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☆ AI can be used to create job promotion, not be a job replacement, says AWS vice president
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-24 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

In a sense, AI can give each of us a job promotion, not be a job replacement. : With Gen AI, scientists can slash the time required for drug discovery, accelerate therapy development, and find vaccines that are cheaper and more accessible. Media : By automating the difficult art and production aspects of games and entertainment, Gen AI frees designers to create and ideate more. : By automating the difficult art and production aspects of games and entertainment, Gen AI frees designers to create and ideate more. Financial Services: Gen AI can strengthen fraud detection and compliance while increasing the efficiency of loan officers making lending decisions.

Persons: Sivasubramaniani, —, Marie Kondo, Thoughtfully, strategize —, Swami Sivasubramanian, Jane Zhang Organizations: Amazon Web Services, Design, Engineers, Financial Services

☆ A tech founder who lives an hour away from his wife and daughter shares how he overcomes the guilt of not being home
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementAlex Li lives in Dover, Delaware, which is 55 miles from where his wife and daughter reside. Spending time away from his family so that he could work on his startup has led to guilt and regret. As a 34-year-old founder, husband, and dad, Alex Li is away from his family more than he'd like to be. AdvertisementIf his wife needs a break, Li's daughter stays with him in Dover while his wife takes a vacation. "My daughter was incredibly excited since it had been years since we traveled together as a family," Li recalled.

Persons: Alex Li, Li, Li's, he'd, he's, He's, he'll, Jane Zhang Organizations: Universal Studios Singapore, Universal Locations: Dover , Delaware, Wilmington , Delaware, Dover, Wilmington, Spain

☆ Tech founder who spends half of each week away from his wife and daughter: "I often feel very sorry and guilty"
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementAlex Li lives in Dover, Delaware, which is 55 miles from where his wife and daughter reside. As a 34-year-old founder, husband, and dad, Alex Li is away from his family more than he'd like to be. Related storiesMen should take on more family responsibilities, Li saidSome of Li's male friends didn't understand why he felt guilty. AdvertisementIf his wife needs a break, Li's daughter stays with him in Dover while his wife takes a vacation. "My daughter was incredibly excited since it had been years since we traveled together as a family," Li recalled.

☆ I Was Laid Off From Amazon, Rehired, and Quit 3 Months Later
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-12 | by ( Stephanie Ramos | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

AdvertisementA year later, I got the opportunity to return to Amazon as a boomerang employee. I'd always been told that a value at Amazon was to treat "the candidate as a customer," but didn't experience that. Related storiesRTO implementation was inconsistentA few weeks later, in May 2024, I accepted a different offer from Amazon for a Nashville-based role on another team I'd applied for. My layoff should've been the writing on the wall — this place has changed — but I clung to the idea of the Amazon I'd once respected, not wanting to recognize what it had become. The Amazon I joined in 2016 thrummed a "fail fast and often" mentality, encouraging risk-taking that led to delightful innovations.

Persons: I'd, —, he'd, should've, Andy Jassy, Margaret Callahan, Stephanie Ramos, Jane Zhang Organizations: Amazon, Nashville, LinkedIn's, Companies, Technology Locations: Nashville, Atlanta

☆ I'm the CEO of Scholastic. My days are busy, but I always make time for my wife, my health, and Arsenal.
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-31 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

AdvertisementThis as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Peter Warwick, the CEO of Scholastic based in New York City about his daily routine. I became president and CEO of Scholastic in August 2021 after serving as an independent director on its board since 2014. I read The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Financial Times for world, political, and business news. Scholastic Inc.Outside Scholastic office visits, I attend important conferences related to publishing and education, such as the Frankfurt Book Fair in October. Scholastic Inc.As we wind down at the end of the day, Helen and I solve The New York Times "Connections" puzzle together before heading to bed.

