If you’ve ever watched a late-night TV program and thought to yourself, “I could do that,” then this guide is for you. In it, we’ll look at the skills you need to land your dream job as a presenter on TV.
We’ll also discuss what sets good presenters apart from those who can’t cut it in front of an audience.
The most important thing to remember when trying your hand at being a presenter is that any experience will help you get better at it even if all that means is making some YouTube videos with friends or just reading aloud from news articles while sitting in your living room sofa.
There are plenty more tips in this guide too: how to dress for success and how not to let nerves get the better of you during an audition or meeting with producers. So read on!
Study Your Favourite Presenters
If you want to become a great presenter, study your favorite presenters.
- Look at their body language. What do they do with their hands? How do they move when they speak? Do they use gestures that seem natural and appropriate or over-the-top and distracting?
- Listen to the tone of voice. Does it sound natural or forced? Does it change depending on the topic being discussed or the audience being addressed (e.g., young kids might get a higher pitch)
- Look at dress sense: does it suit their age and personality, is there anything in their appearance that could be improved upon if necessary, etc.?
- Watch out for delivery: does it come across as confident without sounding arrogant (even though many people will give off an air of confidence), does it appear rehearsed but still authentic and convincing enough for people watching at home not to notice any signs of nerves or discomfort from the speaker(s), etc.?
Be Positive
If you’ve ever seen the movie “My Fair Lady,” you’ll know that there are two key things to avoid when trying to land your dream job. The first is being negative and the second is being overly confident.
For someone to hire you, they need to be able to trust that you will do a good job. If they don’t think that about you, then no matter how much experience or credentials you have, it’s not going to work out.
That’s why it’s important not only for them but also for yourself as well that during an interview process when answering questions, especially ones related specifically to how well suited you would be for this particular role you always express yourself positively without ever making any kind of negative statement whatsoever!
For example: if asked whether or not there was anything else they should know before making their final decision (which usually happens right after questions such as “what qualifications do
Be Confident
The first step on your journey to becoming a host is being confident in your abilities. This means being honest with yourself and others about what you can do, and knowing that it’s okay if one day you make mistakes or ask too many questions!
You can also be confident by taking risks, like trying new skills outside of your comfort zone. When we were first starting as hosts, we were hesitant to try anything new because we didn’t want to look bad on camera but now we know that those types of failures are necessary for growth!
Finally, don’t be afraid to take chances by going after jobs that are different than what you’ve done before (for example hosting) or working for someone who inspires you (like us!). You won’t learn unless you’re willing to try new things so go ahead and do it!
Be Yourself
You’re not going to land a job as a host if you try to be someone else. When you were hired, it was because they liked the way you sounded and presented yourself. They don’t want a fake version of yourself; they want the real deal.
When I started in radio, some people tried way too hard to fit in and make themselves seem cooler than they were. That usually didn’t go well for them (or us).
If we had known that person better, we probably would have seen through it any way they just made themselves look silly by trying so hard to impress everyone around them.
Don’t fall into that trap! Be confident in your skin; focus on being true to yourself instead of trying anything else out there just because it’s what everyone else seems like they’re doing at first glance.”
Get As many experiences As Possible
As a host, you should have excellent people skills. In other words, you need to be able to comfortably connect with strangers and make them feel at ease.
The best way to build these skills is by getting as much experience as possible working in customer service or hospitality roles.
For example: interning at a hotel or restaurant can give you valuable insight into how things run behind the scenes.
If gaining this kind of experience isn’t an option for you right now, volunteer work is also a great way to improve your interpersonal skills while making connections in the industry!
get A Demo Reel Together
Now that you know what it takes to land your dream job as a host, consider getting a demo reel together. A demo reel is a collection of clips from your previous work that show off what you can do.
Having a well-made, professional-looking demo reel is almost as important as having the experience and skills to back it up.
It shows potential employers not only that you’re good at what you do, but also that you have an eye for detail and can convey information engagingly.
Network
To land the job, you need to know how to network. Networking is a skill — it’s not just going up to people and asking if they want your business card.
It’s making connections with people who can help you get what you want, whether that’s working in the industry or landing a job.
Remember: networking is all about making connections — relationships built on mutual respect and common interests.
If events are happening in your local community hosted by hospitality companies (like hotel chains), attend them!
If there aren’t any big conferences or conventions coming up in your area, consider hosting a meetup for hospitality professionals in your town the more people who know who you are and what type of person you are.
The better chance of success when it comes time for them following up with potential employers about hiring someone like yourself as a hostess at their establishment.
Practice Your Autocue Skills
You have a lot of things to do during your hosting gig, so you must know how to use the autocue (which is just a fancy way of saying teleprompter). The first step? Practice.
