DISCLAIMER: This article represents our personal views and not those of our employer or any affiliated organizations.
On this episode of Origin Story, I speak with Michelle Zaman of The Scholarship Bae. We discuss Michelle’s upbringing as a first generation student, attending an HBCU, and her mission to make applying to and WINNING scholarships easier for underrepresented groups dealing with the exorbitant modern costs of college.
The mission of The Scholarship Bae is to help coach aspiring & current undergraduate students on how to successfully acquire scholarships using a comprehensive approach.
How do you sign up to work with The Scholarship Bae?
Schedule a complimentary session by reaching out to TheScholarshipbae@outlook.com.
DISCLAIMER: This article represents my personal views and not those of my employer or any affiliated organizations.
The job search market is more competitive than ever.
You must perform due diligence to work with the top companies and get a good deal for yourself.
Traditional job searching is not going to benefit you.
Traditional searching moves at a snail’s pace, your resume goes into a black hole, and that lessens your likelihood of attaining the job you want in a timely manner.
To get the job you want, you have to use unconventional tactics, and augment your search with external recruiters.
Your Job Search is like a Sales Cycle!
Even if you haven’t worked in sales, you will find that a job search has many similarities. The difference is that you’re not selling a product, you’re selling YOU.
What are the similarities?
– Your company / role wishlist is like a prospect list
– LinkedIn connections are your sales outreach
– Your resume is your sales presentation
– Working with recruiters is partnership building and scaling, which helps with efficiency
– Signing your offer letter is a business contract
Let’s move into some tips that will help you through each process stage.
Prospecting
Start by using LinkedIn Search filters.
Think about whether you want On-Site, Remote or Hybrid work.
Select the criteria of where you want to work (if On-Site / Hybrid).
Save potential jobs to LinkedIn Jobs page.
Unsave jobs which you’ve already applied to.
Outreach
Create a script for recruiter/hiring outreach that fits basic LinkedIn connection request size.
Example: “Hi Hiring Manager, I’m Candidate Name. Appreciate your help here: I noticed Role Name opening at Company. With experience in Skill 1, Skill 2 and Skill 3, it looks to be a great fit. Would you be the best point person? Thanks, Candidate Name”
Focus only on people that matter – Hiring managers in your discipline, internal recruiters and HR.
Go down your prospect list and customize the script when reaching out.
Reach out to everybody that fits the above job titles.
Once that’s complete, move on to the next role/company.
Do NOT fill out Applicant Tracking Systems (i.e. Greenhouse, Lever, etc.) until you READ BELOW.
Applications / Applicant Tracking Systems
Only use ATSes after you’ve reached out to people at the company on LinkedIn.
If the ATS asks you to re-enter resume information you’ve already uploaded, quit the ATS.
The purpose of filling out the ATS is to contact a recruiter to tell them you applied.
If you cannot find a contact at the company, and you MUST use an ATS, follow these best practices!
Revise a new resume each time you submit to an ATS.
Add as many keywords/skills from the job descriptions as you relevantly can, WORD for WORD. ATSes are simply search crawlers that match resume keywords to job descriptions.
Working with Recruiters
Search for “staffing” or “recruiting” in your discipline / industry.
Reach as many external recruiters as possible.
You can also reach external recruiters by asking friends or internal recruiters who’ve rejected you.
Lead by asking if the recruiter has an exclusive relationship with their client.
If they do not, politely decline.
Give the recruiter your highest salary expectation, they get paid more for higher negotiations.
Interviewing
Research interviewer’s profile before you speak with them.
Pay attention to details about mutual connections, organizations, interests, hobbies, and location/hometown.
Interviewing is 50% not about your skills, but about your likability and shared connections.
Try to use the “business sandwich” model: Open with small talk. Discuss the business at hand. Close with small talk.
It’s important to keep a balance between how much each person is talking.
If the interviewer is making you talk too much, pass the ball back into their court during questions.
If you feel the interviewer is talking too much themselves, interject with some questions.
REMEMBER: It’s OKAY to write a follow-up email elaborating on your conversation! Given that an interview is only 30 minutes to an hour, you may think of things you didn’t remember.
Post-Offer
Got an offer? Congratulations!
