Chris Rose
The 60-Second Interview: Daniel Seddiqui
Friday, February 06, 2009
Chris Rose
After graduating with an economics degree from the University of Southern California three years ago, Daniel Seddiqui couldn't find a job after 40 interviews in his field. He finally chucked it all and took off across America, determined to get 50 jobs in 50 states in 50 weeks.
The project -- which he hopes to turn into a book -- is called "Living the Map." He's been a cartographer in North Dakota, a petroleum engineer in Houston, a roustabout in Oklahoma and worked in a wedding chapel in Vegas.
You get the picture. This weekend, he is bartending and bouncing down at the Funky Pirate Bar on Bourbon Street. I caught up with him before a recent night shift.
First question: Why?
I want to showcase different careers around the country. A lot of people don't know what they want to do with their lives and a lot of people can't find a job. They don't know what their alternatives are. And I also want to show people that America is not a scary place once you get out of your comfort zone.
So you're basically out to prove that anybody can do anything?
Well, I'm not saying that anybody can do anything, but sometimes you don't need experience as much as you think you would. For instance, I was a boilermaker in Missouri -- which is welding. And this guy came in with no welding experience. And they told him, OK: We'll be willing to train you for two weeks. He got the job, right in front of me. And he's getting paid $40 an hour right now, because of me.
Why do you take credit for that?
Because he saw me on the news in Kansas City, showcasing what a boilermaker was. And he came in looking for a job. Imagine if I could do that for the whole country. Get everybody a job. People are scared to try new things.
You're going to get all of us new jobs?
That would be my ultimate goal. Is it possible? Probably not. Obama can't even do it. But it doesn't hurt to try, right?
Does Obama know about you?
No, but eventually he will. He's providing millions of jobs and I'm going out and showcasing them. So hopefully we can work together in the future.
You either have a serious case of self-aggrandizement or you are a really good man.
I get about 200 e-mails a day from people saying: Thanks for your inspiration.
What was your favorite job?
Border Patrol, Arizona.
Border Patrol? Let me get this right: You were working at the highest level of Homeland Security with no prior experience?
I was working alongside one of the agents who's been there for 20 years. He showed me the ropes. We had to crawl through sewer systems and I got to carry a pepper ball gun. We caught a few immigrants and brought them to the detention center.
What's the most you've gotten paid for a job?
$2,500 a week for medical device manufacturing in Minnesota.
So wait a minute: You've got no training at all and some guy's lying on table tonight in St. Paul getting a new heart valve -- that you might have made? That's a lot of responsibility.
A lot of it relies on the machines. You just measure it, plug in the numbers and polish it after it's done. Pretty simple.
This is what our national health care system is relying on? I'm not sure I'm going to walk away from this interview feeling any better about the direction this country is headed in. You make it sound like anybody can get a job anywhere.
I've been rejected a couple thousand times. It's all about confidence and persistence and not being afraid of rejection. If you believe in yourself, you can make it happen. I like to say: "Don't fear to fail, but fail to fear." Pretty good, huh?
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Columnist Chris Rose can be reached at
[email protected]; or at 504.352.2535 or 504.826.3309. To comment or read past columns, visit
www.nola.com/rose.
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