Job Application Question

Chardee MacDennis

I am applying as a Broadcast Technician Trainee in the Audio and Music division of a broadcaster and they have this question in the application process:

Tell us about a piece of equipment with which you are familiar. Why is this equipment fit for purpose? What helps the equipment to work effectively?

What would people think they are expecting here, as my experience is quite limited.

any help would be great thanks...

copacetic

they are looking for you to show interest and insight. you might pick a 20 year old piece of equipment, point out the simplicity of the design and the robustness and how it still functions. Try to pick something that was a turning point in tech at the time and is still in use as a base for new equipment...

Chardee MacDennis

right but i dont have a 20 year old piece of kit, the only audio equipment i use on a regular basis are my mac, line6 pod, guitar and my iPod.

copacetic

ok, well not sure thats what they are looking for but you could pick one of those , its more showing your enthusiasm and understanding than the specific piece of equipment. If you are going for this job, have you not got an interest in the kind of equipment you will be using? You don't need to have actually used it as long as you understand how it works..

frobisher

I would pick compressors. They are used in every aspect of audio and form an integral part of the broadcast audio chain. They are also extremely versatile and creative tools. Quite possibly the most powerful single peice of outboard in the audio arsenal. I'm in a rush now but I'll put together some blurb that you are free to plagarize!!

TelePaul

frobisher wrote:

I would pick compressors.

Sure that or an SM57!

Chardee MacDennis

thanks for the help, given me a few good ideas!

Chardee MacDennis

right would you say it would ok to either talk about the functionality of say a mixing desk even though I have only used a real one a handful of times as my experience is limited to Reason, Garageband etc or a compression/overdrive/delay pedal which I am actually familar with the use of....

thanks again!

TelePaul

Call_me_al wrote:

right would you say it would ok to either talk about the functionality of say a mixing desk even though I have only used a real one a handful of times as my experience is limited to Reason, Garageband etc or a compression/overdrive/delay pedal which I am actually familar with the use of....

thanks again!

I think a mixing desk is much too general. And as for compression, I wouldn't focus specifically on guitar pedal compression (even though it's very useful), but compression with a view to how it's used throughout the mixing and mastering process...talk about controlling the dynamics of a piece, how it's used on drums and bass guitars...

dib

I think you need more experience in order to be able to answer the question.


If you can't answer a question like that by yourself then you will be out of your depth if, by some stretch of the imagination you make it to the interview process. I know what those interviews are like. I've been through a series of 4 interviews(both practical and theoretical) for one job and now work for a major broadcaster.


You need to know your stuff. You won't have the luxury of asking someone on Boards.ie when they're grilling you in an interview. I commend your enthusiasm in getting on here and asking questions but I think your time would be better served gaining experience in a less pro setting and working your way up.


Best of luck either way!

copacetic

dib wrote:

I think you need more experience in order to be able to answer the question.


If you can't answer a question like that by yourself then you will be out of your depth if, by some stretch of the imagination you make it to the interview process. I know what those interviews are like. I've been through a series of 4 interviews(both practical and theoretical) for one job and now work for a major broadcaster.


You need to know your stuff. You won't have the luxury of asking someone on Boards.ie when they're grilling you in an interview. I commend your enthusiasm in getting on here and asking questions but I think your time would be better served gaining experience in a less pro setting and working your way up.


Best of luck either way!

he is going for a trainee position, it's just a question to gauge the interest and knowledge of the candidates. He isn't going to get 'grilled' on technical
stuff at the interview. They are looking for potential more than anything else.

To the OP, got for it, whats the worst that can happen?

dib

daveym wrote:

he is going for a trainee position, it's just a question to gauge the interest and knowledge of the candidates. He isn't going to get 'grilled' on technical
stuff at the interview. They are looking for potential more than anything else.

To the OP, got for it, whats the worst that can happen?

