Behind the Airwaves
A strategic revamp of WXYC’s recruitment & onboarding processes that shaped the future of college radio at UNC.
Tools of the Trade
➜ Google Slides
➜ Google Docs
➜ Microsoft Outlook
➜ Slack
Stepping into my role as WXYC’s General Manager, I noticed a drastic change in station culture from when I’d been hired (just 3 years prior). After the implementation of our auto-DJ system during COVID, DJs no longer treated their shows as a responsibility. DJ absences soared to an all-time high. I operated as many as 5 shows a week just to prevent entire days of auto-DJ. What’s the point of student radio without the students?
To address this issue, I sought out to increase organizational buy-in by restructuring our hiring and training procedures. DJs are unpaid volunteers, so with the introduction of auto-DJ, I knew the only way to get people in the control room 24/7 was to make them feel ownership of our programming.
By streamlining backend operations, optimizing timelines, and updating training manuals, I empowered my team to consistently bring in high-quality DJ classes. Coupled with the "Radio Isn't Dead" campaign and improved resources for the DJ body, my approach led to a notable increase in programming quality, a more cohesive culture, and a remarkable 30.35% reduction in DJ absences.
Skills at Play
➜ Project Management
➜ Strategic Communications
➜ Recruiting
➜ Onboarding
➜ Presentation Design
➜ Print Layout Design
Timeline
➜ May 2022, June 2022, January 2023 (3 rounds of hiring & training)
Collaborators
➜ Leader of an 8-person management team
I revamped our hiring spreadsheet, streamlining the interview process for my team. Summarizing key applicant details and providing quick access to applications allowed us to focus on the interviews, not searching for information. The miscellaneous column facilitated efficient communication about no-shows, missing materials, or essential updates. By adding a pre-deliberation section, I improved the efficiency of our final decision-making process by prompting interview groups to reach consensus before team-wide discussions.
I updated our training manuals to ensure consistent training amongst New DJ classes. Since training sessions began at 3AM, leaving no room for confusion, I wrote clear, detailed instructions.
I sent an email to each New DJ class before their first week reminding them of what they learned during training.
What I Would've Done with More Time + Resources...