Persons: Peter Warwick, Warwick, —, It's, I've, I'm, Helen, it's, Underpants, Captain Underpants, Jane Zhang Organizations: Scholastic, Service, Thomson Reuters, Pearson, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, English Premier League, Arsenal, The Guardian, London Times, Daily Telegraph, Village, Scholastic Inc, Scholastic HQ, Warwick Locations: New York City, The, Hudson, Greenwich Village, SoHo, Clifford's, Cumberland, Assam, Warwick, New York, Jefferson City , Missouri, Frankfurt

☆ I'm a working mom whose 12-hour shifts make me miss my kids' lives. I feel I'm letting my family down but I love my work.
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-27 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

I work one or two 12-hour shifts at the hospital a week, depending on the needs of my unit. I'm also an educator within my hospital, so I spend several days a week teaching patients in an outpatient setting. I go to work before my kids wake up and come home as they're crawling into bed. I feel guilty that my job completely removes me from my kids' lives for full days at a time. The long hours are worth it because my work is important to meI overcome mom guilt by being fully present when I'm with my kids.

Persons: Kimberly Hicks, Hicks, —, It's, I've, I'm, he's, Jane Zhang Organizations: Service Locations: Northern California

☆ I've spent over $10K on friends' weddings in 2.5 years. Anyone who puts you in a hard financial situation isn't a good friend.
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-12 | by ( Jane Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Shannon Detrick has spent over $10,000 for friends' weddings and bachelorette parties since 2022. And that doesn't even include the four weddings for which we've been guests but not part of the wedding party. At the wedding, most of the members of our wedding party stayed for free in the big house on the wedding venue's property. There's also the issue of budgeting time off to attend friends' weddings — it starts to add up. That can be really, really challenging.

Persons: Shannon Detrick, —, I've, That's, we've, it's, It's, wasn't, we're, There's, she's, could've, I'm, Jane Zhang Organizations: Service Locations: Sacramento , California, Palm Springs, Miami, New Orleans, Denver, Maine, California, Sonoma

☆ I spent a total of 10 weeks quiet vacationing all over the world without my boss finding out. Here's how I did it.
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-04 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

He says that quiet vacationing made him more productive at work because he was so happy. Over the course of 15 months, I spent a total of 10 weeks quiet vacationing from my fully remote job. I think quiet vacationing may be good for productivity; I was genuinely so happy while traveling the world, and it translated into my productivity at work. On some quiet vacationing days, I had to work a little later to get things across the line, but I became very efficient. A quiet vacation day in Europe might look something like this: Wake up around 8 or 9 a.m. and eat breakfast at the hotel.

Persons: Oluwole, —, Tobi Oluwole, Lyon —, didn't, would've, I'd, Slack, We've, Tobi, Jane Zhang Organizations: Service, Big Tech, Camp, Oluwole, Barcelona football, Houston, Toronto, Montreal, London, Toronto Raptors, LinkedIn Locations: France, —, Lagos, Nigeria, Brussels, Atlanta , Georgia, Tennessee, Toronto, Ottawa, Lisbon, Barcelona, Cancun, Atlanta, Francisco, Rome, Amalfi, Paris, Los Angeles, Vancouver, London, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Canada, Europe, Portugal

☆ 4 steps workers should take when their companies announce 5-day RTO, according to an employment lawyer
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-27 | by ( Jane Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Companies requiring 5-day RTO will lose valuable employees, says Craig Levey, an employment lawyer. Levey lays out four steps employees can take if their company announces an RTO policy. Here are the steps I'd take if a client came to me about their company switching to a five-day RTO policy:1. Related storiesWell-written employment agreements will include a clause providing the employer with the flexibility the amend any and all terms. But if you have some leverage, you can negotiate into your employment agreement that you're going to be working remote or hybrid.

Persons: Craig Levey, Levey, —, doesn't, you've, they'll, haven't, Jane Zhang Organizations: Service, Bennett, Belfort, Starbucks, Disabilities, Opportunity Commission Locations: P.C, Cambridge , Massachusetts, Newport, Seattle

☆ I'm a working mom while my husband stays home. I've dealt with FOMO and he's felt inadequate, but our family is stronger for it.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-21 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

I work a full-time 9-to-5 job as a project manager and also run an e-commerce business on the side. Related storiesBalancing a full-time job, an e-commerce business, and family life is challengingI feel accomplished because I'm able to support my family through multiple income streams, which add up to over six figures. When the company where I work full-time went through a round of layoffs last year, I was extremely anxious about potentially losing our main source of income. This stress led to me being distracted during family time and occasionally snapping at my husband over minor issues. Last holiday season, I was swamped with a major project deadline at my full-time job at the same time I had a spike in online sales.

