The Ultimate Guide to Morning Show Host Interview Questions

Landing a job as a morning show radio host is no easy feat. You need to have the right mix of personality, interviewing skills, and ability to connect with listeners first thing in the morning.

As a hiring manager, asking the right questions during the interview process is crucial to determining if a candidate has what it takes. I’ve put together this comprehensive guide of morning show host interview questions to help you find the perfect host for your morning show.

Getting Started

When interviewing potential morning show hosts you’ll want to assess both their hard and soft skills.

Hard skills relate directly to their ability to do the job – things like interviewing, researching, operating studio equipment, etc

Soft skills reveal more about their personality, work ethic, and how they’ll fit with your station. These include skills like communication, collaboration, time management, and flexibility.

To evaluate both hard and soft skills, I recommend asking a mix of technical questions along with situational and behavioral questions.

Start with an icebreaker question to get a sense of their personality, then dive into more specific questions tailored to the role. Be sure to leave time at the end for the candidate to ask questions – this shows their level of interest in the position.

Now let’s look at some specific examples of great morning show host interview questions

Technical Questions

These questions reveal the candidate’s hard skills and ability to do the job:

• Walk me through how you would prepare for an interview with a high-profile guest. What research would you do beforehand?

• How would you keep the energy up and effectively transition between segments during a 4-hour live morning show?

• Describe your experience operating broadcast equipment like mixing consoles, audio editing software, etc. What are your technical strengths and weaknesses?

• How do you keep up with current events and pop culture news each day? What sources do you read/watch?

• What experience do you have screening calls and interacting with listeners live on-air?

Situational Questions

These questions provide insight into how the candidate might handle real-life scenarios:

• Your guest scheduled for the 7am hour just cancelled. How would you fill that time slot at the last minute?

• You’re halfway through your show when a major breaking news event happens. How do you pivot to cover it live on-air?

• Your co-host is out sick. How would you adjust the show’s segments and flow for the day on your own?

• You have a new artist performing in the studio whose music you personally don’t enjoy. How do you remain professional during the interview?

• Your technical director is having issues with the broadcast equipment, causing dead air. What would you do?

Behavioral Questions

These questions reveal how the candidate handled past situations and gauge their soft skills:

• Tell me about a time you had great chemistry with a co-host. What made your partnership work well on-air?

• Give an example of when you had to think quickly on your feet during a live broadcast. How did you handle it?

• Describe a time when you had to deal with an angry or difficult guest on-air. How did you diffuse the situation?

• Have you ever made a mistake during a live show? How did you handle it gracefully?

• Tell me about a creative segment you came up with that really resonated with listeners. Why do you think it was so successful?

Things to Look For in Responses

When evaluating responses, here are some key things to listen for:

• Communication skills – Do they speak articulately and comfortably? Can they think on their feet?

• Personality – Do they have a warm, energetic presence that will engage listeners in the morning?

• Critical thinking – Do they ask thoughtful follow-up questions? Can they analyze information quickly?

• Collaboration – Do they focus on partnerships with co-hosts and producers? How do they foster teamwork?

• Flexibility – Are they comfortable with sudden changes and unpredictability? Can they improvise?

• Listener focus – Do they demonstrate a passion for serving local listeners and communities?

• Work ethic – Do they have persistence to deliver a top-notch show every morning? Are they committed to continuous improvement?

Choose candidates who excel in these areas. They’ll have the skills to thrive as engaging morning show hosts.

Questions Candidates Should Ask

At the end of the interview, give the candidate time to ask their own questions. This shows their level of interest and preparation.

Some examples of good questions candidates might ask:

• Can you describe the creative freedom hosts have with show segments and content?

• What are the biggest challenges facing your morning show right now?

• How much input will I have on topics, guests, music, etc versus the program director?

• What are the demographics of your target local audience?

• Does the station prefer to promote hosts from within or external hires?

• How much opportunity is there for professional development and training?

• What metrics are used to evaluate the success of the morning show?

The types of questions asked will give you insight into their priorities and interests. Look for candidates who are focused on serving listeners, understanding station objectives, and growing professionally.

Wrapping Up the Interview

As you wrap up the interview, give the candidate a chance to offer any other pertinent information that hasn’t come up yet. Then let them know next steps in the hiring process and timeline.

Be sure to express your appreciation for their time and reinforce any positive aspects you saw during the interview. This leaves them with a good impression of your station, whether they end up being the selected candidate or not.

Following up promptly after the interview with feedback for candidates shows professionalism and respect for their time.

Making the Final Hire

Once you’ve completed all interviews, compare your notes and evaluations of the top candidates. Look for the individual whose experience, interview responses, and presentation align closest with your station needs.

Check references and backgrounds carefully before making a final offer. It’s a good idea to have the morning show team meet finalists as well if possible.

And remember, the interview process is a two-way street. Make sure to effectively convey why your station is a great fit for the candidate so they’ll enthusiastically accept the job and hit the ground running.

I hope these morning show host interview questions have equipped you to zero in on exceptional talent ready to deliver stand-out programming. Your new morning show host will be engaging listeners and driving ratings for years to come. Let the search begin!