Hired as a clearinghouse clerk, Cushing worked at the First National Bank of San Francisco immediately after graduation.
On January 13, 1891,[4] Cushing was licensed with the California Bar and entered the law firm of Mullany and Grant.
[4] During High School, Cushing became interested in astronomy under the influence of his teacher Charles Burckhalter, who was director of the Chabot Observatory.
[4][8] Cushing joined a group that traveled to Ukiah in northern California to observe the total solar eclipse of January 1, 1889.
This event led to the founding of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP), and Cushing was voted into membership in July, 1889.