You will first get a verbal offer. Wait until HR sends the paper offer letter.
You’ll have about a week to sign the offer letter, but can ask for slightly more time.
This is NOT the end of the process, though most people think it is.
Now the negotiating power is in your hands.
Negotiation
By receiving an offer letter, you now know you are the company’s final candidate choice.
What do you think of the offer letter? Is the compensation right? Bonus? Stock? Benefits? PTO?
These items are all still negotiable, but you’ll have to do it gently.
You do not want to leave money on the table.
Did you know you could pre-negotiate your severance? (some companies will not do this)
The HR team will likely ask why you’re requesting pre-negotiated severance. Explain that even the best companies have layoffs, and this helps provide a sense of security.
After negotiating your terms, HR will send over a revised offer letter.
Way to go! You’ve negotiated an offer letter that both you and the company is pleased with!
DISCLAIMER: This article represents my personal views and not those of my employer or any affiliated organizations.
Movember has signified a major shift in the way we think about masculinity.
Movember brought awareness to this seemingly monolithic idea of manhood, “Men are not infallible. They are in a grave mental and physical health crisis from millennia of being told to “suck it up”.
Those who identify as male lack a rite of passage. No matter how you identify, if you have male system, you’re subject to prostate cancer, testosterone, public perception, etc.
Sure, there was the archetypal warrior stories. There was the stereotypes of muscled, no-holds-barred, alcohol-fueled badasses in movies. But that is not masculinity. The toxic “red pill men’s movement” has not helped that. We live in a new world where gender roles are not central to success, and where physical strength is supplanted by knowledge work.
To add to that, breaking of social customs and the virus crisis have splintered young people farther and farther apart. A symptom of this is self-isolating behind a phone or computer screen.
We are not born knowing how to tackle life, we need mentors to help us navigate these nuances. As young men come of age, what new rites will signal the transition into adulthood?
Lack of Male Rites of Passage
There is a steady historical progression of roles where younger people were “taken under the wing” of an older person as a required part of an organization. This used to be the case with corporate culture as well. Many new professionals are expected to “learn the ropes” in college by themselves. This is a disservice to their career progression. A rite of passage assigns responsibilities, skills, challenges, puzzles, feelings of competence.
Even with all of the positive paths to becoming a complete man, there are many men in boys’ bodies. They simply never made the transition into full adulthood. This is obviously a conscious choice for some. Many see right through that ruse. For others, it’s less intentional – stunted by traumatic childhood events such as divorce, chronic abuse, or bullying.
What are the Issues?
Fewer men are graduating college as well. In 2018-2019, 74 men received Bachelors’ Degrees for every 100 women. Some would tout this as a positive measure, as it may show more female enrollment and graduation. At the same time, we must wonder why the enrollment or graduation rate has dropped for men. This article, “New Grads: How to Find a Job Post-Crisis“, contains valuable advice on that subject.
Men are generally not encouraged to pursue creative or empathic/caregiving professions. It’s not as if the leaders in those industries don’t WANT more men. The social stigma of men doing these things keep men themselves out of them: Fashion, crafts, interior design, teaching, nursing, and more. Women and men are not born with genetic dispositions against these things. These are learned behaviors reinforced by society.
In order to preserve this balance, we must forge a new paradigm that levels out sacred masculine and feminine energies. Each of us, whatever gender identity we have, contain both of these energies. It’s time that we embrace that.
Men’s Groups
Men’s groups are one of the most direct ways to engage on the subject of positive masculinity. Years ago, Jungian books like Iron John and King, Warrior, Magician, Lover hoped to create a new movement for men that incorporates feminist advances. I joined a group shortly before the pandemic broke out, and they’ve since gone virtual. It would be an in-person meet-up where we’d engage in meditation for 30 minutes. We’d spend the next 30 minutes passing a physical baton and talking about whatever life issues we were experiencing.
Many men’s groups offer this kind of healing experience, and provide a vent for emotions and lifes’ challenges. Membership ranges in age, from younger people in college, to older ones into middle age. This provides the opportunity for younger men to gain the advice of older ones, and for the older group to relate back to their youth. Being part of a group of men who are there to feel out your challenges with you, to relate back to your experience, is tremendous.
The Scouts
The Scouts were actually created in the early 1900’s to teach self-reliance and individualism. I was a Scout as well, exiting before graduating high school. More recently, the Scouts integrate girls and boys together, which could help sculpt their mindset into adulthood. The program not only gets kids out of the house and into nature, but it also incorporates some military tradition.
• One of these rituals was a military-style uniform inspection, where young Scouts had to display posture and immaculate dress to their Scout masters.
• A second ritual is performing community service. This could include highway cleanup, collecting food for food banks, shoveling snow, or raking leaves for senior citizens. A life of service is a crucial component of character.
• A final and most important ritual is survival skills. These skills are exercised during “field trips” or overnight camping trips. Scouts would be tasked with raising their own tents, starting their own fires, and sometimes foraging their own food. To achieve the highest rank of Eagle Scout (like my dad), new initiates must complete “the Ordeal”. This involves observing silence at the campsite, receiving minimal amounts of food, completing camp projects, and sleeping alone. This is the ultimate form of loyalty to their group and community.
I’ll never forget when he took me wilderness camping on Rock Island, off the tip of Wisconsin’s peninsula in Lake Michigan. We had to take a ferry to get there, and there was no running water or toilets to be found. The weekend was spent with only “Meal Ready to Eat” packets and a camp stove. We ended up walking 6 miles around the circumference of the island, which were a lot for my 7 year old legs.
Military
Both of my grandfathers were World War II veterans. In their day, that was not anything special. It was simply considered the norm. Almost all young men below noble class were expected to perform some sort of military service for millennia. Military service was a brutal yet compulsory part of becoming an adult.
The selective service or “the draft” was not truly questioned until the Vietnam War. Some countries, such as Israel, still enforce a compulsory 2 year military service for all citizens (including women) over the age of 18. This has shaped Israeli culture, leading to a national reputation for toughness and bluntness. The downside of this is more citizens with that trademark standoffishness and post-traumatic stress disorder. At the same time, Israel produces an above-average amount of entrepreneurs. Tel Aviv contains more startups per capita than any region in the world, other than Silicon Valley.
It is not just “military discipline” that creates this, or being able to take orders. Quite the opposite. The military process empowers strategic thinking and decision making. We can isolate the valuable concepts without being a military member. Through this military process, the participants are “forged in fire”, and come out the other end a “new person”. That’s the definition of any masculinity rite of passage.
Mentorship Programs
Big Brothers, Big Sisters is another oft-forgotten organization. There are many estranged young people who lack a meaningful role model. This does not mean that they don’t have a dad. However, perhaps their parents are constantly busy with work, or they don’t have the capacity to provide true role modelship. Taking on a “Big” can help a “Little” to gain wisdom from someone with experience. This is the natural form of the mentor-mentee relationship, and some day, that “Little” may become a “Big” mentor to a younger person as well!
There is an omnipresent “guy code” which follows men from birth. This cements a lot of toxic concepts in young mens’ minds. It is socially enforced by all genders. However, it’s especially wrought by other men, through shaming, hazing, and expulsion from social groups.
Another layer over this is the perception of masculinity popularized by certain feminist groups. It calls a blanket definition of men as one unified persona with the exact same social statuses/privileges, world view and flaws. Men represent approximately half the population, so they cannot be defined with such a broad brush.
Thusly, we must reshape the model of masculinity. This requires integrating the lessons of feminism, rooting out the toxic elements. However, it also requires retaining the healthy aspects of masculinity. Men stuck in boyhood must pass from the “realm of the mother” into the “realm of the father”, creating self-actualization and self-dependence, and freeing the women in their lives from having to carry extra responsibilities.
Creating Community
Young men (of whatever persuasion or gender identity) need a positive value system to build community. The hero archetype is the most biologically appropriate for this. So why not instill heroic values? The most familiar example may be the Code of Chivalry. Young men must be honorable, enterprising, responsible, original, intimate, and creative. Let’s not forget humble.
By becoming part of one of the organizations mentioned above, part of a community, boys will blossom into “good citizens”. Fitting into an intersectional world is crucial for today’s young men.
