Internship and hard work advance alumna's career to promotions manager for CBS Radio Friday, December 18, 2015
Meet Kayla Seybert
Job title: Promotions Manager, Sportsradio 93-7 The Fan and NewsRadio 1020 KDKA
Employer: CBS Radio, Pittsburgh
Degree earned: B.A. in Broadcasting, 2010
College activities: WPPJ, intern at WYEP 91.3 and CBS Radio
Hometown: Columbiana, Ohio
High school: Columbiana High School
Now living in: New Kensington, Pa.
Hobbies/interests: Baking, cooking, attending concerts, watching baseball, outdoor activities and reading
LinkedIn: Kayla Seybert
How did you land your job at CBS Radio?
During my senior year at Point Park, I attended the internship and job fair on campus and found out about CBS Radio's internship opportunities. I landed an internship in the promotions department, but several people from the production side learned that I also knew how to run and operate a radio board, and use AudioVault (thanks WPPJ!). After my internship finished, they hired me as a part-time board operator and also as a promotions assistant, which quickly became a producing job on 93-7 The Fan.
After about a year, I was hired as a full-time executive promotions assistant to the events coordinator. I held that position for another year and was then promoted to the pre-and-post-game show producer for the Pittsburgh Pirates programming on The Fan.
I attended every Pirates home game for two years, spending about 12 hours a day at PNC Park interviewing the players, editing sound, creating on-air pieces and organizing the pre-and-post-game reaction shows. Soon after, an opening became available as a promotions director on The Fan, which I applied for and got. After a year and a half of doing that, I was then promoted to promotions manager for KDKA radio as well.
What are your key responsibilities at CBS Radio?
- Create and execute radio station events, on-air contests and promotional concepts
- Work directly with the station talent to develop new ideas and creative ways to enhance our brand
- Work closely with the sales department to assist in ideas and pitches to potential clients, enhance overall programs, marketing and appeal of the station
- Problem solve and strategically develop successful events for the station and its audience
Why did you choose to attend Point Park?
I loved the atmosphere of being in Downtown Pittsburgh, but coming from a small town, the thought of a big city was sort of scary. Point Park was perfect because it was in a major city, but was still small enough that it had charm and I could actually navigate it without getting intimidated or lost. Point Park also has a GREAT school for broadcasting! The program is outstanding and class sizes are small which allows for hands-on training.
How did your Point Park experience prepare you for your career?
The education and training I received at Point Park is really the reason I was able to get a job in my field so soon after college. I had many skills that a lot of the competition did not. I had already learned how to operate a sound board, how to use many of the radio broadcasting programs used in corporate stations, and also gained confidence and knowledge because of the one-on-one time I spent in the college radio station and with my radio professors. Since I was able to begin my broadcasting and radio classes as a first-year student, I also had quite the jump start on my abilities, and felt it was really impactful that a lot of my classes were actually held IN the student-run radio station.
What are your career goals?
I always said my ultimate career goal was to be in charge of the events and promotions department of a radio station. I NEVER imagined that it would happen so quickly! I want to continue to grow and learn in this position for a while, because I really do enjoy it; I feel there is so much more to experience. But at some point in the future, I can definitely see myself being a program director of a radio station, maybe with a different format.
Final thoughts?
I would always read the alumni success stories on Point Park's website when I was a student and would think to myself, 'man, these people are so great.' I would sit and wonder what it would be like to have a great career doing my dream job, and now here I am telling my story. It's crazy and I'm very grateful for everything Point Park has provided for me!