What Type Of Person Thrives In TV News, According To A TV News Anchor At ABC7 News
To thrive as a TV News Anchor, Kristen suggests aspiring journalists possess an innate curiosity, always asking "why?" and going the extra mile to stand out. Kristen also emphasizes the importance of taking risks, being creative, and demonstrating value from day one, as exemplified by subscribing to the Fresno newspaper and sending story ideas to a potential employer, while remaining humble and resilient in the face of mistakes.
Curiosity, Fearlessness, Creativity, Persistence, Humility
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Kristen Sze
TV News Anchor
ABC7 News KGO-TV
UC Berkeley
Political Science, American Studies
Arts, Entertainment & Media
Communication and Marketing
Immigrant
Video Highlights
1. Curiosity is key: Successful individuals in this industry possess an innate curiosity and constantly question the 'why' behind things.
2. Persistence and going the extra mile are crucial: Demonstrated by proactively generating story ideas relevant to the specific location you're targeting for a job.
3. Humility, self-reflection, and resilience are essential: Being able to admit mistakes, learn from them, and move forward without dwelling on them is vital.
Transcript
How would you describe people who typically thrive in this industry?
You have to start with curiosity, first and foremost. If you're always wondering why, why? You know, like the kid who annoyed their parents because they wanted to know why things work or why something is a certain way? And are you sure you're telling me the whole story? That is something you can't teach, and it's fundamental.
Journalists, at the heart of it, we're always asking why. I think you also have to be unafraid. Being outgoing helps, but that can be trained. There are people who are introverts who do really well; they teach themselves to talk to people when they need to. Don't be afraid to approach someone, even if they might seem intimidating, like a governor or a big star, to ask them important questions.
You have to be able to take risks and be creative, to think outside the box. I always say, ask for forgiveness rather than permission. Sometimes you just have to do it, as long as you know it's the morally right thing to do. You have to be persistent, to go the extra mile. This applies to chasing a story and to the job itself.
Let me give you an example. When I was trying to get a job in Fresno, which was my second job after Binghamton, I thought, "What can I do to stand out?" They get so many applicants, so how do you stand out? I subscribed to the Fresno newspaper, which had to be air-mailed to upstate New York three times a week, because this was in the pre-internet days.
So I knew what was happening in Fresno. When I applied for the job, I didn't just send a resume or a demo reel. I sent a list of story ideas, and they were fresh, timely, and relevant. When the news director eventually hired me, he told me it was because of the story ideas. That showed him I was someone who went the extra mile and could add value from day one. He even talked to his reporters, saying, "Here's an applicant with 10 story ideas. Where are your story ideas?"
I think you always have to go the extra mile; that's how you'll do well. You have to keep pushing and marketing yourself. Also, be humble, be able to self-reflect, and admit to mistakes. Be able to shake them off. Admit to mistakes, see them, and say, "Okay, I won't do that next time." But don't let them consume you; shake it off and get right back on that horse.