We need to foster female role models for young men from an early age. The clearest role model a boy has is their mother. In addition, there should be female role models in all stations of their life – as teachers, as mentors, and finally as leaders.
In the new century, it’s essential that we accept our biological differences, reconcile them, and see eachother as human, first and foremost.
DISCLAIMER: This article represents my personal views and not those of my employer or any affiliated organizations.
Katy Read of The Star Tribune suggests, “The next time you hear someone say they think poor people are lazy, hand them a copy of Maid. Stephanie Land can tell them otherwise and, unlike most authors who write about poverty, speaks from personal—and recent—experience.”
Poverty is more common than you think. Most of 53 Million Americans working in low-wage jobs are adults in their prime working years, or between about 25 to 54. Their median hourly wage is $10.22 per hour.
People may be silently struggling around you. You don’t need to be poor to drop below the poverty line. We cannot sort poor people off to the sidelines, they are among us.
Ask yourself – Are you a virtuous person? Do you donate to a charity, and then ignore the beggar on the street?
Coming of Age in Poverty
I spent much of my childhood hearing my parents reel in fear of not being able to pay bills, whether we’d lose our Medicaid, and how I and my brother would get to college. Many “services” specifically cater to the working poor, and many businesses prey on them.
The Dollar Store features prominently in “Maid”. It has become a place people don’t just stop by for odds and ends. Family Dollar, Dollar General, and Dollar Trees dominate underserved communities around the U.S. This used to be my mother’s favorite store. This also works to patch up any food they didn’t get from the food pantry / food bank. In the way that they saturate the market, dollar stores rank with payday loan lenders as predatory services that exploit the working class, and shut out competitive small businesses.
People who receive welfare, food stamps and Medicaid/Medicare are not “lazy”. Welfare offices are also a more common experience than you think. Like Alex’s assigned agent, social workers are at their wits edge from dealing with the sadness and anger of the working poor. They hear the same stories every day. Considering the meager resources they’re given to distribute, they don’t know how to help.
Social service candidates are asked to produce a bevy of documents to verify their needs. It becomes a catch 22 when, if you don’t have a job, you become ineligible for things like rental assistance. If you receive unemployment insurance, you lose it if you take a part time job. This is considered to be the same as full-time employment.EBT/Food stamps are not addressed in “Maid”, but work in a similar way. Considering much of the working poor work 2 jobs, this becomes extremely problematic.
The Working Poor / Low Wage Labor
Have you ordered food from a takeout app, taken a ride sharing service, or ordered a home cleaning service in the past month? You are a participant in the low wage economy. There’s no transparency into how these workers are paid.
The concept of “the working poor” is specific to America. The low wage labor system has been in place for centuries, but it continues to evade the grasp of social reforms. It even camouflages itself.Alex’s experience is also common (working her under full-time so they don’t have to pay full-time benefits, and making you pay for supplies and uniform). It’s popular to think that low wage workers are just “social dropouts” or “slackers” who deserve what they get. Movements which come about to change the system (such as the recent $15 minimum wage proposal) are shamed as socialism.
One of the biggest lessons of “Maid” is that poverty knows no gender, no color, no age. White poverty is the same poverty as people of color experience, but people of color experience additional layers, which is extremely exhausting. We also see with Regina’s character that Black people also struggle with racial disparities whether wealthy or not. Class struggle is a canvas painted broadly with the rich and the poor.
Reparenting / Dealing with a Mentally Ill Parent
I particularly empathized with Alex trying to provide medical/psychiatric care for a mentally ill parent. Right before the virus crisis started, I had to fly home to Wisconsin to care for my dad, who’d fallen down the stairs at his house. We were unsure if he was mentally competent to care for himself. Since my father has had bipolar disorder all his life, it was hard to tell.
We would’ve had to prove him incompetent in court to get him the care he needed. Without guardianship, the state will not provide care.It wouldn’t be the first time. We had deep concern my brother would spend the rest of his life caring for my father. Luckily, my father has been able to function and take care of himself, but we worry deeply about what we’ll do when he can’t.
We can’t begin to estimate the weight of a child having to “parent their parent”. The “lottery of birth” is stacked against those born to poor, mentally ill, or socially inept parents. This already sets them back several steps. When you add caregiving to that cycle, those kids begin to drop in academic performance substantially. Like mine did in high school.
