By: Caroline Hickman
FAYETTEVILLE, AR- It’s a Thursday afternoon, and a class at the University of Arkansas patiently awaits the connection of a FaceTime call from New York.
Fred Gaudelli, Executive Producer for Sunday Night Football, appears on the Mac screen to see the nervous faces of aspiring journalists staring back.
Some students ask the Emmy award winning producer (21 Emmys to be exact) about his job, and how they can become a reporter. Gaudelli told students they must be able to do two things: write well, and have sports knowledge.
However, what Gaudelli says students lack is not the skills, but rather the drive to put work before play.
“A lot of the young people that I work with really want to have the best of both worlds,” Gaudelli said. “They want to have this great career, and they want to have this very fulfilling personal life, and often times in this business those two are in direct conflict.”
Since young people can have a difficult time prioritizing, the real question is, are millennials prepared for the harsh, competitive industry that is so sought after? According to the head honcho, the answer is yes.
“In some regards they are the most well-prepared generation for this business ever,” Gaudelli said. “What they can do on a laptop, what they can do on their phones, the way they are able to consume media. As far as that aptitude they are further advanced than any generation before them.”
In such a tough industry it is easy to fail and go unnoticed. However, there are so many ways to set you apart from the other competitors.
In addition to being tech savvy, Gaudelli says you also have to figure out a way to be a difference maker, and if you are, you will pretty much be immune to outside forces.
“Companies don’t kick talent to the curb,” said Gaudelli, who has produced six Super Bowls and runs the most watched television program for the past seven years.
A couple more traits Gaudelli says millennials should have are to be flexible and adaptable.
“Your ability to roll with the punches and rise above them is part of being a real competitor and a real difference maker,” Gaudelli said.
However, the most important thing Gaudelli mentioned is that if you are young, and trying to make a name for yourself, you better be willing to bust your butt every single day.
“Don’t do the required amount of work,” Gaudelli said. “Get involved and take advantage of these opportunities because the people that do that are generally the people who succeed.”