Short questions with Dana Perino for Carley Shimkus

You've seen us on screen, but have you ever wondered what we're like off-camera? 

For the last few months, I’ve enjoyed checking in with some of your favorite Fox personalities to learn more about who they are behind the scenes. 

What's the one thing Jesse Watters couldn’t live without? What's Bill Hemmer’s favorite Halloween costume? And what's sitting on Greg Gutfeld’s nightstand? 

But that's not all! The fun is just getting started.

This week, we're excited to shine the spotlight on Carley Shimkus. She currently serves as a co-host on "Fox & Friends First." She joined the network in 2009 as a production assistant on Fox Business Network (FBN), where she was later promoted to associate producer.

She is also the author of the new book "Cooking with Friends: Eat, Drink and Be Merry." 

P.S. We have so much more in store for you. Stay tuned each week for new editions of "Short Questions with Dana Perino" — and if there’s a question you want answers to or a suggestion for the person I should interview next, leave a note in the comments section below. 

Short Questions with Dana Perino for Carley Shimkus (Fox News)

Q: What’s your hometown and do you still cheer for those sports teams?

CS: I grew up in Long Valley, New Jersey, and my dad is a huge Giants fan. In honor of him, I still cheer on the G-Men! 

But the most important team at my house is Michigan football. My husband is a diehard fan. We walked out to the Michigan fight song on our wedding day at his request! 

Q: What did you want to do for a career when you were growing up?

CS: I always knew I wanted to work in TV news. As a matter of fact, it was around-the-clock Fox News at our house growing up. I used to love watching "Fox and Friends" while eating breakfast before going to school.

I thank God every day for allowing me to now work on the very show I used to watch.

Q: What kind of sports did you play?

CS: Ha ha! I played soccer and ran cross country. Both unsuccessfully. 

Anything not involving too much coordination is usually best for me.

Q: As a kid, what board game was your strongest?

CS: My sister and I LOVED playing Clue and Candy Land! 

But Monopoly, 1313 Dead End Drive and Guess Who were in the rotation. My sister would beat me nine times out of 10.

Q: You started here as a production assistant at Fox Business Network. What's your biggest piece of advice for someone early in their career working on navigating the industry?

CS: Say yes to new challenges that make you uncomfortable! Nerves = personal growth. Feeling nervous is kind of like having a growing pain as a kid. It’s an uncomfortable feeling, but it means your abilities are being stretched and you are becoming stronger as a result. 

There was a social media trend that went viral this past summer called the #LazyGirlJob — please do not follow the crowd on this one. 

Put in the extra hours, work the holidays and the weekends. Hard work is undefeated. Your boss will notice. All of it will pay off in the end.

"Say yes to new challenges that make you uncomfortable! Nerves = personal growth."

Also, be open about what your ultimate goal is. If you are a production assistant and want to be on-air one day, tell your boss!

That way, if an opportunity arises, your boss will know to ask you to take it on! 

Q: What job before Fox helped prepare you the most for what you do today?

CS: I worked at WRNJ radio station during breaks while in college. It is a small radio station covering Northwest New Jersey. 

I went to lots of town council meetings with my tape recorder and listened to all the local issues of the day. Then I would create nightly newscasts with the sound I gathered. 

Q: You're on very early in the morning and still one of the happiest/energetic ladies I know — what's your secret? Are you a coffee person?

CS: I like coffee so much sometimes I go to bed excited thinking about the coffee I’m going to drink when I wake up in the morning. 

Also, when I was a kid my mom would call me her "morning girl" because I used to wake up happy in the mornings — so this schedule works for me! 

Q: Besides the news, do you have TV shows or movies that you like to watch in your free time (not that we have much free time, lol). 

CS: I love the fantasy genre, so if it has a dragon in it, it’s for me. "Game of Thrones," "Lord of the Rings," "Harry Potter," of course. I also like period dramas like "Vikings" and "Black Sails."

Q: Best tip for new mothers as they return to work after bonding with their newborn?

CS: To be honest, I’m still working this out myself. When I was pregnant, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to do it all, and then I found a wonderful nanny who I adore — but my new worry became, "What if Brock winds up loving her more because he sees her so much?"

It’s embarrassing to admit, but I will say it in case anyone else is going through the same thing. 

"Stories involving children impact me more because I can now relate to how the parents must be feeling."

The way I am handling it is when I’m at work, I devote 100% of my attention to work. And when I am home, I put work away and devote 100% of my attention to my son. I hope it all works out!

Q: What was the most challenging story you've had to cover thus far?

CS: The Gabby Petito murder was very heavy. Everyone pretty much knew the truth even before her body was found, and we were going to press conferences with her grieving parents, who were begging for answers. 

A very sad situation all around. 

Q: Has your approach or reaction to news changed since you became a mom?

CS: Yes – 100%. Stories involving children impact me more because I can now relate to how the parents must be feeling. 

Q: What are three places you’d love to travel to in the next five years?

CS: Before Brock was born I would have said Spain, France and Croatia. Now, I’ll say Disneyland, the Jersey shore and Grandma’s house!

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To read all of Dana Perino's earlier "Short Questions" interviews for Fox News Digital, check out this (long) list!

For her interview with five New York FOX reporters, click here. 

For her interview with Katie Pavlich, click here.

For her interview with Guy Benson, click here. 

For her interview with Pete Hegseth, click here. 

For her interview with Sandra Smith, click here. 

For her interview with Nicolas Yannicelli, click here.

For her interview with Abby Hornacek, click here. 

For her interview with Elise Bitter, click here. 

For her interview with Brian Kilmeade, click here.

For her interview with Kennedy, click here. 

For her interview with John Roberts, click here. 

For her interview with Janice Dean, click here. 

For her interview with Charles Payne, click here. 

For her interview with Trey Gowdy, click here. 

For her interview with Johnny "Joey" Jones, click here. 

For her interview with Bill Melugin, click here. 

For her interview with Jimmy Failla, click here. 

For her interview with Tyrus, click here. 

For her interview with Ainsley Earhardt, click here. 

For her interview with Lawrence Jones, click here. 

For her interview with Dr. Arash Akhavan, click here. 

For her interview with Martha MacCallum, click here. 

For her interview with Bret Baier, click here. 

For her interview with Kayleigh McEnany, click here.

For her interview with Harold Ford Jr., click here. 

For her interview with Shannon Bream, click here. 

For her interview with Jessica Tarlov, click here.

For her interview with Leo Terrell, click here.

For her interview with Geraldo Rivera, click here. 

For her interview with Clay Travis, click here.

For her interview with Bill Hemmer, click here. 

For her interview with Greg Gutfeld, click here. 

For her interview with Benjamin Hall, click here. 

For her interview with Judge Jeanine Pirro, click here.

For her interview with Jesse Watters, click here. 

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.