Paying for College
You’ve likely heard many older people say “I worked my way through college”. That was probably in the era where college costs were actually affordable enough to do so. College costs have risen exponentially in the last few decades.
Instead, we have a crisis of many students trying to work and go to school, dropping out, and never being able to come back. Imagine what it must be like to manage a paid job, full-time college, and an unpaid internship together?
Pell Grants (a low-income government grant) and student loans are the only economic avenue to college for some, even with scholarships. I should know, I received one. Those students often take on loans only because of unrealistic degree requirements – Not just for Bachelors’ Degrees, but for elite, expensive schools.
We must open other avenues to professional careers – Apprenticeships, school-to-work programs, etc. The career system does not allow one to take a semester off, nor does it allow a delay going to college for several years after high school. Read more about how you can help these programs in my article, “Volunteer: It’s About More Than You Think“.
Being a Single Mother
Speaking of career struggles, the world merely tokenizes single mothers. There is so much talk of supporting motherhood in the workplace. However, once a woman has a child, she’s considered a workplace liability. Even in the high-flung white collar world, we see a lot of deliberate hiring and promotion of women under 30, in companies’ avoidance of paying our maternity and childcare leave. Extremely unrealistic expectations are placed on single mothers.
My mother was a childcare worker, a teacher, a nanny, and later an elder care worker. Divorce split our family and my parents’ incomes in half. As she inched closer to retirement, her options got fewer and fewer. She took on nanny work on the side from her daycare parents. Similar to Alex’s situation, this could have gotten her fired. It was not out of a desire to cash hoard, but out of desperation to meet her bills.
In elder care, she was assigned 72 hour shifts. She’d also be constantly on-call, with no extra gas mileage paid between home visits.She had to sleep overnight on the couch (whatever was available) and often caught sicknesses from her ailing patients. She was intentionally kept under 30 hours a week to not pay benefits (like Alex’s job). That’s the plight of the working poor. I still overhear public conversations of people complaining about their care workers (housekeepers, nannies, care providers) and it makes my blood boil.
What Can You Do to Create Change?
Netflix’s “Maid” is a stark reminder of the unseen inequities of the working poor. The general public is blind to it because the media doesn’t cover it. However, much of the middle and upper class also use the service economy and wring their hands of it. Instead of just thinking you’re “doing your part”, why not offer to hire someone with no experience so they can gain it? If you’re not a hiring manager, can you connect someone with a school-to-work program like YearUp? Can you connect a single parent (mother or father) with a Single Parent Scholarship program? Can you refer a mother in crisis to a Women’s Shelter?
The differences between being a domestic and international digital nomad are particularly important in the virus recovery period. While vaccines have begun to roll out, it will be a while before things are “back to normal”.
I have the pleasure of co-writing this piece with Christina Davis, a digital nomad coach who’s gained a wealth of knowledge living around the world, and in Bali, Indonesia the bulk of the pandemic. Christina hosts the Nomadic Freedom Course, a 12 week program to help you start your nomad life.
The volume of bookings for vacation rentals as skyrocketed since the virus outbreak began. When you’re in the middle of the country, far from your home city, the last thing you want is no place to live.
This is greatly dependent on the amount of time you want to book. If you’re only staying in a place for 2 days, it may be easy to find. If you book for a month, AirBnB in particular will give you a deep discount (Usually 25%+). However, these monthlong stays are also available for short-term bookings. Don’t let a 2-3 day renter book right in the middle of your intended monthly stay. Book early! 3 months ahead, minimum.
It’s important to keep a wishlist of places to book, months before you confirm them. I like to spend some time on a Friday night looking at “dream bookings”.
Finding Appropriate Workspace
You have to think ahead about how you’re going to get your work done. If you thought finding a quiet space at home was difficult, try doing it in an AirBnB.
When booking vacation rentals, you want to thoroughly ask the host about wi-fi speed, table and chair setups available, how sound carries through rooms, even how noisy the neighbors are.
Some vacation rentals can actually lack a workspace, and you must improvise one. For me, chest-height window ledges have worked similarly to a standing desk.
