The Rocket

Issue date: 3/30/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Submitted Photo Tim DeBacco, Pirates announcer [Click to enlarge]

Pittsburgh Pirates public address announcer Tim DeBacco visited campus Thursday in celebration of Communication Week to advise students to use their time at college to discover their strengths and weaknesses, so they can figure out what they want to do after college.

DeBacco, a graduate from Clarion University, has served as the Pittsburgh Pirates' public address announcer since 1988 and also works both in broadcast commercials and as the director of marketing and communications for Media Wombo.

He spoke about how he began his career as an announcer, how his college experience has helped him and what students can do to better themselves and their future careers.

"Preparation is the key to success," DeBacco said in reply to an audience question about how to ease seniors' worries about finding a job. "If you're committed, there's always a way."

He said that graduates who are just entering the workforce should be prepared to fail a few times.

"The best learning experience is by failing," he said.

Many communication students attended the lecture with the intention of learning from a professional.

"It was nice to learn what he had to say about being a public addresser," said Christina Watson, a junior communication major. "I learned that networking is the best way to meet people to get the foot in the door."

One of the first things DeBacco advised was for students to get comfortable and develop skills in writing and public speaking. He said he finds himself exercising those skills every day and that they can really help students create a better image of themselves.

"In the field of communication and especially broadcasting, that's one of the quickest ways to accelerate your success is to just do it. Just practice," he said.

He also said that it's important to remember friends and keep connections. He said the reason he got his job is because a friend of his who worked at the ballpark told him about the opportunity.

DeBacco stressed that while it's important for potential employees to include their abilities and skill sets on their resumes, some of the things he looks for involve common courtesy and their genuine interest in the job.

"Those little things seem to speak volumes to me," DeBacco said. "It's great that when you're at a university that has so much to offer, that you really explore every avenue of what you like, what you don't like, what you're good at and what you're not good at."

He warned students that one of the worst things someone can do on their resume is lie, because it's often obvious.

He suggested that a good way to add to a resume without lying is to include descriptions of a previous job instead of just a title.

"If you know you want to do something," DeBacco said, "don't let anybody tell you you can't do it because if you're committed there really is always a way. There are so many things that I never thought I could do and I did."

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools