True Swag Tuesday: Fabulous by Faith

Meet NYRIEMcKENZIE

AGE: 23

HOMETOWN: Albany, NY

BACKGROUND: Syracuse University '09: Public Policy and Political Science

HOW SHE PAYS THE BILLS: Public Relations Associate for a prestigious entertainment company in Manhattan

HER GRIND: It paid off big time when she landed a job better than her dream job a week ago

When does the grind begin to produce those glowing pots of gold we keep telling ourselves at the end of the rainbow? At 23, Nyrie McKenzie is running into those golden years now. Confident in her own fabulosity the sassy sista spent a year shaping her public relations skills and networking until some folks in high places became just as confident in her as she was, and decided to give her a mid-level position with an office to match. The new gig came just one week after she'd left her stable but dissatisfying job in her hometown and moved to the big apple with little more than an empire state of mind. Here's her story of the glamour that came out of a long grind.

Why she grew tired of reading between the rules of law

I initially planned on attending law school to become an entertainment lawyer, but after interning at the New York State Assembly during the Governor Spitzer sex bust I realized law wasn't my passion. I decided to change the world in a different way.

How she landed a colorful media job with a strictly black and white major

I was a junior when I decided to change my course of action, but I couldn't afford to change my major and pay tuition for staying an extra year. I decided to up the ante on my internships and student orgs so that I'd still gain knowledge in my area of interest. Serving as events coordinator for the Black Artist League and producing $30,000 - $60,000 fashion shows with artists like Trey Songz as president of Fashion's Conscience peaked my interest in the PR field. My major actually helped me in the long run because it developed my writing and research skills, which are very useful in public relations.

Her formula for mastering the art of networking like a ninja

Networking is scary to some people but I looked at it as an opportunity to maximize my results in the job grind. The more I did it, the easier it became. I made it my business to talk to people who not only knew what they were doing, but people who wanted me to succeed. I considered myself a sponge. And I didn't look at every person I reached out to as someone who would give me a job, that's the wrong point of view.

Her driving force

The life we have now is the only one we get so I believe just one day of misery, is a day I could've been happy. I quit my dead job as an administrative assistant because I wasn't fulfilled, I couldn't use any of my skills. I trusted my talent so after praying I took the risk and made the move to NYC. I just couldn't drown in a life I new I wasn't destined to live.

Landing the dream job without the cookie-cutter background

My first public relations job is higher than the entry-level position I'd actually applied for, and I'd never even written a press release in college. I spent a year doing a lot of freelance work like putting in 12-hour days event planning for free. I always worked in a small team so I could work directly with the person in charge. It was sink or swim because I was the person in charge of managing event staff, organizing guest lists, etc... without any formal training. I appreciated it because an entry level position at a huge PR firm wouldn't have given me that kind of access and opportunity.

Why a winner in romance and the workforce says the formula for landing a great job doesn't work for love

Love has a tendency of finding you when you aren't looking for it, or in my case, wanting nothing to do with it at all. There's no set recipe. I would never suggest that anyone young and on the grind go looking for a relationship, but if a solid one comes along, why not?

The item this black femme can't live without

Besides shoes, I can't be without my Giovanni's Hair Conditioner for more than a 24-hour period. I was at the airport once and they were going to throw it away because it was over the allotted amount of liquid, so I made my boyfriend meet me at the airport to pick it up.

What's next for this diva on the move

I'm excited about my new position because I'll be able to focus all of my skills into one place. I'm going in with a very ambitious mindset. I want to do things in the industry that have never been done before.

Check out Nyrie's blog: colourmefashion.blogspot.com to learn more about her brilliant mind.