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☆ I make over $2,500 a month from focus groups. Here's how I decide which ones are worth my time and how to find the highest-paying ones.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Jane Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

I then created my own business, teaching others how to make money from focus groups. I noticed that I was consistently bringing in $2,000 to $3,000 a month from focus groups alone, so I eventually transitioned to concentrate solely on doing focus groups. AdvertisementLast month, in March, I participated in 18 focus groups for a total of $2,770 or an average of $154 per focus group. The best free ways to find focus groups are by searching "focus groups near me" or "taste tests near me" on Google, Craigslist, and social media. They were reputable companies with a huge volume of focus groups, so things probably slipped through the cracks.

Persons: Filipe, —, I've, he's, Burger King, Chase, you'll, haven't, Chicago, Jane Zhang Organizations: Service, PayPal, Apple, Google, Facebook, Craigslist Locations: Texas, Chicago, Chicago's, North, janezhang@businessinsider.com

☆ Making Friends and Dating As Billionaire Steve Ballmer's Son
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Jane Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

When I meet people, they usually don't know that my dad is Steve Ballmer. I have some friends for whom it took a really long time — like many months — before they realized the link. There was this guy I used to be friends with who went out of his way to talk to me. My comedy friends are also awesome, and my newest group of friends, my girlfriend's friends, are really cool. Since I'm not a big spender, I don't think anybody eyed me and thought, "I can probably get a ton of money out of him."

Persons: Pete Ballmer, Steve Ballmer, It's, Steve Ballmer's, Stanford, it'd, I'm, I've, douchebag, that's, We've, —, I'd Organizations: Clippers Locations: San Francisco, Italian

☆ I quit McKinsey after 1.5 years. I was making over $200k but my mental health was shattered.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Jane Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with a former McKinsey & Company associate who worked at the company for one and a half years. AdvertisementSome associate partners and partners were meanThe people at McKinsey were both the best and worst parts of my experience. The analysts and associates were all cool, but a few associate partners and partners were mean. I took a mental health break because I couldn't do it anymoreAfter about a year of working at McKinsey, I took a three-month mental health leave. But I also think it was going on mental health leave was inevitable, given the kind of people I ran into.

Persons: I'd, It's, they'd, I've, hysterically, I'm, hasn't, would've, Jane Zhang Organizations: McKinsey & Company, McKinsey, Business, Excel, McKinsey couldn't Locations: janezhang@businessinsider.com

☆ I was a personality hire. We get away with doing less work, but you can't deny our value to the office.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Jane Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Difference between a personality hire and a good personality. There's a difference between a personality hire and someone who just has a good personality. We can get away with doing less workAs a personality hire, you can get away with not being as competent and doing half of your job. Companies need personality hires to build their company cultureCompanies that take pride in having "disruptive" and different work cultures need personality hires because otherwise, who's going to build that culture? AdvertisementUltimately, being a personality hire doesn't mean you're bad at your job; it just means your personality helped you get hired.

Persons: —, Daniel Bennett, that's, Let's, I've, they'd, aren't, Zs, Personality, Bennett, I Organizations: Service, DX, Business, Companies Locations: LA

☆ I went from making $15K to nearly $700K over my career at Oracle, Apple, and Meta. Here's how I increased my total compensation.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

My salary journey in Big Tech has seen my total compensation — which includes base salary, bonuses, and stocks — increase from $15,000 in 2012 to $685,000 in 2024. I'm a staff software engineer and have worked at three different tech companies, moving from Oracle to Apple to Meta. In California, labor laws make it illegal for employers to ask you about your current salary and salary history. That could involve switching from a non-tech job to a tech job or taking a short-term hit for long-term gain. Unless the employer offers a significant pay bump along the way, total compensation usually takes a drop after this vesting period.

Persons: Sandeep Rao, —, I'm, I've, it's, Glassdoor, haven't, Jane Zhang Organizations: Meta, Apple, Oracle, Service, Business, Big Tech, Microsoft, Carnegie Mellon University, Grad, Employers, Carnegie Mellon Locations: San Jose , California, India, Pittsburgh, Cupertino , California, Menlo Park , California, California, janezhang@businessinsider.com

☆ An employment lawyer explains the 3 things you should do the moment you're put on a PIP
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( Jane Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

While there are circumstances where an employee survives the PIP and keeps working there, those situations are rare. Decide if the PIP is reasonableOnce you've read the PIP, ask yourself, is this PIP designed for me to fail, or is it reasonable? AdvertisementA good PIP should be very clear about the areas where the employee is supposedly deficient. I don't think companies should use PIPs for the sake of trying to protect themselves from potential future issues. If you've been put on a PIP or put someone on a PIP and would like to share your story, email Jane Zhang at janezhang@businessinsider.com.

