How to Become a TV Presenter

Developing the Required Skills

Practice your communication skills so you present clearly. Presenting requires you to speak with a clear and consistent tone so other people watching can easily understand you. Practice holding conversations with people without using filler words like “um” or “ah.” If there isn’t anyone to practice holding conversations with, try reading out loud since you may need to read from a script or prompter when you’re an actual presenter. Have a genuine interest in people while you’re holding a conversation with them. Rather than letting a conversation die, always look for ways to continue talking to have a deeper discussion. Practice articulating each word while you’re speaking or reading so you’re less likely to stumble over your sentences.

Work on interviewing and listening to other people. Many presenters, like TV hosts or newscasters, need to conduct interviews with people on their show. Practice asking people questions and be genuinely curious about their answer. Don’t interrupt them while they’re talking since it’s disrespectful and unprofessional. Listen to them carefully so you don’t get confused or lost during the conversation. Ask questions related to the peoples’ answers so you can get into deeper conversation. While interviewing isn’t required from all TV presenters, it’s still a good skill to develop since it will make you more versatile and give you more job opportunities.

Get comfortable in front of a camera. TV presenters don’t just interact with the people on set, but they also need to talk directly to the camera to interact with viewers at home. Set up a camera at home and practice talking directly to the lens. Pretend the camera is another person you’re talking to and engage with it so you don’t come across as boring or uncomfortable. Watch other TV presenters to see how they interact with the camera, and then try to copy their style.Tip: Take as many opportunities as you can to be in front of the camera to get more comfortable. You could start filming video projects for school or join an AV club if your school has one.

Be willing to improvise if things don’t go as planned. Things don’t always go according to plan while you’re presenting on TV since you may be on a live broadcast or other people could go off-script. If things don’t go the way you intended, accept the new outcome and adjust your plan accordingly. That way, you can respond well to situations that you didn’t expect and still appear comfortable. For example, if you want to try improvising you can ask questions that aren’t in a script or you may tell a joke if you made a mistake. Look for improv classes in your area and try them out if you can. While improv classes help you become funnier, they can help you feel more comfortable when you’re put into new situations.

Getting a Degree in Media

Focus on speech and video classes if you’re in high school. If you’re still in school, pay close attention to classes that require you to do public speaking and being in front of a camera. Work hard in your classes so you can develop knowledge of working with a camera and crew. Study as much as you can for the courses so you can maintain good grades. Join your school’s AV club if it has one so you can work with cameras and other media devices. See if your school has a forensics team where you publicly speak and debate against other students. Forensics can help you become a better presenter and speak more clearly. If you’re not in school, you can still take online courses to practice public speaking and learning video techniques.

Try for a journalism or media production degree. Attend a 2- or 4-year college and pick a degree that helps expand your knowledge on production and journalism. Focus on classes like speech, film, interviewing, and researching to become knowledgeable in those areas. Take time to study and finish all your assignments so you can get the best grades you possibly can. You don’t need a degree to become a TV presenter, but it can help increase your chances of finding a job. Try auditioning for any theater productions your university has so you can practice being in front of people.Tip: Many universities have on-campus jobs or clubs that can help you become a better presenter. For example, you could be a tour guide to practice interacting with people or you can find a production club to film events.

Pick a subject you’re interested in to specialize in. Many TV presenters are knowledgeable in other subjects to make them more versatile and make them stand out. Pick subjects that you’re genuinely interested in and take additional courses so you can learn more about them. Always look for more ways to become an expert in your subject by reading articles or watching videos on your own. For example, if you’re interested in current events, you may take modern history or global issues courses to learn more. This can help you become a newscaster or present on a history-related show. You don’t need to take college courses on the subjects if you don’t want. Read articles online and stay up to date with the subjects you really enjoy.

Finding a Presenting Job

Create a resume to list your work experience and skills. When you make your resume, be sure to include any work history you have related to presenting if you have any. List the skills you developed that help you present, such as communication, improvisation, or on-camera experience. Fit your resume onto 1-2 pages so it isn’t too overwhelming for employers to look at. Add colors and graphic design to your resume to make it stand out more. Include details about your height, weight, and appearance so employers know what you look like at a glance. That way, they can tell if you’re a good fit for presenting specific shows.

Get headshots taken so employers know what you look like. Hire a photographer to take well-lit, well-framed photos of you to include with your resume. Dress well for the photos as if you were presenting the type of show you want to work on. Look directly at the camera and smile, but try out different angles and expressions to see what works best for your photos. You can also try taking your own headshots if you have a clean, well-lit space to take your pictures.

Make a showreel to show your on-screen skills. A showreel displays your previous work so producers and employers know what to expect when you’re in front of a camera. Pick what type of presenting you want to do and use footage from previous related experience in the reel. If you don’t have previous experience, you can film yourself presenting in front of a camera. Keep the reel less than 4 minutes so it isn’t too long. Don’t include everything you’ve done in your showreel since it can feel overwhelming to employers who watch it. Narrow down the footage to your best work in the area you want to work in.Warning: Don’t put on a fake presenter voice for your reel. Just be yourself so employers can see your personality.

Start looking for lower-level media production jobs. It can be difficult becoming a TV presenter right away, so look for jobs related to television production. Look for positions like camera operator, writer, editor, or production assistant so you can work on set and meet other people. This way, you grow familiar with how production works and see how other presenters behave professionally. There are many online job boards made specifically for production. Look on sites like Backstage and ProductionHUB for the best chances of getting on set.

Network with other people in the industry to learn about new opportunities. Talk to people you work with and make meaningful connections with them. Don’t ask people right away for a job since it could sound pushy or desperate. Try to be colleagues or friends with them first, and just be yourself. If you leave a memorable impression on someone, they may remember you when they have a presenting opportunity. Look for other people that have similar goals as you so you can work together and help one another out.

Look for open auditions for presenting jobs. Many TV presenters go through an audition process so producers can see them in action. Check online job boards to see if there are any presenter or hosting jobs available. Send copies of your resume, headshot, and showreel to any positions you’re interested in to see if you get a callback. Go into the auditions confidently and do what the producers ask you to do. Leave your headshot and resume with the people you audition for and thank them for their time so you have better chances at success.