Being able to make a living out of what you love is one of the highest privileges anyone can have. When you love your job, it ceases to be a job: it’s a pleasure. However, when people ask me what’s the worst job I’ve ever had (which is not the same thing as the worst job I’ve ever done!), I answer without hesitation that it was the 8-10 a.m. announcer shift at 99.3 FM in Mexico City. That was pure torture!!! Mexico’s tequila effect had spread around the world, and the wonderfully irreverent radio show I hosted for years with great success came off the air because the network decided to deal with the financial crisis by changing the station’s format and theme. So, the owners and executives thought it convenient to recruit me to help boost the infamous “Digital 99”, a station they had recently purchased. It was like leaving the best private school to get into the worst and most mediocre public school. My loyalty and gratitude to mentors and employers made me endure the lack of leadership and the immaturity of the bullies that controlled the station for five months. At that point, I announced – to general amazement- that I was leaving in thirty days. I never turned back – I was never late, I never missed a show, I even boosted my ratings, and I fulfilled all my obligations!
Today I celebrate the times I’ve stumbled throughout my career because they have taught me that the worst job of all is one where we do not give ourselves the chance to perform to our highest potential or the job that we accept without really wanting to. Increasing specialization in the voice business means that sometimes we are typecast into a single type of projects or characters either by our customers, our agents or by our own fears
In Europe and Latin America, actors and broadcasters do not specialize in a single field; we do dubbing, commercials, storytelling, video games, radio and live events. Boldness allows us to discover new talents within ourselves! That doesn’t mean we’re experts in everything, but it’s one of the challenges our profession poses to us. The market is increasingly competitive worldwide, and we must face it with versatility and professionalism. Preparation is the best cover letter. Be available, be punctual, respect everyone’s work, watch and learn, engage and perform. Tackle every job you do with the same excitement and commitment you displayed the first time. That’s the best job you can ever have!
