Hard Work and Panda Express: Producing Takeaways

Do you like long days, making quick decisions, constant changes and lots of people asking you questions?

Nope? Join the club. But that's why producers are a rare breed.

Television news production is saved for the real go-getters of the broadcast industry. It's a sunrise to sunset, high intensity, high responsibility job that few can really master.

But lucky for the rest of us, even a basic introduction to the profession can provide incredibly valuable skills down the road.

• Time Management: You don't start the day at 7:45am and end the day at 7:00pm with a show in between if you can't manage time. And it's not just your time either--as a producer, you're responsible for managing EVERYBODY'S time: reporters, anchors, graphic designers (sometimes even other producers).

• Prioritization: You choose what goes into your show. Want to start the A Block with a 30 second clip of golden retriever puppies? (You might get some weird looks, but you can if you want to!) Producing tests your news judgment. What does the audience need to know? What do they want to know? What should they know? Producing teaches you that everything has to be calculated. There should never be a random order to your rundown.

• Leadership: Congratulations, you're in charge! But no need to be a tyrant. Find an authoritative balance. When your team needs you, step up to the plate and take control! But don't forget: there are 50 other people in the newsroom with jobs equally as important as yours. 

• Responsibiity: The job comes with its perks, but also a lot of responsibility. You're the one who calls the shots. You take the big wins, but also feel the hard losses. Whether the show brings down the house or crashes and burns, you feel the effects. 

• Teamwork: You're a leader, but you're also part of a group. With so many things going into a broadcast operation, you're going to have to rely on your team. Your squad is large, but it also has to be tight-knit. The more you can make your team feel like family, the better you'll perform together.

• BONUS: A deep appreciation for Panda Express. Trust us.

These skills will help at any job in any profession. So even if you don't plan on becoming a producer, try it out.

...At the very least, you'll make some friends and enjoy Panda Express once a week.