Scheduling for the Weather
Have you thought about heading to California or Florida to escape the winter, living in balmy weather on the beach?
Great. There’s one problem with that. Every region has weather challenges. It’s not always 72° and sunny.
In 2020, California and the West had some of the worst forest fires in their history. There were 13,887 wildfires last year. 46 people died. Always be prepared. The 2020 U.S. hurricane season produced 30 named storms, with 10 making U.S. landfall. This is the most since 1916.
In this way, you don’t want to be in the dry West during wildfire season (approx. July to November) or the Eastern coastal areas during hurricane season (June to November). Instead, think about the opposite during those times – the Pacific Northwest, or perhaps the Great Lakes!
Living on the Road
If you’re going to be living on the road, you need to have a good vehicle. If you’ve rented a car on vacation before, it may have seemed expensive. In this way, day-to-day rentals are not ideal. Get a “mini rental lease” and lock in a rate. You’ll thank yourself that you did.
You also have the option to buy. Oftentimes, this is even cheaper than renting, but comes with the commitment of owning a vehicle. Not to worry though, pre-recovery, the automotive market continues to be hot. I wrote more about this in my recent article, “The Road Warrior“.
Working for an Established Company Remotely
I was fortunate to spend 2020 at a company that weathered the virus crisis well. Not only were we already set up for remote working, with flexible time off, we actually debuted on the public markets during that time.
Not all digital nomads will be this lucky. If you’re currently employed full-time, ask your company when they plan for their “return to office”. If you’re currently interviewing, ask about their remote working policy up front, and strongly consider their financial stability. Say that you’re working for yourself, these rules don’t apply, however, have enough backup savings so that you won’t go bust while on the road.
International Travel (Christina Davis)
Managing Plane Flight Schedules & Bargains
When flying internationally, it’s imperative to compare your flights across multiple sites. I use a combination of booking options when planning trips, to make sure I’m getting the best deals possible! Which site I begin with depends on whether I have a clear destination,or if I’m looking for overall travel deals for certain time frames.
If I’m looking for the best deals with an undecided location, I will begin my search on Skyscanner. It’s great whether you’re looking for specific travel dates or just a general time period. You can go into the platform, type in your origin flight location and type in “Everywhere” as your destination, while also choosing dates you’d like to travel on. This will populate a list of countries, ranging from least to most expensive cost for a flight. As you click on each country, it will also provide you with a list of cities withgreat travel deals. If you know the destination you’d like to travel to, Skyscanner also can look at prices for the entire month, so you can choose the cheapest days available!
After finding the best deal, I’ll look at which of the booking options are available for Skyscanner. I will only book my tickets through the direct airline website or trusted sources, such as Expedia. I HIGHLY warn against booking directly with unknown 3rd party providers such as Kiwi, eDreams, MyTrip, etc. Although it may seem tempting because of the lower price, these companies usually DO NOT have customer service options if anything goes wrong with the flights. That includes delays, cancellations, baggage loss, etc.
I’ll also use Google Flights to price compare formy trips, in case there is another option that Skyscanner hasn’t listed. After this comparison, I’ll go directly to the airline’s website, which may list current deals or promotions they are having. Lastly, I’ll use my credit card travel booking system to compare the cost. If you have a credit card that allows you to use points for travel, this can be a MASSIVE help, as you can pay for either your whole trip or partial trip with your credit card points. I have even found that sometimes the prices were cheaper even without using points!
Bonus Tip: If you’re watching flights, make sure when you are opening an Incognito or Private Browser option, as your smartphone and computer are tracking your cookies, and the more you search a flight, the higher the price can actually become!
Managing Bookings (Hostels, Hotels, etc.)
When traveling internationally, I like to weigh out the different options for the type of travel I’m doing. If I’m backpacking or solo traveling, I’ll tend to look for a hostel, as it provides a social aspect to meet other travelers, while also being affordable. There are a range of different hostels you can stay at, with different amenities based on what atmosphere you are looking for. I usually will use Hostelworld.com when comparing hostels, reading reviews and booking my stay.
