How to be a DJ: Seven Easy Steps

Do you dream of becoming a radio disc jockey, playing all the greatest music, entertaining the world with your sparkling wit and wise anecdotes? Perhaps you grew up listening to a favorite DJ, the one who played all the best songs late at night, or the announcer who's sports commentary kept you hooked on long car rides. Maybe you just love radio shows, or have a burning desire to share your thoughts with the world. Whatever reason you have for wanting to become a radio disc jockey, chances are you need some help getting started.

Breaking into broadcasting is competitive in general, and the market for on-air personalities, such as anchors and announcers, is especially steep. A career as a disc jockey is appealing to young people just coming into the workforce for various reasons. DJ's seem to have a glamorous lifestyle, know all the right people, and talk about things that are important and interesting. They know the latest, hottest news and have all the inside tidbits in music, sports, entertainment and politics. In short, DJ's are cool. Plus, the idea of a job where you could potentially sleep all day, throw on a sweatshirt and headphones, and jam all night in your little booth sounds pretty appealing to most of the twentysomethings interested in DJ'ing.

But there is a lot more to becoming a radio disc jockey than sleeping till 3 p.m. and getting taco bell after your shift at 3 a.m. The realities of DJ'ing include late weekend shifts, grunt work, an hours of isolation. But it will get better. Radio DJ'ing, as a profession, is a process. You start at the bottom and work your way up, but there are several tangible ways to get to the top of the broadcasting ladder a little quicker than the competition. If you're really interested in becoming a DJ, here's what you should do.

Get some interests: DJ's are live all the time, so they're expected to act as on-air authorities on any subject the second it happens to be deemed 'hot'. Viewers rely on their favorite DJs, and radio announcers in general, as a source of authority, insight and truth. If you're pouring out your thoughts into the public spectrum, you better know what you are talking about. In addition to whatever broadcasting school or training you are getting, school yourself to some good old fashioned general knowledge: geography, international relations, woodshop. Hey, you never know what a listener might call up and ask, and it pays to be prepared and establish yourself as a generally intelligent person.

Work on your voice. The importance of a good voice is key in radio broadcasting. But if you really want to be a disc jockey and you aren't blessed with a naturally fantastic voice, relax. Plenty of broadcasting professionals weren't either. The good news is that with the help of professional training, you can modulate your voice to make it an effective broadcasting tool. Most successful broadcast personalities have received training from a broadcasting school in how to cultivate the pitch and sound of their voice to make it more listener-friendly. Any broadcasting school or apprenticeship program will likely help you with this, but if you aren't in a broadcasting school yet, ask your drama teacher or enlist a voice coach for help.

Time management. A huge part of being a radio disc jockey is time management. Organization, preparation, and precision are key. A lot of the work done by radio disc jockeys is programming, even if it's just following someone else's program guide. You need to know what music is played when, when to start and stop talking, when to air commercials, when to gracefully cut off a caller, and exactly how much time you have to complete your program. Dead air, awkward silences, or any technical difficulties are the death knell of a DJ, no matter how talented you are. Time management and organization are what sets apart professional radio disc jockeys from charismatic kids who like music.

Be aggressive, but flexible. The bad news about becoming a radio DJ is that you usually have to start small. The good news about being a radio DJ is it's pretty easy to break into a small market, such as a local radio station or campus radio. The key is to be aggressive, but flexible. Don't hole up in your room thinking about how you want to be a DJ. You'll have plenty of time to hole up after you land your first internship, which could be as easy as stepping out side your front door. Just do what a good DJ does best, and keep your eyes and ears open. Do you see flyers for a new radio station in the coffee shop down the street? Even if they aren't advertising for help, call them. If they're new, chances are they'll welcome your involvement. Does someone in your church or in your weekly bowling league work in radio? Ask them for career tips, and if they know of any job openings. Most small radio stations welcome interns, so don't be afraid to be aggressive. If you are already in a broadcasting school, they will most likely already be setting up a disc jockey internship for you. When you land your first broadcasting job, be prepared to work graveyard shifts, weekends, and spend a lot of time filling coffee, handing out flyers, and answering phones. This is the broadcasting ladder and every famous radio personality has climbed it at some time or another.

Be consistent. It's important to acquire general knowledge and basic disc jockey skills, but eventually you will have to develop a particular on air personality in order to create an audience. Develop a sustainable style, like a certain way of speaking or memorable insights and opinions on certain subjects. A strong political position or shocking sexual humor are two methods used by popular DJ's. Build your listenership by including audience interactive components to your show, such as Q&A, contests, and surveys. If you are to the point where you program your own shows, have a set music schedule so people know they can tune in at a certain time and be guaranteed the music they want to hear. By presenting a consistent and charismatic on-air personality, you will endear readers to your radio show and boost your ratings.

Get credentials. To even get a broadcasting internship, you're going to need credentials. Like anything worth having, your dreams of becoming a DJ require a little investment. If you want to get into broadcasting at even an entry-level, consider attending a broadcasting school or training program. These programs give you a crash course in broadcasting and expose you to mentors, music and more of the things you will need to become a successful radio personality. Many broadcasting schools even enable you to produce a broadcasting tape of your work, something that is often essential to landing your first broadcasting job. More importantly, broadcasting schools or broadcasting training programs show radio stations you are serious about becoming a DJ, that you have invested time in money into pursuing the craft, and that you will be a responsible member of their station.

Be versatile. Over sixty percent of DJ's rotate from news anchoring, call-in shows, specialty shows, and sport shows. Some even write their own broadcasts. Just because you walk in the door a DJ doesn't mean you won't be an all around radio jack-of-all trades by the time you leave. Radio stations, especially small ones, try to economize by getting staff to perform multiple tasks. If you want to be a DJ, do yourself a favor and familiarize yourself with other broadcasting skills as well.

By following this fool-proof guide, you are well on your way to becoming a professional disc jockey! Tune in to these tips and you will be broadcasting live in no time! Good luck!

Some information taken from the Princeton Review "A Day in the Life"