“You Should Rather Return to Your First Job.” The Self-efficacy Beliefs of Radio Personalities

ABSTRACT Radio presenting is a rewarding yet challenging undertaking for novice and experienced radio personalities. Self-efficacy, a key determinant of performance, is an under-researched psychological variable that may influence radio presenters’ performance in a highly competitive industry. This study explored the self-efficacy beliefs of radio personalities at a community radio station in central South Africa. Eleven semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted and analyzed by means of directive coding. The findings in this study unpack the factors that impact positively and negatively on self-efficacy beliefs and may help navigate station management toward rendering the necessary support in empowering and retaining these employees.