It’s Monday morning. As podcast anchor, you’re in the office and checking your emails. One email catches your eye … your podcast assistant has just quit. What do you do now?
The first step is to take a breath. This is not all bad news or unexpected; it’s just a bump in the road.
Your podcast assistant quitting (or being fired) doesn’t necessarily indicate that something is wrong with either of your projects—they may just have decided they wanted to move on to something else.
There’s no need to panic or despair! You still have plenty of time to find someone else to help run things while you’re on maternity leave next year (assuming that’s still happening).
You shouldn’t be too hard on yourself if things don’t work out with this person: sometimes people aren’t compatible, even though they might seem a good fit at first glance!
But now that we’ve gotten ahead of ourselves, what should we do about it?
Podcast anchor – bad news!
You have a new email from your podcast assistant. The email is unexpected, but not all bad news. It’s quite the opposite! The email is a resignation letter:
‘Podcasting with a Mission.’
It’s a brief message from someone who wants to share their story, and they think you might be interested. You are interested.
As the details of this person’s life emerge in the following email chain, it becomes clear that you could bring them to an audience in ways that would help them impact the world. The podcast has finally found its focus!
Dear …
Dear Reader, I’m sorry to tell you this, but I am leaving the podcast. It has been a fantastic experience working with all of you.
Thank you for making me feel so welcome and part of the team. The listeners are indeed what makes this all worthwhile for me. As for why I am leaving: after much thought and deliberation, I have decided that my priority is spending time with family and friends—and not long-distance ones at that!
If there is anything else I could ever do or help you with in the future, please don’t hesitate to ask me!
I’m afraid I have to resign from my position as podcast assistant
I’ve worked very hard the past few months, but now that the project is over, I want to pursue other opportunities. Thank you for giving me this chance, and I wish you all the best in your future endeavors.
I know that without you, my job would have been nearly impossible, so please let me know if there’s anything I can do for you before leaving!
The reason for my resignation is that I’ve started a new job
The podcast you’ve come to know and love has been a great experience, but it’s time for me to move on. My new position is in New York City, so I am moving away from my home.
My new job requires that I work remotely. My work can be done anywhere worldwide (this will not affect my ability to produce good work). If you continue working together, we must find an alternative solution. Hence, no downtime between episodes or episodes is being released later than usual due to my traveling schedule.
I know I’ve given you a short notice, but I am very grateful for the opportunity you gave me to work with you.
Thank the person for the opportunity. This is a straightforward way to start your email. It sets the tone for what’s to come and lets them know you appreciate their working with you.
Be sure to include positive comments about their work so they feel valued and enjoyed, are paid well, and have benefits like healthcare and vacation time.
Thank you for letting me do this job
If you have worked with your assistant for a while, you must tell them you are grateful for the opportunity and experience.
You want them to feel that they are leaving on good terms. This can be as simple as writing a brief email saying thank you for all their hard work and wishing them well in their next endeavor.
To create an even stronger connection with your new podcast assistant, send them a handwritten note thanking them for all they have done! They will appreciate this personal touch (and so will their colleagues).
This is unexpected, but it’s not all bad news!
Don’t panic. There’s still time to get the podcast done and out into the world. The work you’ve already done will go towards that goal.
Your work will not have been wasted; you will not have to do everything yourself now (even though I know that might be tempting).
Don’t feel bad.
Being a writer these days is hard enough without an assistant quitting on you right before a deadline.
Just remember: You’re being paid for this job. Even if there are setbacks, at least their job pays something!
Don’t feel alone in your struggle.
Other podcasters have had assistants quit unexpectedly on them! Many of these could soldier on through just fine with little disruption to their schedule.
One example is Tim Ferrentino from ‘A History Of Rock Music In 10 Songs‘. Tim explains in a blog post how his experience went down. It may seem scary initially, but it’ll be okay − trust me on this one!
Here’s what you need to do now!
What do you do when your podcast assistant quits? That’s the question I asked myself last week when my co-host and I learned that our podcast assistant had decided to leave.
We were blindsided by her resignation and had no idea what to do next—so we turned to the internet for answers. Luckily, there are plenty of articles with advice for hiring/firing assistants and dealing with other problems as a small business owner (including this one from Entrepreneur Magazine).
But most articles focus on how much money you should pay an employee or the contract standard between employer and employee. That’s all helpful information …but it doesn’t help YOU!
You are trying to figure out what happens NOW
What should YOU do right now so your show doesn’t fall apart?
Start looking for a new podcast assistant ASAP!
Now that you know what to do if your podcast assistant quits, it’s time to start looking for a new one.
Ideally, you’ll have a plan B in place before this happens to move forward without missing a beat. There are many different ways of finding a podcast assistant.
They might hire someone who doesn’t necessarily have audio editing experience but has the necessary technical skills and personality traits for the job. A safer option is to hire someone through an agency or recruiter such as Aristo Sourcing, as the company can assist in screening out bad candidates and find you great people who can work remotely.
Whatever method you choose, remember that it’s important not to rush in too quickly to decide about your new podcast assistant! The last thing you want is for this episode where I had no idea what was happening − I hadn’t taken enough time thinking things through beforehand!
Having a plan B means acting quickly when someone you rely on quits their job.
For example, if your podcast assistant quits and you won’t have an assistant lined up, it could take weeks to find someone new and get up to speed. This will delay the production of your show and make life difficult for everyone involved. Don’t let this happen!
Instead, be prepared: create a backup plan for sudden changes in your business that consists of helping everyone involved move forward without missing a beat.
The Bottom Line
Suppose your podcast assistant quits; don’t panic! There are plenty of ways to keep the show running smoothly and find a replacement. Take some deep breaths, set up a plan B, and get on with it.
Moreover, it can also be a benefit since you can hire a virtual podcast manager to assist you and save money. If you are looking for a virtual assistant, make that booking to speak to our outsourcing expert today!