#TEAMHYPE Spotlight: Justin Chavez
Happy #HumpDay! We're launching a new series highlighting local creatives from our fam who give us a serious dose of career inspo. As an intern for CultureHype in 2015, 23-year-old Justin Chavez went on to make some major moves after graduating from the University of North Texas. Now an on-air personality for the Kidd Kraddick Morning Show, Justin works for a nationally syndicated radio show on 106.1 KISS FM airing 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. From interviewing celebrities, attending lavish events, & traveling as perks of the job, he really is living his BEST life.
How has working at CultureHype helped you in your career so far?
"CultureHype gave me the experience I needed to understand how the media works. Public Relations is all about communication & relationships. Amber created an environment where you are meeting new people and networking. It was my first PR internship & made my resume stand out because of the skills I obtained through the CultureHype experience. Creating media lists & setting up events caught my employer’s interest!"
How was the transition from college into the workforce?
"I graduated with a full-time job! It was smooth as a butter. I knew from the start going into the workforce that employers are looking for experience NOT a GPA. I sought out as many internships as possible to build my experience. I had three PR internships & two jobs tailored to PR. For my last internship, I was a social media intern for the Kidd Kraddick Morning Show, tweeting out to 96 thousand people. Interning for the show turned into a part-time job and finally into a full-time salary!"
What is your day-to-day life now working at Kidd Kraddick Morning Show?
"Day-to-day I am constantly thinking of ideas & content for the show. If I’m not planning a segment I’m thinking of something for the next one. It’s a lot of conversation, social media scrolling & people watching for this kind of job."
What are some cool events you attend now because of the Kidd Kraddick Morning Show?
"I’ve been to ACL, Jingle Ball, resorts in different countries, etc. The coolest experience of them all was Kanye’s concert when he was on his Saint Pablo Tour in Dallas. Also, our boss took us to Las Vegas for the weekend to celebrate new staff contracts & we stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel, saw Rihanna perform & I won $250 in Scrapps."
What are some of the weirdest interviews that you have done for the Kidd Kraddick Morning Show?
"My first celebrity interview was V Awk. It was Demi Lovato & I fanned girled all over the place. I touched her arm like thirteen thousand times, squealed & brought up old stuff she was trying to move past like her Disney Channel show, 'Sonny With A Chance.' All she did was smile & gave me fake compliments. It was the coolest & most stressful time of my life."
What do you love the most about working at Kidd Kraddick Morning Show?
"The thing I love most about working at the Kidd Kraddick Morning Show is working with the team. Everyone knows the cast: Kellie, Big Al, J-Si, & Jenna. They are just as lovable in person as they are on air. The support staff & my producers, Robert & Nick, are so supportive & encouraging. They are constantly giving me ideas & helping me up when I take a radio tumble. We’re a small team but we are a very close team. The love is there. I honestly could not ask for a better group."
What are some tips you can give readers to enter the job of their dreams?
"Britney Spears said it best 'You want a hot body? You want a Bugatti? You want a Maserati? You better work bitch.' Don’t wait until you graduate to find a job. Start looking now. Start gaining experience. Start building your resume. Get more than one internship under your belt that way you stand out from all the other candidates. If you show that you are capable of taking on the tasks of a job you are applying for you are more likely to picked over someone who doesn’t have any. Feed your resume! Get to work bitch."