I know I started back in television in the dark ages (early 80′s), but I never thought about how much I was making, I just knew I wanted to work in TV.
After my internship at “Midday Live with Bill Boggs”, I knew I HAD to work on a TV show. Unfortunately I wasn’t getting a job in TV so quickly! During my internship, I met a few PR people who I guess noticed my tenacity and offered me a job. I went to work in a very small PR firm with a terrific woman by the name of Marcy Rudell. It was a direct marketing PR firm. As hard as i tried, I just didn’t love what I was doing. I missed being on the other end of the phone getting pitched by people as I did at MIdday. Now I was doing the begging! My hat is off to all PR people, it’s not easy!
Everyday I dreaded going to work. I just didn’t love it and it didn’t feel right for me. I was being paid a lot of money for a kid just out of college, but I was just not happy. One day, I just burst into tears and told Marcy that as much as I was so appreciative, I knew in my gut, that I wanted to work on a TV show and I couldn’t settle. Problem again, I just didn’t know how to get my first real paying job in TV. Although I would have done it for free! Believe me! I went to all the employment agencies (do they still have them???) and said, i only want to work in TV. Now, think about it, what’s the chances of getting a job on a TV show thru an employment agency??? But, what did I know??
The employment agency said, “We don’t have a job in TV, but we do have one in Advertising, and that’s pretty close to TV.” Really??
I started my new job at an Advertising firm called Wunderman, Ricotta and Kline. Now I was making even more money and working at a glamorous Advertising Agency on Madison Avenue. Who wouldn’t be happy? I was an asst to 2 big bosses. A man and a woman. We were working on the Johnson and Johnson acct. I should have been happy?? Right?? Big job. Making great money for just out of college..
I just couldn’t do it. I loved everyone there, but my heart wasn’t in it. I wanted to feel PASSION FOR MY WORK! Finally, my brother Michael called me and said there was a temporary position, making half the money at Good Morning America. (sorry if you heard this already). There would be no guarantee that the job would last, I wouldn’t be staff, no insurance and I would be making half my salary that I was making at Wunderman.
I didn’t care, I would survive! I HAD to take this job. I told my bosses and started at GMA the next week.
I was so happy. I worked around the clock, and it didn’t feel like work! I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. The rest as we say, is history!!!..
My lesson here (and I tell my kids this).. YOUR WORK LIFE IS A LONG, LONG TIME.!. DO WHAT YOU LOVE AND IT WON’T FEEL LIKE WORK!! BE PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT YOU DO! DO NOT SETTLE FOR MONEY AND A JOB YOU DO NOT LIKE. MONEY WILL COME EVENTUALLY, BUT BEING HAPPY EVERYDAY IS SO MUCH MORE IMPORTANT!
I am now media training people who want to break into TV on air. Jane Hanson and I are going to be running a weekend Academy.
Amy@Rosenblumtv.com
Amy, another great blog. You are so right. You have to love what you do. I too worked in advertising, but not at agencies, I worked on the corporate side for 3 large companies. The last two being large pharmaceutical companies. Loved being creative and challenged to come up with unique ways to detail doctors to precribe new and existing Rx drugs. Keep writing, it is so interesting.
You are so right about loving what you do. I loved being a librarian. It’s what I wanted to do since I was seven years old. I didn’t make a lot of money, had to work multiple jobs to pay the bills, but I loved what I was doing for the 50+ years that I worked in libraries doing everything from shelving books to managing a college library. I got to go to some pretty interesting places too, including war zones. You can make all the money in the world, but if you hate your job, you are going to be miserable.
Hello Amy, I just want to say thank you so much for sharing your memorables moments on TV with us. Every night before I go to sleep I read your post and it gives me a great motivation and energy to persuade my dream. Actually, I work in the medical field but I am not completely happy because I still have to Iisten to this little voice that remains me everyday who I really am. I am a very fashionable girl with a big, nice heart, a little shy and humble. Honestly, Each time I read a new chapter of your life I feel that I am getting to know you more and more. I am falling in love with your personality. I would love to be one of your student in your Academy. I really hope to hear from you soon. Looking Forward to meet you, Best Regards, Vivian Villota.
Vivian, pls write to me on my email- amy@rosenblumtv.com