Top Prescreening Questions You Need to Ask for Successful Hiring

What is your prior experience as an On Air Personality?

This question aids in assessing the applicant's practical experience in the field. A candidate with ample experience will likely have honed their communication and improvisation skills on air, be familiar with broadcasting equipment, and understand the nature of working in an unpredictable live setting, making them better poised to manage the challenges that come their way.

Do you possess knowledge about editing audio content?

As an On Air Personality, the candidate might sometimes require to edit audio content. Knowledge of audio editing reflects their adaptability and willingness to contribute beyond just presenting, strengthening your station's overall production quality.

Have you ever faced a difficult situation during a live show? How did you handle it?

This question offers insight into the candidate’s problem-solving abilities and composure during unexpected circumstances. It helps understand their dexterity in handling high pressure and crisis situations.

How do you prepare for live broadcasting shows?

Preparation is pivotal for a host of a live show. This question helps evaluate the candidate's planning and organizational skills. It also indicates their dedication and commitment towards their job.

Would you be comfortable with irregular hours or last-minute scheduling changes?

As the media industry is quite unstructured, flexibility in terms of working hours is usually required. A candidate's comfort with irregularity indicates their adaptability and commitment.

What is your experience with improvising during live shows?

This inquiry helps you gauge the candidate's presence of mind, creativity and agile thinking. It will help you understand whether the candidate can think on their feet and change the course of the show as required.

How would you handle negative listener feedback?

This question helps to reveal the candidate's attitude towards criticism and their approach to conflict resolution. The ability to handle negative feedback in a constructive manner is an essential quality for an On Air Personality as it directly impacts the station's PR and brand image.

Could you share some creative ideas for increasing show ratings?

This question prompts candidates to display their creative prowess and discuss their strategies to enhance audience engagement, thereby increasing show ratings.

Can you work effectively in high-pressure situations?

On-air personalities must stay composed and focused during live shows when they face high-pressure situations. This question helps gauge resilience and stress management skills.

How comfortable are you with promoting an event or product on air?

As endorsements, promotional campaigns and event advertising are often part of a broadcaster’s duties, this question assesses a candidate's comfort and skills in this area.

Tell us about your most successful event or segment and why it was successful?

When asking this question, look for instances where the candidate truly made a difference and led a show to success. This can help you learn more about their practical capabilities and audience engagement skills.

Have you ever hosted a live remote broadcast?

This question is essential to understand how comfortable a candidate is with different formats of shows.

Do you have any experience with using social media to engage audiences?

The broadcast industry today goes hand in hand with social media presence. This question helps evaluate a candidate's expertise in using social media platforms, which can extend the station's reach and engagement.

How familiar are you with today's popular culture trends?

Being 'in the know' about current trends and pop culture sets the tone of the station and can have a great impact on audience engagement. Hence, this question verifies if they are in touch with the culture and trends that resonate with your audience.

Describe a time when you had to handle an unexpected situation on air?

This again focuses on problem-solving abilities, quick thinking and adaptability. The ability to effectively counter unforeseen setbacks is a must-have skill for an On Air Personality.

What steps do you take to stay updated with local, national, and international news?

A good On Air Personality should always be well-informed. This question helps assess a candidate's commitment to stay informed and their strategies to keep up with the ever-evolving news world.

Do you possess a degree in journalism, communications, or another related field?

Although not always necessary, someone who has studied in a related field might bring an academic understanding of media operations to the table.

Have you ever had to deal with an upset guest or caller? How did you handle it?

This helps to evaluate conflict-management skills. Imperative in live shows, a good host should be able to handle upset guests or callers without upsetting them further.

What is your experience with using broadcasting equipment?

Understanding of the technical aspects enhances the agility and smoothness of live shows. This question assesses the candidate's familiarity with required equipment and their learning curve if any.

How would you build rapport with our target audience?

This final question evaluates how a candidate would connect with the listeners and build a sense of community amongst them. It provides a glimpse into their understanding of the audience and the approaches they would employ to build a strong connection.