Showcasing your talents on a demo is your chance to make a strong first impression when applying for a broadcasting job. Get it right and you increase your chances of moving forward in the process. Get it wrong, and you could short circuit your chances of landing the job.

Putting your demo together can be a frustrating experience. I found that when I was creating mine, I spent a lot of time looking for the perfect highlight or the perfect inning of play-by-play. I would include a certain highlight only to cut it and replace it with another one. I was never satisfied.

I found the best way to construct a demo was to narrow down your choices to three or four and stick with them. The same for a full inning or two of play-by-play. Don’t drive yourself crazy trying to locate the perfect content. Find some highlights and play-by-play that showcases your talent and go with it.

As for the content that you should include, that depends. Sometimes the job posting will ask for specific elements on your tape. Highlights, play-by-play, interviews etc… Always include what is requested. If nothing is specifically required, I found that for a play-by-play job, a neat, tight demo tape featuring several highlights followed by a full unedited inning of play-by-play would suffice. If more is requested at a later date, you can always provide more. Employers are going to make a determination within the first 30-seconds of a tape if they want to continue to listen, so lead with your best stuff. There is no need to send hours of material, because it simply won’t be listened to.

As for the play-by-play that you include, make sure it provides some insight as to what you can do. Try to find tape that includes more that just a 1-2-3 inning. For instance, calling a double play, a bases-loaded hit or great defensive play shows how you handle the out-of-the-ordinary plays.