ALWAYS HUSTLING

Hustling Tips for the Young Professional

In the past 9 years I've lived in 6 cities from a minimum of 4 months to the maximum of 2 years. It's been no easy feat and I certainly did not plan for my early twenties to be like this. However, as life often has it, we make plans and God laughs. 4 out of the 6 places I moved to was because of my academic ambitions. So its safe to say I enjoy  the world of academia and being a student. Through my traveling I have seen a lot, learned a lot and enjoyed the experiences a new city brings. Through my journeys it as not always been feast sometimes it was famine. With that said, this blog post will be about all the ways I (legally) made quick money so that I could eat, have shelter and money for public transportation or gas. First I will share the cities I lived in and list the hustling tips for a young professional. 

 6 Cities

Saint Louis, Missouri
Fresh out of high school, I was eager to move to Saint Louis. The 2 years I spent in this city polished me into a well groomed student and young lady. A great place to visit is "The Loop" there are great eateries, shopping and sites to see! In the spring time Forest Park is gorgeous and in the summer time there are always FREE Jazz concerts. This is a funky, eclectic town and I thoroughly enjoyed living here.

Atlanta, Georgia
Home of civil rights legacy, Atlanta is a unique experience. If visiting the Martin Luther King historic site to enjoying the festivities of the "Sweet Auburn Festival" Atlanta is fun and festive place to live. There is always something to do in the city of Atlanta.

Tunis, Tunisia
While in Tunisia I was a study aboard student with the School for International Training (SIT). This north African paradise is a hidden gem. From the beautiful beaches to the delicious cuisine, Tunis is the place to be. My fondest experiences in Tunisia were camping and camel back riding in the Sahara Desert. This mediterranean destination should be on everyone's bucket list.

Bryan, Texas

This was the most friendliest town to live in. The people of Bryan are kind, generous and family oriented. Living here I saw and reaped the benefits of living in a small town. People care for each other, respect each other more and actually know their neighbors. As a major attraction, Texas A&M University is next door in Bryan's sister city College Station aka "Aggieland" home the aggies.

Brattleboro, Vermont

The most beautiful place I have ever lived. If you like nature and can endure cold winters, Vermont is the place to be! I lived on in the woods on top of a hill overlooking a valley so I thoroughly reveled in the scenery and  exercised by going on nature walks and hiking in the woods.

Washington, D.C

To say this place is a professional city is an understatement. While living here I learned how to network, be assertive and ultimately sell myself. Most my days were full of job interviews and I did that so much it almost felt like a sport. The best things about DC are the museums,  riding the metro (for the people watching) and the awesome accessibility of getting anywhere without a car.

Hustling Tips

Craigslist

This website is beneficial in so many ways. From city to city you can find long term or short term work, housing, stuff for sale, etc. While, living in Washington, DC I was avidly seeking work in International Development but while in the hustle of securing a professional job I had to make money to survive. So, every week I would peruse Craigslist for weekend events I could work for. Often, these were brand ambassador positions. However, this can be anything from being a server at a catered event to handing out water at a marathon. There is always events going on during the weekend in major cities who are looking for a few extra hands to assist and sometimes you get paid in cash! 

Secret Shopping

While living in Texas, I worked as a Apartment Mystery Shopper for Ellis, Inc. This position enabled me to travel throughout Texas pretending to be a potential tenant for various housing establishments. This is good money and a great way to see a lot of nice apartments. Every time I was in a new city of Texas, I made sure I scheduled a mystery shop. You schedule when you want to work so it works around your schedule. 

Freelance Work

As a young professional, I believe there is always room to improve skills and gain new skills. While living in DC, I would dub myself as a ultimate hustler. For extra money, I did hair(braiding), did temporary administrative work and served as a research assistant for a sole proprietorship. In addition, while in Atlanta, I served a bookkeeper for a family who would hire me to work on the weekends. During this time I was a student so this job was just what I needed.  As a young professional I'm always finding ways to improve my skills to make myself more marketable. It's all about who knows you (networking) and the quality of your work. 

Social Media Management

As a graduate student in Brattleboro, Vermont. I was a Social Media Manager for  Easter Seals East Texas. This nonprofit organization was gracious enough to employ me to manage their social media. I spent my weekends doing homework and social media work.  Social media work is wonderful because it allows you to work via the internet. I believe this is one of the coolest jobs there is since you can do it remotely! As another benefit, it enhances your marketing skills, writing skills, branding skills, and overall creativity.


Sincerely,

The Burgeoning Turtle



Song of this post: Hustlin' by Rick Ross