If I’m looking for a different type of accommodation, I will usually book for hotels or AirBnBs. AnAirBnB can be a really nice way to stay in a neighborhood where more locals may be living. Also, many AirBnB hosts can help give you suggestions for top sites or restaurants in the area. AirBnB is a great option for a more homey feel when traveling. All hotel search engines such as Booking.com, Expedia.com or Hotels.com allow you to sort through hotel options, allowing you to find the best deal!
Working for Yourself on the Road
While on the road, it’s important to create a routine for yourself. This allows you to focus on your work, enjoy the new city you are in, and also not get too easily distracted. While traveling, I look for a city in which I can set myself up for 2-4 weeks to work and explore. So ask yourself: “What type of daily routine can I hold to be productive with work and also enjoy my new city?”
For me, I’ll create a morning routine to start my day, then head off to a local cafe to work for a few hours. I love being able to work from cafes, have great food, and still feel like I’m a part of the town. Within my day, I’ll allow myself time to meet up with a friend, go for a beach/downtown walk, or whatever I can fit in. Afterwards, I’ll continue working until about dinner time, afterwards using the rest of the time to enjoy myself. Remember, you’re working for yourself, so you have the ability to create the life you want. Just always remember to never lose sight of your own work.
Finding Appropriate Workspace
When working in new cities, I find it extremely helpful to look for either coworking spaces or local cafes that have good wifi. To find these in a new city, I’ll do some research online, and join any digital nomad Facebook groups to ask for others’ suggestions! I always like to try out different places around the city, find my favorite few and use those as my new working spaces to get myself out of the house and enjoy the scenery of my new city! Coworking/cafes are great ways to meet new people and network with people from all over the world!
Mitigating Language Barriers
Depending on the country you are in, you may come across some language barriers. When I am going to a new country, I usually will find out how to say common phrases through Google Translate, or language learning apps like Duolingo. I always find that when you make an effort to speak the local language, locals appreciate it very much! It involves a mutual respect for local cultures. It’s a great thing to know, because you’ll find some locals will then even help you learn some more.
If you’re in a tough situation where you need to speak more in-depth, or are unable to read signs, Google Translate is extremely helpful. When you download the app onto your phone, you are able to let the other person speak into your phone, and the app will instantly translate what they are saying for you. In addition, you can now point your camera at signs or menus, and the app is able to translate it into the language you need. This can be super helpful in countries or situations where language barriers are difficult to overcome.
Travel after COVID
When traveling after COVID internationally, it’s super important to do extensive research on the restrictions of the country / city you’re going to. You want to make sure you are fully prepared for all requirements pre and post travel. For international travel, you should check not only the country’s government website for requirements to enter the country, but also the airlines. With rules changing constantly, you don’t need an unwanted surprise at the airport. Therefore, before traveling, make sure you check vaccination rules, PCR testing type needed, time frame in which test is valid, and quarantine rules.
When researching restrictions, make sure you’re reading from valid sources such as government websites, CDC or airline-specific information. If you do travel internationally, remember to respect locals by always abiding by their COVID related rules for curfews, gatherings and masks! If you are not prepared to respect regulations, then it may result in fines, arrest or even deportation. There have been incidents for example in Bali, where influencers went into a supermarket with a painted mask on their face as a prank, and were quickly deported out of Indonesia for breaking the law. Many countries recently reopened their borders, or are providing visas to be able to travel or work remotely again. Whether traveling for tourism or business, it is imperative that you do research to learn the country’s specific requirements. Traveling post-COVID is quite doable, and can still be safe, as long as you take the proper precautions!
Do You Dream of Living and Working Abroad?
If you’veever dreamed of becoming a digital nomad, living and working abroad, and having the freedom to create the life you have dreamed of, my Nomadic Freedom Course is the perfect fit for you. The Nomadic Freedom Course is a 12 week program where we shift your mindset, conquer your fears of going after this dream and build and scale an online business that you are passionate about. We will work to build and grow your business to allow you to sustain a life of adventure, freedom and location independence. This lifestyle is not reserved for the privileged, it is reserved for those who want it badly enough to take the leap! If you are looking to make that shift in your life and create your dream life, apply now to join the Nomadic Freedom Course. A thousand miles begins with just one step, so let’s get chatting!
