Dear Yahoo!:

Dear Yahoo!:
How can I break into TV and commercial voice-overs?
Patrick
Chicago, Illinois

Dear Patrick:
Doing voice-overs, or announcing, is a very difficult field to crack. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook lists some facts you may want to consider before plunging down this career path:
Announcer jobs will continue to be hard to come by.
The best opportunities are at small-market stations that don't pay well.
Employment is projected to decline.
Not to mention that not just any old bozo with a good voice can be an announcer. Employers actually expect candidates to have other abilities like excellent pronunciation, correct grammar, good timing, proper diction, and, of course, some experience.

So where do you get experience? Formal broadcast training from a college, tech school, or private broadcast school is valuable. A degree in communications, journalism, or broadcasting can also help.

If you do decide to take the plunge, consider starting in a small market. As you gain experience, you may find other opportunities in larger markets. An agent may also help your career advancement.

Oh, and a little luck wouldn't hurt either.