Recent USC Grad Daniel Seddiqui.

Economic crisis, unemployment, pink slips…these are all buzz words that have plagued 2009. Most of us can’t get through a few hours without hearing about the recession. Feeling frustrated, I looked for a little light at the end of the tunnel and came across Daniel Seddiqui, who recently graduated with an economics degree from The University of Southern California.  Raring to go he went on interview after interview in hopes of landing the perfect job. After more than 40 interviews and not a single job offer, he took a huge leap and decided to go on an adventure he calls “Living the Map.” Daniel is traveling all 50 states to work 50 different careers in 50 weeks. In each state he takes a job that represents the culture and economy of the state. Daniel explains that he was unaware of what life was like outside of his bubble. His goal is to help Americans understand each other’s lives, respect each other’s hard work and stimulate peoples’ curiosity about different lifestyles.

My initial reaction was this is a crazy thing to do, and what makes this guy think he can get a different job in all 50 states during a recession? Daniel said that being persistent and networking has helped him land most of his jobs. Once he packed up his car and crossed a few state lines he knew there was no turning back. Among his many jobs, Daniel has been a corn farmer in Nebraska, a Reverend at a Las Vegas wedding chapel and a rodeo announcer in South Dakota. The most meaningful job to Daniel thus far was working as a dietitian in Jackson, Mississippi. He explains that more than 30 percent of the population in Mississippi are classified as obese, and the state is ranked first in the nation for high blood pressure, diabetes, and adult inactivity. For him it has been extremely rewarding educating people on how to live healthier lives. I was curious what Daniel’s craziest job has been—he said it was making cheese in Wisconsin. He didn’t realize how much cleaning was involved. During a 12 hour shift, 10 hours of it was cleaning. “Plus I know how cheese is made now,” he added.

I asked Daniel what part of his journey has impacted him the most and he told me that each time he crosses over to the next state he has no idea what he is getting himself into. He said, “The sense of uncertainty blows my mind. I go to these states not knowing a soul.” He has met thousands of people on his journey and he said that each one of them has made a lasting impact on his life.

For more information check out Daniel’s blog posts, photos and videos on his Living the Map website. It is inspiring and fun to watch him tackle a new job in each state. Check out Daniel’s recent interview on World News Tonight.