First Jobs: Burning Bridges, Part 1

BiB Contributor | George Howell

Burning bridges can be a really bad idea in the broadcast industry. You’ll hear this time and time again from folks who’ve been around for a while – it’s a small world, especially in this business. From coast to coast, gossip gets around quick. If you did somebody terribly wrong in one city, chances are the people at your new place of employment have already seen the smoke signals warning them of what to expect from you.

Burning Bridges Part 1 pertains to the reputation you build among your colleagues. The best way to avoid the heat is to stay clear of gossip, be upfront with the people you work with, and always treat them the way you would want to be treated. I know – it sounds like simple common sense – but you will be surprised by how many people you find in the industry who don’t get it! These are the people who eventually end up sabotaging themselves.

As our resident news director here once said, “reputations are easy to make, but hard to break.” Be sure to make yours a good one. It’s a simple, but important lesson – especially for those of you who are just starting out in the business. If you build a reputation for being untrustworthy, unreliable, sneaky, two-faced, lazy, inconsiderate, or mean to name a few… it will come back around to burn you, time and time again.

You know what they say about karma…

Burning Bridges Part 2 is coming next week!