Podcasting Gets You a Better Job

While I’m piles of work away from another podcast, I wanted to share a nice story about the power of podcasting.

I received an email earlier this week from someone in the archives of the First Crack Podcast. They said they got a new job thanks in part to our conversation. As they tell it, the prospective employer found the mp3 Googling for our friend’s name. Liking what they heard, they extended an offer for VP-level position.

Now that’s how to make money podcasting.

The Power of Podcasting 2: Feeling Bad for the Dead Guy

Dan Klass shares some fantastic stories on his podcast the Bitterest Pill. My all time favorite is #41 So, You Don’t Even Live Around Here.

If you’ve listened to #39 CSI:Naked Man Body or #38 CSI:Private School or checked out the little cartoon image of him. You know he’s not as svelt as he once was. In both those episodes Dan describes his audition and subsequent landing of a part in a CSI promo. How he auditioned for both parts, how his head got wacked and wacked and wacked as the dead guy. How it still stung as he was retelling.

Last night as I was watching CSI (Vegas, though I prefer Miami), Dan’s promo came on.

My first thought: “He’s much better looking than his cartoon.”

My second thought: “I feel bad for the dead guy.”

Without the Bitterest Pill, I would have assumed the dead guy was some synthetic person-like mass, not a part to audition for, let alone feel empathy for.

The Power of Podcasting 1: The Voice in My Head is Yours

I was reading Scripting news when it I noticed it. The words I was reading were spoken by Dave Winer.

I’ve never met Dave. Something I’d like to do, but all the same, I’ve never met him. I’ve only listened to his podcasts (which continue to explore the bounds of this new audio form). From his podcasts, I have a place in my brain for Dave’s cadence, his inflections, his pronunciation, his personality.

In my head, the words I read are always spoken by The Voice of the Author. Some archetypical voice without a name or face. Reading Scripting news this morning, it was Dave speaking. His voice reading the words back.

Behold, the power of podcasting.