career

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Natasya Pawanteh, 45, who lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The following has been edited for length and clarity.In 2017, I was a raging workaholic.As an ambitious, mid-career geologist at Shell in Sarawak, Malaysia, I was focused on deepening my expertise. Working,…

When I moved to Paris from the US in the winter of 2024, I rather foolishly believed the transition would be easier.After all, despite needing a visa to live here as a non-EU citizen and the main spoken language being French, Paris itself is not that different from my hometown…

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Erin McGoff. It has been edited for length and clarity.I’ve always been the friend whom people turn to for career advice. As a freelance film editor, I had to network my way into a super competitive industry. That meant I acquired…

Five months after packing two giant suitcases and boarding a one-way flight from Wisconsin to Los Angeles, my boyfriend told me he was leaving the city I had relocated to for him.In just a moment, I realized I was alone in one of America’s biggest cities, wondering if I had…

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Adam Stewart, 43, who lives in the UK. The following has been edited for length and clarity.I worked for nearly 20 years straight before I took a career break.10 of those years were at Google, which I loved, but it was…

An endless stream of opinion pieces and social media content has given communication degrees and students majoring in communication a bad rap.Communication often ranks lower on “Return on Investment” charts. The field is also often labeled as a “useless” degree.But I have a bachelor’s in communication and digital studies from…

When a strategic shift at Intel made Kent Ha worry his digital marketing job could disappear, he didn’t wait for a layoff notice. He started looking for his next job.”I figured worst case, I’d land another offer and have a backup plan,” said Ha, who’s in his 30s and lives…

Growing up, I didn’t view poker as a game for girls.My dad and brothers constantly played, with the sounds of them placing their bets and shuffling cards always in my periphery. But I was never invited to join them.One time, they let me join a game of Texas Hold ‘Em…

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Michael Chang, who runs a short-term rental business with his wife, Elizabeth and advises other professionals on investing in vacation rentals.Claims about the size of the Chang’s portfolio and their clients have been verified by Business Insider. The interview has been…

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sara Wilczynska, the founder of Swil Arts Studio. She left her job as a software engineer at Google, spent a year traveling with her partner, and discovered watercolors in Thailand. Her words have been edited for length and clarity.I was born…