that “competitiveness” is one of the factors on the Careers.com list. “Being overworked,” however, was not. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.
It’s one thing being stressed about when you’ll be let go due to budget cuts, but working in independent radio that’s in the middle of a transition to commercial radio while trying to work out development issues and being short-staffed with low funding. Helping to build a station from the ground up and taking on multiple occupations at the same time just to keep it going… DJ, producer, inventory management, PR, artist management, promotions, coordinator, and many other things as just one person. In addition to personal issues that may interfere with being able to keep up public appearances. The ridicule from friends who have “safe jobs” while you’re trying to keep a business from falling completely while it’s still in development. And then taking on the role of a radio advertising sales rep while still searching for one full time.
I wonder if the stress level is about the same or different between people who work in independent radio vs. established commercial radio.
-Lochlann Green
“From Texas And Beyond”
KA-Radio
http://www.facebook.com/FromTexasAndBeyond
http://www.KA-Radio.co.uk
I don’t know the answer to your query because stress is highly personal. But I can tell you as someone who has probably worked inside more radio stations in the US – commercial and public – than most people, stress and pressure are ubiquitous. Who’s to say whose situation is more precarious or anxiety-ridden? Thanks for the heartfelt comment, Lochlann.