How Mermaids and Surfing Got Me My First Job in PR

Riding the subway with my surfboard in NYC. For all my New York readers: Have you ever taken the A line to the very last stop? You'll find beautiful beaches and rolling waves-- and it's great for your job search, too.

I know you always hear me talking about mermaids and surfing and how this all led to my first real job after college, but I’ve never quite told you the whole story.  And I know you’re curious.  So here we go:

After I graduated from college, I was unemployed, broke, and job searching in New York City. To alleviate stress, I started surfing.

You probably didn’t know you can surf in New York City, but you can and it’s absolutely magical.  At the very outer reaches of Queens at the dead last stop of the A train lies miles of shoreline.  Towering beach mansions sigh in the wind, and the local fire station has a surfboard rack.  It’s otherworldly.

After catching a few waves, I would head back on the subway with my eight-foot surfboard just in time to cruise through Times Square during rush hour.  Literally, my surfboard was held upright between business suits.

Then something amazing happened.

People started talking to me.  And I don’t mean the typical subway drawl “Ugg, so crowded. Ugg too early,” but really engaging in conversation.

It usually went something like: “Where are you going with that surfboard?”  After I explained that, yes, I was surfing in New York City, and the only reason why I had time to do this was because I was a recent graduate looking for a job, it quickly morphed into “Really! What are you trying to do? I may know something…”

Then I’d bust out with my business card, which, if you don’t already know, said I was a Mermaid Specialist.  That’s a story in itself, but basically it started out as a joke that soon turned into a compelling way for people to always remember me, the mermaid girl.

That sealed the deal.  People were practically foaming at the mouth to find the New York City Surfer-Girl and Mermaid Specialist a job.  Soon I had a whole army of subway acquaintances job searching for me.

It was only a matter of time before something panned out.  Sure enough, a videographer put me in touch with the CEO of an international media company who had actually given him his first job. They were looking for a Public Relations person, and my job search woes were suddenly solved.  I had work.

Though I love saying it was the mermaids and surfing that landed me the job, it was really my tireless efforts to put myself out there. I did this literally by sitting on the subway with a surfboard during rush hour, brushing sandy shoulders with business-suited commuters, but this can take any form.  What are your passions and interests?  This is what people connect with and leads to much more dynamic interaction.  I was constantly in touch with all my subway friends via email with my resume and other online presences (like my blog).  If you’re not getting people’s attention by displaying your amazing self in every way possible, then you’re missing out on opportunities.

Be authentic.  I never dreamed in a million years that people would dig a business card saying I was a “Mermaid Specialist,” but they did because it was true.  I wrote a novel about mermaids and love the ocean. People like the idiosyncrasies that make you unique.

So a question to the community: How do you put yourself out there?  How are you inviting people to make a connection with you? I would love to hear your thoughts!