There are plenty of places online where you can get free videos and practice with them. You can also buy videos from sites like Udemy and Skillshare or check out some video tutorials on YouTube.
The goal here is to learn how to use the autocue so that when you get on the set, you feel confident enough in your skills that they won’t be an issue.
Look The Part
Dress for the job you want. When you are interviewing with a company, your clothes and personal presentation send a message about who you are and how serious you are about the job.
The appearance of a professional candidate will help ensure that they get to move forward in the interview process. Not only is it important to dress appropriately for interviews, but also presentations at conferences or seminars as well.
Dress for the audience you are presenting to In addition to making sure that what you wear is appropriate for an occasion (e.g., no flip flops or cut-off shorts), consider dressing based on how your audience may judge what they see when looking at their screen or watching on video.
And then adjust accordingly! If there’s potential for an international audience viewing online live streaming, then try out different looks before deciding on one final outfit choice – this way if something happens unexpectedly during presentation time (I’m talking Meryl Streep style).
Then hopefully it won’t matter too much because everyone knows why they’re watching anyway…good luck!:)
Get A Professional Headshot Taken
You’re going to need a professional headshot taken. This can be your passport photo or one you’ve taken at a photography studio.
You want this image of yourself to look polished and professional, not like the self-taken photos on Facebook that you never thought would see the light of day beyond your wall.
Keep in mind that if you’re applying for a host position at an airport or train station, it’s likely (but not guaranteed) that they’ll want some sort of identification photo as well as a more “friendly” shot—so make sure both are up to par!
If possible, get your picture taken by someone who knows what they’re doing with lighting and angles. A good place for this is any local university/community college with an art department; there may even be free sessions available through them or their alumni association.
The internet is another great resource; there are plenty of photographers who operate online offering rates that are often much lower than those offered by local professionals (but still better than nothing).
Don’t Spend Your Time Dwelling On Other People’s Success
It’s important to remember that you can’t control what other people do, so don’t waste your time worrying about what they’re doing. Instead, focus on yourself and your own goals.
Keep a journal of the things that are working for you in your job search, so that whenever someone suggests an idea or asks for advice on how to land their dream hosting gig, you can refer them back to something that has worked for YOU in YOUR search.
If there’s something specific about another person’s success that stings too much like hearing about how one of your competitors got hired at a network where you’d been interviewing focus on the fact that no matter how many jobs they get or don’t get, only one host gets cast every season.
Learn To Take Rejection Without Getting Despondent
“But rejection is just part of the process,” says Dr. Belinda Chang, a career coach and expert in helping people develop their dreams. “If you take rejection personally, it will be very hard to overcome it.”
So instead of letting rejections stop you from trying again and again and again, if necessary make sure your heart stays strong by reminding yourself that:
- Rejection doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you or your skillset; it just means this particular opportunity isn’t right for you at this point.
- You’re allowed to make mistakes and still go on living a happy life! According to Dr. Chang: “You cannot fail because failure is not an option.”
Don’t Think You’re Too Old Or Too Young To Start As A Presenter
Don’t worry about your age or experience. If you want to be a host, there is no rule saying you can’t start at any age. And if you’re young, don’t think that because that will make it harder for you to find work as a presenter.
One of the things that I love about being in my field is that I have been able to do so at every stage of my life.
At 30 years old, I started by taking small jobs as an independent contractor for small local news programs; at 35 years old, and after working my way up from those smaller jobs, I left for Los Angeles where I worked for bigger networks; and now at 38, I’ve finally landed the dream job: hosting my show on Netflix!
If anything goes wrong along the way (and things do go wrong), just keep going! Don’t give up on yourself!
Try Not To Get Overwhelmed By The Competition
When applying for a job as a host, there will likely be many other applicants competing for the same position. You may feel overwhelmed by how many people are vying for your dream job.
However, it’s important to remember that you have strengths and qualities that set you apart from the pack. While there may be 100 people applying for what you want, there’s only one who is right for the role in question and it could very well be you!
To help keep things positive and focused on yourself, try not to compare yourself to others. Focus on what sets you apart from everyone else; focus on what makes YOU different from everyone else (while keeping in mind that no two people are exactly alike).
Maintain this confidence throughout the entire process of finding employment with us at [company name], because we know once we get to know each other better than anyone else does you’ll see why we’re hiring YOU above all others!
Conclusion
I hope that by reading this article, you now have a better understanding of how to land your dream job as a host.
It is important to remember that there is no one way to do things in life, and the best way for you to find success is by finding out what works best for your personality type and goals. Always remember: You can do it!
