Sean Hammond, a dedicated wanderlust content producer
“What’s your professional occupation?” They laughed when I professed, “I aspire to be a globe-trotter”.
With derision, they stated that such a pursuit “doesn’t exist”.
In spite of my chagrin, I matured and reluctantly acknowledged that they were correct- historically, profiting from globe-trotting has presented insurmountable challenges.
In today’s world, however, the increasing popularity of social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube has significantly changed this narrative.
Content creators and influencers akin to Garron Noone and Aoife Dunne are attracting new demographics, establishing online presence and earning through advertisements, partnerships with brands, and gigs or events, setting the stage for the upcoming generation of vloggers to devise creative strategies to earn from their travels.
One such notable figure in this sphere is Sean Hammond, who has amassed a fan-following of 321,000 on Instagram and an additional 40,000 on TikTok. For him, this isn’t merely a leisure activity but a full-time profession that he’s successfully profited from.
Hammond pursued a BSc in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) from UCD and subsequently left Ireland shortly post his graduation in 2022.
“I am of Irish descent but I spent my childhood split between Ireland and England. I am half-Iranian and I even lived in Iran for two year,” he informs.
At 12, he spent almost five months in France for a language exchange program and then at 18, he decided to spend a year independently in Australia where he worked at a boarding school and also in construction. Evidently, the aspiration to travel had always been present.
Hammond’s life trajectory could have been vastly contrasting as he is a two-time Irish national chess champion. However, he selected PPE since the curriculum appealed to him and he wasn’t interested in a degree that would impose a fixed career path.
“There is no fault in conventional professions such as psychologist, engineer, doctor – they simply aren’t my niche,” he adds.
The safety offered was mundane due to the elimination of the thrill of unpredictability. It was always clear to me that I would depart after my four-year academic journey, yet I lingered longer than anticipated as I was hesitant to abandon my significant other. However, this altered when our relationship ended. The presence of travel influencers on my social platforms triggered a spark in my mind: I was capable of undertaking that path as well. One day, I dismissed any further contemplation and chose to pursue it instead.
With approximately €6,000 in savings, the choice was made to explore Southeast Asia and construct a cyber following that could potentially provide revenue. Just two days after resigning from my job, I secured flights to the Philippines. The people in my life were, unsurprisingly, taken aback, yet they were highly supportive of my decision.
Presently, Hammond is gearing up to participate in the Mr Universe contest, representing Iran. Upon release of this, he might even be the champion. The challenge, he admits, was an unexpected one, but its intrigue persuaded him to accept.
Despite the seemingly idyllic line of work, it’s clear that it demands immense effort. A large portion of the work is conducted out of public view, comprising responses to direct messages and comments to maintain online interaction, liaising with the appropriate businesses, and developing fresh content daily.
Every day involves decisions such as picking the right hostel to stay in, figuring out transport, where to purchase a sim card, food choices, determining the exact locations for video shooting, and of course, a location to edit this footage.
Given the number of people who are attracted to this lifestyle, Hammond believes it’s authenticity, consistency and hard work that set him apart. To excel in this scenario, one must portray their own personality and engage with followers, beyond just delivering appealing visuals.
“Being consistent is a key strategy in social media. Even if you are the most exceptional, hilarious, intelligent or charming person, you won’t garner a wide following if your posting frequency is only once per week. Generally, individuals who post engaging content daily tend to accumulate more followers and are more successful.
Much of my earnings have come from brand partnerships, despite also owning my personal booking engine, SHAdventures.com, which delivers cheaper lodging choices than Booking.com.
TikTok and Instagram both offer excellent opportunities for creators. I’ve even offered social media training and conducted an online course last month. I hold the belief that anyone has the potential to turn social media into a source of income; A case in point are those YouTubers who generate profits from hobby horse videos. The key is to dedicate great effort to whatever venture you undertake”, he advised.
Isabelle McGrath, who works as an IT analyst at Millennium studied biomedical engineering at Trinity College.
She initially chose this career path out of interest in gauging the effects on humans. Engineering instilled in her a propensity for offering solutions, an attribute she believes is suitable across multiple sectors.
Much of her time at Trinity College was spent in a lab, putting into practice theoretical principles learned in the lectures. Although she savored the research aspect, she discovered her natural inclination was towards the hands-on approach. This was a key factor in her decision to undertake an internship at Millennium, an establishment operating at the crossroads of the rapidly-evolving technology and finance sectors.
Throughout the course of her internship, she was challenged and given leeway to experiment and bring her ideas to fruition. Even without a background in finance, she was able to adopt the sector thanks to resilience and skills acquired during her course.
Even though the initial step was daunting, she soon got acquainted with the finance industry and Millennium’s part in it. This hands-on experience eventually paved the way for a permanent employment offer.
She took courses on Matlab and C++ during her degree. Having encountered one coding language better prepared her for learning others, which eased her professional shift towards technology.
Beyond my scholarly pursuits at Trinity, participating in competitive hockey was an invaluable experience that has prepared me to thrive in the team-oriented, high-speed workplace at Millennium. Looking retrospectively, I am convinced that the combination of academic studies and an internship is an ideal stepping stone into your professional career.
My intern period gave me the opportunity to acquire technical and soft skills through various training sessions and experiences. I was involved in an intensive week-long session led by an ex-trader from the New York Stock Exchange. The essential soft skills I gained included effective management of people and projects, coupled with the ability to cooperate with international colleagues.
While the technical skills I obtained are frequently applied, I am of the opinion it’s the soft skills that will be key in each phase of my career. During my internship, and presently, I have had the chance to collaborate with colleagues from diverse areas and offices in locations such as New York, Miami, London, and Singapore.
This past summer, I travelled to London to gain knowledge about a new technical application and connect with the team based there. It can often feel intimidating to ask questions, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how eager people have been to aid my development. This is a lesson I carry forward in my career.
Now, as a fully-fledged analyst, I am presented with numerous opportunities to broaden my skills and acquire fresh knowledge.
In contrast, we have Gareth Tolan, EU moulding manager at AbbVie. His initial direction was to go into engineering. However, in his school years, he admitted to not applying himself as much as he could have. A careers advisor, who lived nearby, recommended including lower-point courses in his choices.
Among these was a course at Athlone RTC in Polymer Technologies or Plastics Engineering. This institution later became known as Athlone IT and is now called TUS. The course was one of the lowest scoring on the CAO form, and students often scoffed at the notion of pursuing it. Despite his initial ignorance about the subject, and influenced by the careers advisor’s wry observation that a lot of items we use today are made of plastic, he included it on his list and was accepted.
This serves as a genuine illustration of how the CAO points don’t accurately mirror the demanding nature of the curriculum. The lower points were a result of scant applications, yet the course proved rather taxing. The first batch of 36 students dwindled down to 14, and third-year entry necessitated a distinction. Upon enrolling in the course, my studying skills improved, and I discovered a passion for it. Essentially, it was mechanical engineering, with emphasis on plastics or polymers, catering to Ireland’s prolific plastics industry. Having spent over two decades in the field, I currently hold the position of Moulding Manager for Europe within my company. I managed to retain my job throughout the economic downturn, given the industry’s relevance to medical devices. My career span has been lined with impressive opportunities and robust wages, courtesy of our relatively scarce supply and our unique niche. Initially, the course seemed unorthodox, but I’m extremely gratified with my choice.