| Lotty Alaric, BA, BEd |
Previous career: English teacher at Amity International School, Delhi
Salary in previous job: Rs 9,000 a month
Age at career switch: 24 years
Reason for quitting: Boredom at work
Current career: Anchor, Lok Sabha TV, and freelance writer
Present salary: Rs 40,000
Transferable skills: Ability to communicate
Career outlook: “Always go the extra mile”
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Soon after she began working, Lotty Alaric realised that she would have more career options if she made the most of her existing skills. She started off as an English teacher at Amity International School in Delhi, but was soon involved in extra-curricular activities at the school. Among other things, she was the cultural secretary of the school, organising annual function, fetes and other activities.
“For the school programmes, we would pre-record songs and dialogues at a studio,” she says. During her visits to the studio, she grew familiar with what professional voice-over artists and singers did, and decided to try her luck in this field. “I have a good voice and diction. Moreover, as I enjoyed compeering and communicating, I thought I would do well in the audio-visual medium,” she says. In 1999, Alaric quit her teaching job after five years.
Cushioning risk Alaric decided not to plunge into the deep end by leaving a job and charting a path in an untried terrain. She cushioned this risk by becoming a consultant in The Times of India’s Newspaper in Education initiative, and conducted English language workshops in various schools as part of this. “This gave me the flexibility to push my recording career,” she says.
Initially, Alaric got some assignments from private recording studios. Her first real break was when she was selected to be part of the popular weekly TV programme “Aap ki Adalat” in 1999. “It increased my visibility and I found an opening in the television industry,” says Alaric, who spent her time in the studio judiciously by studying the nuances of camera angles, lighting, make-up, etc. Until 2001, Alaric continued with “Aap ki Adalat” and used the opportunity to anchor documentaries, do voice-overs and even host stage shows.
Honing skills While working for the TV channel, Alaric continued using her English language teaching skills. She turned entrepreneur by launching Olive Films, and in collaboration with Delhi-based DAV School produced a series of audio cassettes for improving English communication skills and two cassettes of nursery rhymes.
Alaric also conducted English language workshops for various schools. In 2002, she decided to expand the scope of these workshops. “I read a lot and developed content for stress and time management. My first client was the British Council in Delhi,” she says. A year later, in 2003, Alaric joined Jain TV as a newsreader.
By then, the unpredictable nature of freelance assignments was beginning to take its toll on her. Moreover, as Alaric says, organising language workshops no longer excited her and she wanted to focus on her television career. Being part of the audio-visual industry offered her more scope and she wanted to try her hand at various aspects of the industry. “It is only when you are part of the crew that you learn the tricks of the trade,” she says. Apart from doing voice-overs for documentaries for the channel, Alaric also anchored several corporate films for private producers.
For the next three years, her learning continued. This gave her time and confidence to find her moorings in the new career. In 2006, Alaric moved to Janmat channel as the salary was better. However, dissatisfaction with her work profile set in soon and she decided to move out of the organisation. “I didn’t want to remain just a newsreader, I wanted to anchor group discussions on socially relevant issues,” she says. Moving to Lok Sabha TV was a step towards realising this career vision.
Alaric’s tips for a career shift
• Plan a change if you feel bored. Never stretch boredom as it affects productivity
• On-the-job learning is a big incentive. Make sure you make the most of it
• List your options before quitting and have a plan in place
• Leverage your current skills for your new career
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Finding her niche Alaric had spent eight years looking for a career that would let her try out different things and which also involved interaction with people. It was this clarity of thought that led Alaric to her current job. “The canvas of my work profile is quite vast. I anchor shows, do voice-overs, interviews and even work on the script of some of the group discussions,” she says.
She has also ventured into the field of writing. “I write on a regular basis, as a freelancer, for a weekly paper and the programmes I anchor are on issues that are close to my heart,” she says. Some of the popular group discussions she has anchored are on subjects ranging from exam stress to female foeticide to women’s health. Working with Lok Sabha TV also gives her opportunity to host events held at the Central Hall of Parliament. “I recently anchored the event held to award the Best Parliamentarian,” says Alaric.
After spending 8-9 hours at work, she finds enough time to write and read. “I am now learning the art of direction and would love to direct a programme soon,” she says. For Alaric, all the learning is on the job. “I believe it is the best way to grow in your career and the interest never wanes,” she says.
Radio is another medium she is waiting to try. “I would love to work as a radio jockey when the time is right. Currently, I am focused on my career in the television industry,” she says. Alaric’s experience shows that freelancing and checking out the viability of a career before taking a final call can indeed be a worthwhile exercise.
