I lied about having radio experience to get hired – KSM – Nsemkeka
Veteran Ghanaian comedian and filmmaker, Kwaku Sintim-Misa, popularly known as KSM, has made a surprising revelation about how he landed his first job in radio.
Speaking on The Career Trail programme aired on Joy Learning TV and JoyNews, KSM admitted he lied about having prior radio experience in order to secure the opportunity.
According to KSM, upon returning to Ghana from the United States, he struggled to break into the film industry and decided to explore opportunities in radio instead.
“When I came to Ghana, and I wasn’t getting lucky with the film thing, radio had just started. Joy FM was then the only private radio station operating in Ghana. I decided to go into radio,” he highlighted.
KSM mentioned that his love for talk radio, developed during his time in the U.S., motivated him to consider a career in the field.
“I like talk radio. It’s one of my favourite things. Whether it’s intelligent or funny talk, I love it. Back in the U.S., there was a particular talk station I always listened to; from my house to my car, I was always tuned in,” he recounted.
He narrated that when he heard Vibe FM was seeking new programmes, he decided to take a chance and approach the station.
“I overheard that Vibe FM was looking for programmes. So I went there and asked to see the manager. When I met him, he asked me if I had done radio before, and I lied. I said, ‘Oh yeah, I was doing talk shows when I was in New York.’ That’s when his face lit up,” he recalled.
Explaining why he lied to get the job, he said: “I wanted the job. I didn’t think that if I had told him I had no radio experience, I would have gotten it. I wanted them to feel that if they let me go, they had lost something.”
However, he emphasised that he was confident in his ability to deliver once given the opportunity.
KSM stressed that he is not encouraging young people to lie their way into jobs, especially in today’s environment where verification is easier and more common.
However, he noted that the bold step he took became a turning point in his career.
“My first radio show, The Talk Shop, was a big hit,” he said.