Mike Donohoe is forging his own career path by mixing his dreams and acquiring an assortment of skills. MQ sat down with Donahoe to discuss his future post-graduate plans:
After graduating from Miami with a zoology degree in 2007, what did you plan on doing?
When I graduated, I knew I didn't want to get a job right away. I knew that life in the suburbs was not for me and that I wanted to live by the ocean. Medical school is a typical option for the major, but I was on the swim team and didn't want to study for the MCAT during the season. Then, after the season was over, I still didn't have the desire to take it.
So, no grad school then. What did you end up doing these last two years?
I have been working on gaining life experience. When it comes to building a resume, it's about checking boxes. For me, work has really been about building the whole person. With my BA from Miami, I really learned how to solve problems, and my fi rst problem was to get out of my parents' house. I went to bartending school, but here in Columbus, it's a tough position to get without boobs. So, I helped coach my club swim team in high school for a while. Then my friends gave me a job at dynamIt Technologies, where I learned about the process of web engineering and sales. They are a group of guys in their twenties who are taking the world by storm. That job was all commission, so it was hard to gage what I would be making month to month. Yesterday, I was driving an eighteen-foot trailer at my seasonal landscaping job. Any means to pay the rent at my apartment.
How did your parents feel about you taking all these random jobs after college?
Obviously there was tension for a while at home when I graduated without a job like some kids have. But I have little responsibility by design right now, so there was no need to get too serious. I am not trying to start a family or anything right now like my parents were when they were my age. I have to focus on my own goals before I take any steps like that.
What are your future plans?
I am looking forward to getting involved with my major again with some graduate work in marine biology. This summer, I am hoping to head down to the Yucatan Peninsula with Global Vision International. They are studying sea turtles and coral, so it would entail boat handling and driving. All the skills I will learn down there will help me get enough experience to get a job by the ocean or contribute to my research experience and go back to school. Also, there is very little running water or Internet access, so it's kind of an ideal spot for tropical adventures.
What’s your dream job?
I actually found my dream job on the Internet in January. Islandreefjob. com had a job opportunity in Queensland, Australia. They are trying to improve tourism there, so they were hiring one person (out of 34,000 applicants) to live on Hamilton Island and experience all the great tourism opportunities there and travel blog about it to spread recognition. I didn't get into the top fifty, but considering I had a camera and a MacBook, against people with thousands of dollars of professional equipment, I was happy with the short I produced. I've always enjoyed telling stories about my adventures, so the plan is to find more adventures and to continue telling stories. Whatever I do, I hope it places me at the minimum level of celebrity to compete on Dancing With The Stars. If not, at least I know I can always make myself a damn good drink.