Persons: —, Michaelle Barbor, It's, I've, We've, I'm, Michaelle, She'd, we've, He'd, Jane Zhang Organizations: Service, Business, Facebook Locations: King , North Carolina

☆ I got hired at Google without even a high school diploma. Here are my 3 tips for others with nontraditional backgrounds.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-17 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Read previewThis as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with James Thompson, a 40-year-old strategic partner development manager at Google from London. In 2023, after over two decades of working in the tech and telecommunications industry, I landed a job at Google as a strategic partner manager. I never thought I'd be even considered for a role there because my tech career didn't begin with a traditional background. I dropped out of high school and polytechnicI dropped out of high school at age 17. AdvertisementI've been at Google for just over a year now and my experience has been amazing so far.

Persons: —, James Thompson, It's, I'd, didn't, I've, I'm, it's, Jane Zhang Organizations: Service, Google, Business, Vodafone, Cisco, British Telecom, LinkedIn, Big Tech Locations: London, New Zealand

☆ My dad sacrificed everything to retire early — only to die before he could enjoy it. I'll never recommend early retirement to anyone.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-15 | by ( Rebekah Sanderlin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

But his plan had always been to retire early. At 50, he could retire early, and have plenty of time to do whatever he wanted. AdvertisementThe author wearing the diamond studs her father bought for her, which she almost never takes out. That old designer diaper bag now serves as my laptop bag, a reminder of everything I learned from my dad. I plan to slow down as I age, but I don't plan on ever retiring.

Persons: —, I've, Rebekah Sanderlin, would've, hadn't, wouldn't, he'd, Christal Marshall, I'm, Jane Zhang Organizations: Service, Business, Sam's Club, Affordable, Medicare Locations: Hawaii

☆ I tried suburban living for 3 years and was miserable. I'm back to city life and never looking back.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-08 | by ( Jane Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

We looked for places in the city but couldn't really find anything in our $1,500 budget that suited our needs. AdvertisementLooking back, I wish we'd spent more time looking for a place in the city instead of escaping to the suburbs. AdvertisementWhen we lived in the city, we'd see friends just about every weekend and could decide to hang out pretty spontaneously. My depression got worse, and I realized how much of my health and well-being had been tied to a city lifestyle. AdvertisementThe car culture in the suburbs really drove me over the edge; it got to the point where I stopped wanting to go out and do things.

Persons: —, Randall Galbreath, Braden, COVID, we'd, we've, I've, Jane Zhang Organizations: Service, Business, Getty Center Locations: Chicago, Los Angeles, Chicago's Uptown, Arlington Heights, Lake Michigan, LA, Randall Galbreath West Hollywood, We're

☆ I gave more attention to my demanding job than to raising my 4 kids. I'm heartbroken over what it cost me.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-10 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

I instantly regretted my decision because I knew my son needed me. The chances of my husband getting a job that would pay enough to cover the cost of childcare were very low. My children needed their mother, and I needed my children. When I was focused on work and they needed my attention, I would redirect them to ask their dad instead. I realize now that all those years, I was bringing my stress and fear from work into my family life.

Persons: Abigail DeGuzman, It's, I've, we're, I'm, wasn't, inattentive, —, There's, Jane Zhang Organizations: Service, Strategic, Business Locations: Brookhaven , Pennsylvania, Philippines, Atlanta, Pennsylvania, janezhang@businessinsider.com

☆ I quit teaching and broke into tech with a coding boot camp. It's given me the life I dreamed about.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Jane Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

One of my friends had done a coding boot camp and told me she really enjoyed it. The boot camp was intenseI quit teaching after summer school in 2021 and started the boot camp in August. The boot camp provided us with a career coach, but some of my classmates never broke into tech or returned to what they were doing. The boot camp seemed like the only way for me to transition into techI'll be done paying off the boot camp in October. I saw the boot camp as the best way to learn the skills I needed to transition into tech.

