Dear Human Resources Director ...

If you are an HR director at an agency or media company I have some free advice that will save you time money AND improve the quality and diversity of your workforceamp160 You should contact the IRTS not the IRS now and begin using them as a resource for potential job candidatesThe IRTS Foundation International Radio and Television Society has been serving our industry for 54 years and yet I would argue that very few people understand the great value it providesamp160 Most people across our business know the IRTS for its summer internships and their annual fundraisersamp8230 the Newsmaker Media Buyers Breakfast during Upfront season and the Hall of Mentorship dinneramp160 Fewer people are aware of just how successful they have been in attracting and retaining top talent for our industry through their annual 2day Multicultural Career Workshop and their prestigious 9week Summer Fellowship ProgramThe IRTS screens over 1500 applicants every year and places them in summer internship positions with companies across the media industry The application process is intense and it attracts only the most promising applicants Approximately twothirds of the 33 finalists accepted into the program come from diverse backgroundsamp160amp160 These kids are the best of the best and anyone who has interacted with recent participants in the program will attest to thisamp160 The 9week program includes travel to and from New York housing a paid internship and ancillary educational experiencesHere are some impressive success metricsamp8230 90 of the IRTS summer interns return to the media business following graduation AND they remain in the business for at least 5 yearsamp8230amp160 There are approximately 1000 people across our industry that quotgraduatedquot the IRTS Fellowship Program amp160The retention rate of IRTS graduates can be attributed to a couple of factorsamp160 First the program truly educates the participants about the media business and they quotgraduatequot with a very positive view of it as a potential career pathamp160 Second it provides them access to senior level execs many of them IRTS Board members and past graduates of the program who are willing to share their time and mentor themamp160 Third it places them within top companies across our industryamp160 Fourth the small dedicated team at the IRTS has continued to improve and refine the program the selection process and the NYC experience for the Summer FellowsUnbeknownst to many the IRTS has undergone a substantial transformation over the past 3 yearsamp160 Like many successful charitable organizations competition for funding had been increasing amp160Also the IRTS Board membership and leadership was not reflective of the very diversity the IRTS was espousingamp160amp160 Under the leadership of outgoing Board Chairman Jack Myers a new course was charted to address both of these concernsSo if you39re at an executive level in our industry consider quotpaying it forwardquot by underwriting the cost of a summer fellow 7500amp160 Name the fellowship in honor of someone who mentored you and indicate that you would like the recipient selected from your alma materamp160 You39ll be doing a good deed which guarantees you39ll end up in quotThe Good Placequotamp160 amp160amp160And if you are a HR director consider thisamp8230amp160 the IRTS has a database of outstanding candidatesamp160 They accept 3 of those people interviewed and the next 100 candidates who didn39t make the cut would still be in the top 10 of all those kids they screened or interviewedamp160 These candidates are available for you to source Finally a couple of thank you39samp8230 Thanks to IRTS Diamond Donors Active International and The Nielsen Foundation for their generous ongoing supportamp160 Most importantly thanks to longtime IRTS CEO Joyce Tudrin for her dedication enthusiasm and energy in leading the organization amp160Thanks also to VP Lauren KrukWinokur who oversees the academic programs and is a great inspiration for all the Summer FellowsPlease contact Joyce for more info at joycetudrynirtsorgPhoto at top IRTS Summer Fellows Class of 2017Click the social buttons above or below to share this story with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE MEDIAVILLAGE CONTENT | BECOME A THOUGHT LEADERSHIP CONTRIBUTOR

Dear Human Resources Director ...

Author

Publish date

Channel

Steve Grubbs

FEMA and the Ad Council Encourage AANHPI Communities to Enhance Disaster Preparedness in New PSAs - Ad Council InSites

More Videos:

SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE MEDIAVILLAGE CONTENT | BECOME A THOUGHT LEADERSHIP CONTRIBUTOR

Dear Human Resources Director ...

Enjoying This Commentary? There's More to Love

Steve Grubbs

FEMA and the Ad Council Encourage AANHPI Communities to Enhance Disaster Preparedness in New PSAs - Ad Council InSites

Cookies