Persons: Craig Levey, there's, you've, it's, It's, Jane Zhang Organizations: Service, Bennett, Belfort, Business Locations: P.C, Cambridge , Massachusetts, janezhang@businessinsider.com

☆ Steve Ballmer's Son Reflects on Growing up in High Net Worth Family
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Jane Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

I mean, I didn't really care about what I was wearing, and my brothers and I were fine with driving our dad's old '98 Lincoln. We didn't really talk about moneyThere were some indications that we were rich. Our family took really nice vacations, but as a kid, there was a disconnect between things and how much they cost. For both my mom and my dad, having a lot of money was a relatively new experience, as was raising children. I don't really see it as dishonest, though, because people are multifaceted and much more complex than the sum of where they grew up.

Persons: Pete Ballmer, Steve Ballmer, we'll, Let's, I'd, I'm, I've, That's, who've, They'll, We've, — Organizations: Microsoft, Ford, I'd, Lincoln, Rover, Clippers Locations: San Francisco, Japan, Bay

☆ I quit my dream teaching job to become a virtual assistant. My income dropped 25%, but my flexible schedule is worth it.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Jane Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

She currently has two clients and appreciates the flexibility she has as a virtual assistant. AdvertisementI looked online to see if there was something I could do while I was at home and came across a video about being a virtual assistant. As a teacher, I'd been talking mostly to eight-year-olds, so I didn't have to be so professional and so corporate. Working as a virtual assistant does not come naturally to me. As a virtual assistant, I make between $21 and $30 an hour.

Persons: Brittany Davila, —, I'd, I'm, it's, I've, Davila, Belay webinars, Jane Zhang Organizations: Service, Fort Bend Independent Locations: Belay, janezhang@businessinsider.com

☆ I'm a former tech manager who has put employees on PIPs. Almost no one survives them — someone in the company wants you gone.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Jane Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Read previewThis as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Theresa Sue Mubenga, a former tech manager and startup founder. But companies need to put more good managers in place that care for their employees. There are a lot more bad managers than good managers. PIPs are not survivable, because once someone gets a PIP, they often feel targeted and don't want to work at a company. AdvertisementIf you've ever been put on a PIP at a Big Tech company and would like to share your story, email Jane Zhang at janezhang@businessinsider.com.

Persons: —, Theresa Sue Mubenga, I've, — I've, you've, Jane Zhang Organizations: Service, Business, Big Tech Locations: janezhang@businessinsider.com

☆ I left California for Las Vegas. Even after a $39,000 pay cut, my house is bigger, my 401(k) contributions went up, and the quality of my life improved.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Jane Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

In 2021, she and her husband moved to Las Vegas, subsequently quitting her job and taking a 20% pay cut. Peck says the move and the pay cut were worth it and she loves her life in Vegas. I negotiated a huge pay bump and started making $167,500, which increased to $184,000 after I got a 10% raise. Now, I own a house triple the size of my California house and I'm paying only $4,200 a year in property tax. But if you're like me and you're transitioning to a place with lower expenses and lower taxes, it can make sense.

Persons: Alli Peck, Peck, —, I'd, It's, we've, Jane Zhang Organizations: Service, Business, San Locations: Las Vegas, Vegas, Bay, California, San Francisco, Seattle, Nevada, janezhang@businessinsider.com

☆ I'm an employment lawyer. Here are the first 3 questions to ask HR if you're laid off or fired.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Jane Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

HR has three main objectives when conducting terminationsThere are three main objectives, from the HR professional's standpoint, when terminating somebody. But the more questions employees ask, the more it opens the company up to liability if HR or the supervisor doesn't answer the questions correctly. If you're an at-will employee, the company doesn't need to provide you with a reason you're being fired. The employment attorney can explain to you what you're signing because the agreements are often very hard to understand. If you're a former HR executive or professional who has insight into HR practices and would like to share your story, email Jane Zhang at janezhang@businessinsider.com.

Persons: Craig Levey, Levey, I've, They're, it's, they're, you've, Jane Zhang Organizations: Bennett, Belfort, Employees Locations: P.C, Cambridge , Massachusetts, janezhang@businessinsider.com

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