Persons: —, Xavier Carrillo, wasn't, We'd, wouldn't, could've, Carrillo, Jane Zhang Organizations: Service, Business, Baruch, New York City Teaching, General, Apple, YouTube Locations: New York City, New York, Ecuador, janezhang@businessinsider.com

☆ I broke into tech as a teacher after going to a coding boot camp. Now I have a 6-figure job and work-life balance.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Jane Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

One of my friends had done a coding boot camp and told me she really enjoyed it. The boot camp was intenseI quit teaching after summer school in 2021 and started the boot camp in August. The job search was roughAfter the boot camp ended, looking for a job was very difficult. The boot camp seemed like the only way for me to transition into techI'll be done paying off the boot camp in October. I saw the boot camp as the best way to learn the skills I needed to transition into tech.

☆ Leaving India and working in tech in the US changed me. I feel too foreign here and too foreign there.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

It was because I knew that working in Big Tech in Silicon Valley would change me into a different person and I'd never move back. It's been 11 years since then, and I think I've gotten happier with my life here now that I've worked at a few different jobs in Big Tech. But despite this, working in the US suits me better than working in India because of my individualistic mindset. Some people back home think very competitively — they've hinted that they think I'm just plain lucky, and if they had the opportunity, they'd do it too and much better. Even if I had all the resources to go back to India, it'd be different — I've grown apart from who I was.

Persons: Uday Padyana, I'd, It's, I've, India I've, I'm, it's, they've, there's, —, haven't, would've, India I'm, could've, it'd, Jeff Bezos's, Jane Zhang Organizations: Service, Big Tech, Big, Business, PayPal, Uber Locations: Silicon Valley, India, Big Tech, Silicon, Atlanta, Washington , DC, American, janezhang@businessinsider.com

☆ I'm the son of a billionaire who forged my own career path
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-03 | by ( Jane Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

And if you're not going to do a job, don't do a job." AdvertisementThe next summer, I got a product management internship at a startup called Travelnuts, which I liked. At a certain point, maybe I'll plateau or stop progressing, and I'll have to choose to stop because I'm just not good enough. I'm 29 now, so the idea that in about five years, I'm supposed to roughly know my trajectory kind of haunts me. I'm pretty confident in my comedy, so I'm full speed ahead on being a comedian.

Persons: Pete Ballmer, Steve Ballmer, would've, Harry Potter, he'd, I'd, I'm, I've, wouldn't, Jane Zhang Organizations: PCWorld Magazine, Business, Stanford, Zynga, Friends Locations: San Francisco, TripIt, Farmville, Expedia, Bay, janezhang@businessinsider.com

☆ My internship at Bridgewater Associates felt like a 'Black Mirror' episode
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-23 | by ( Jane Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

The summer after my sophomore and junior years at Harvard University, I interned at Bridgewater Associates, the world's largest hedge fund. AdvertisementAnd while I definitely see parallels between my time at Bridgewater and that "Black Mirror" episode, I look back fondly on my time there. AdvertisementAuthenticity is a big thing at Bridgewater, so I went into the interview wanting to be completely myself. I worked on a lot of diversity initiatives, figuring out how to make Bridgewater more streamlined and accessible to employees. It helped shape who I am today, especially how I think about feedback, work, and the relationships I have at work.

Persons: Daria Rose, Ray, , I've, Ray Dalio, would've, She'd, Myers, —, we'd, I'd, It's, Dalio, it's, it'd, Ray Dalio isn't, We'd, Jane Zhang Organizations: Bridgewater Associates, Business, Harvard University, Bridgewater, Harvard, Briggs Locations: Ray Dalio's, Bridgewater, Westport , Connecticut, janezhang@businessinsider.com

☆ I'm a millionaire and a financial expert and I still rent over buying a house
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-06 | by ( Jane Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

My landlord lives in a house right up the hill from me, so when I need him, I can call him, and he's right there. I'm glad I'm not doing that anymore, but I'm really glad I had that opportunity. AdvertisementRenting is also a smarter financial decision right now, with how high interest rates are. I don't think I'll rent foreverMy finances now are different than they were when I was 22. Renting really fits the current season of my life, but I don't think this is the choice I'll make forever.