The position I was going for was a "trainee position" with a major broadcaster. I was grilled as I said above, so all I'm doing is letting the chap know what could be waiting for him if it's a major broadcaster he is in communication with. I'm not trying to pis$ on the guys parade. Just let him know what it's like out there!

If he has to ask that kind of question then he'll find it pretty difficult in the interview. Simple as.

copacetic

dib wrote:

The position I was going for was a "trainee position" with a major broadcaster. I was grilled as I said above, so all I'm doing is letting the chap know what could be waiting for him if it's a major broadcaster he is in communication with. I'm not trying to pis$ on the guys parade. Just let him know what it's like out there!

If he has to ask that kind of question then he'll find it pretty difficult in the interview. Simple as.

i'm not saying that your info is wrong, i'm just giving a different point of view. If you are with a major broadcaster I'm sure you will realise there are plenty of other points of view, both internally and externally...

dib

it's just a question to gauge the interest and knowledge of the candidates.

I take your point here, but what's the point of getting other people to answer the question for you? Surely if they're trying to guage the interest and knowledge of the applicant it defeats the purpose of having the question there in the first place if he's just going to get other people to answer it for him.

He isn't going to get 'grilled' on technical stuff at the interview.

On the contrary. I had been to a few interviews with a few different broadcasters before I got my current job and on all occasions I was grilled on my technical know how. You sound quite sure of yourself when you say he won't be grilled with technical questions. How many of these interviews have you been to?

If you are with a major broadcaster I'm sure you will realise there are plenty of other points of view, both internally and externally...

It's all well and good having a point of view, but it helps being in the business and having actually attended a few interviews for trainee positions before you start telling the chap that he's not going to get an intensive interview.

If it's for a voluntary broadcaster like Dublin City Anna Livia FM then yeah, fine it should be a walk in the park. If it's RTÉ or TV3 then expect a hard interview.

copacetic

maybe it is all a matter of what you call being 'grilled'

remember that just because you like to broadcast who you work for on a public forum doesn't mean that other people will.

dib

daveym wrote:

maybe it is all a matter of what you call being 'grilled'

Being Grilled = Being asked a series of technical questions that get progressively harder. A technique usually used to find out how much a person does/doesn't know about a particular subject.

remember that just because you like to broadcast who you work for on a public forum doesn't mean that other people will.

Completely irrelevant. Your comment/"argument" makes no sense. Toys back in the pram please. You obviously haven't a clue what you're talking about and have been shown up as a bit of a fool. It's not my problem I that I am giving the guy practical, realistic advice. What are you doing? Having a go at me. That's constructive isn't it?

Here are the facts. The guy is applying for a job with a broadcaster. He is asking for help in filling out the application. I am telling him that if he is having difficulty with the application then he will undoubtedly find the interview difficult as well. This is real life, "how it is" information from someone who's been there. Simple as that.

copacetic

shown up as a fool by who? You basically told the OP to give up and go home because he asked
a question on this forum. I'm just disagreeing with you, I'm sure the OP can decide for himself who the fool/nutter is..

dib

shown up as a fool by who?

By yourself.

I've done my best to let the OP know what it's like here in the real world. You'll have to continue to surmise and guess away Davey, until you actually know what you're talking about.

Have fun.

frobisher

Calm down people. People are bordering on insulting each other here and there's a rule against that in the charter. This isn't the motors forum!!

OP: I take back my offer of throwing together some blurb for you. That said, I think I've given you more than enough of a start on a good idea for a little research to give you everything you need to know.

It's funny, a few years ago a freind went for a sound position in Ardmore studios after having only done a basic evening course. I sat him down the night before and went through everything I thought they might ask. Which was exactly everything they did ask. They thought he was a genius. Once he had the job he read up and researched like mad and within a few short years was a very well paid sound designer on major cinema releases. Sometimes throwing yourself in over your depth works. It certainly has for me in the past.

Best of luck with the interview OP. Let us know how it goes.

PS Trust me, pick compressors!!