Persons: —, Tori Dunlap, I've, I'm, Homeownership, That's, it's, Jane Zhang Organizations: Service, Business, PMI Locations: Seattle, North Seattle, janezhang@businessinsider.com

☆ I got engaged with a $57 Etsy ring. My fiancé and I both make 6 figures, but we're planning strategically to save $20K for our wedding.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-31 | by ( Viviana Vazquez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Our wedding budgetWe have a wedding budget of $20,000, with a guest list of around 120 people. Some of my family members won't be able to travel to Mexico, so we plan to invite them to dinner after our City Hall civil wedding. Some of my family members won't be able to travel to Mexico, so we plan to invite them to dinner after our City Hall civil wedding. We plan to help subsidize five rooms for 10 family members by contributing $1,000 per room, or half the cost. We plan to help subsidize five rooms for 10 family members by contributing $1,000 per room, or half the cost.

Persons: —, Xavi, We've, Vazquez, Viviana Vazquez, maxing, Robert Dula, we'd, I'm, San Miguel de Allende, Viviana Vazquez Viviana Vazquez, Jane Zhang Organizations: Service, Baruch College, Business, City Hall, City Locations: New York City, Mexico, Atlanta, New Orleans, Vazquez, Nola, Cancún, New York, San Miguel, janezhang@businessinsider.com

☆ I became a data analyst and grew my salary 5x without working in Big Tech. Non-tech companies offer more flexibility and less stress.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Charlotte Chaze | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Landing a data analyst job helped me achieve the life I had dreamed ofI started looking at job boards and saw a ton of data analyst positions, with an average starting salary of around $70,000, in 2018. I don't feel that working in Big Tech is worth itWhen people think about working a tech job, many think of Big Tech companies like Tesla and Meta, which offer the highest salaries and have a certain air of prestige. Although they might not be quite as high as Big Tech roles, the salaries at non-tech companies can be super competitive, especially if you focus on non-tech companies in the Fortune 500. When you apply for tech jobs at non-tech companies, you're not competing against people who are trying to be the best in the world. AdvertisementI advise anyone hoping to land their first data analyst job at a non-tech company to start looking at their current job as an asset and find where it overlaps with data analyst jobs.

Persons: —, I'd, we're, Barry, Charlotte Chaze, Charlotte Chaze There's, you'll, Jane Zhang Organizations: Service, Business, Comcast, Disney, Big Tech, Kroger, & $ Locations: Philadelphia, Delaware, Catskills, Charlotte, El, Forest , Puerto Rico, janezhang@businessinsider.com

☆ I've flipped burgers and hauled packages, but I didn't realize how bad hourly service jobs were until I got a 9-to-5 office job
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Jane Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

So I got a job at a shipping company handling packages because I needed health insurance. AdvertisementAt the shipping company, it felt like management had the mindset that if we could be somewhere else, we would be there. It also makes the work feel more meaningful by scratching the itch in the creative side of my brain. You don't get that same sense of being "in the dirt" together when you're working a corporate job. Sometimes, there's that sentiment in office jobs, too, but it's a different kind of dirt when you're working these physical labor jobs.

Persons: —, Justin Jordan, I've, I'd, We've, couldn't, — there's, Kristen Davis, Jane Zhang Organizations: Service, Business, NBC4 Locations: NBC4, janezhang@businessinsider.com

☆ I gifted myself an adult gap year for my 30th birthday. I've never been this happy and I'm the most broke I've ever been.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( Jane Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

I immigrated to Canada from Nigeria when I was 22 for my master's degree and started working right after graduating. I had thought about starting my own clothing brand for years, so I started working on ideas for that too. One of the biggest things I'm taking away from this sabbatical is realizing that a lot of things are not that serious. I've never been this happy, and I'm the most broke I've ever been. AdvertisementIf you took a sabbatical and would like to share your story, email Jane Zhang at janezhang@businessinsider.com.

Persons: Alma Rex, Ezonfade, —, I'm, would've, I'd, what's, I've, Jane Zhang Organizations: Service, YouTube, Google, Abbey Locations: Toronto, Canada, Nigeria, Caribbean, Europe, Punta Cana, janezhang@businessinsider.com

☆ 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

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