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☆ I sacrificed my honeymoon and almost cut my maternity leave short for work. I've learned to prioritize my family and set boundaries.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Working hard didn't protect me from getting laid offAfter college, I worked as an editor in 2008. After a year, I landed a job working for a small school. This time, I took the approach that work is work and didn't want to give so much time to it. While in the office, my boss asked me for updates on the project I'd been working on before taking leave. I love my work and work hard, but it's just a part of who I am — not my entire identity.

Persons: —, Kari Shafenberg, Levi Shafenberg, I've, It's, we'd, I'd, they'd, wasn't, That's, Shafenberg Organizations: Service, Army, Business, Management Locations: Colorado

☆ I floundered in white-collar jobs until I found my calling as an electrician in my 40s
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-01 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewThis as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Rachel Hoobing, a 50-year-old electrician in San Francisco. I found it very stressful and decided to leave in May 2012 and apply for an electrician apprenticeship. In 2015, I got my electrical trainee card, which meant I could do some non-union work as an electrician. I applied for an electrical apprenticeship with a union in 2016, when I was 43, and started the following year. AdvertisementI work for a union as an electricianI became a union electrician at the end of my five-year apprenticeship in 2021.

Persons: —, Rachel Hoobing, I'd, wasn't Organizations: Service, Business, Jobs Corps, Department of Labor, Job Corps, Home Depot Locations: San Francisco, arborists

☆ 3 signs your job is taking over your life and how to stop it before burning out
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

But long working hours can impact your mental health and relationships, career coach Laura Leuillier said, adding people should spot the signs of overwork before completely burning out. She shared common signs that your career could be taking over your life and how to change your perspective of work to take it back. Advertisement"No one can sustain these incredibly long weeks and long work hours where you are working every weekend, and that's become your norm," she said. Working long hoursDoing many work tasks at once might give the impression you're being productive, but it can be "counterproductive," Leuillier said. But it's a problem if work is consuming most of your thoughts and dominating your conversations in your personal life, Leuillier told BI.

Persons: —, Laura Leuillier, Leuillier, that's Organizations: Service, Business

☆ I've been laid off 6 times, but being let go at 54 was different. I've been unemployed for a year.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Angie Longacre became a content writer after she was laid off from her graphic designer job. Longacre was laid off four times over the following decade but found it easy to bounce back. But she said that she had been struggling to find a job since being laid off a year ago. AdvertisementThis as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Angie Longacre, a freelancer in Pennsylvania, about her experience getting laid off at 54. While I was looking for another one, I saw an ad looking for writers for books on different topics for beginners.

Persons: Angie Longacre, Longacre, —, I'd Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Pennsylvania

☆ My wife and I both work full-time. Summers are complex — we have to plan our kids' summer schedules 6 months in advance.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-20 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

My working hours haven't decreased from my finance days, but I have more flexibility and control over my work schedule. We plan summer childcare in DecemberSummer is harder. Through the years, my wife and I have learned that we have to plan our summer schedule in December. AdvertisementSummer camp hours do not follow working hoursOur kids go to different summer camps in and around Boston for 10 weeks of the summer. The kids attend private school, and summer camp costs us roughly the same.

Persons: —, Pat Dooling, I'd, it's Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Boston

☆ I grew up in France and the US but America is the best place for a go-getter like me
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-19 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

I grew up in a blue-collar neighborhood in Toulon, in the south of France. In France, my sister, who was a year and a half older, and I would walk to school when I was six. I struggled with moving back to FranceOur family moved back to France when I was 14. In France, you're stuck at the bottom if you don't have the right connections. Europe is better for work-life balance and a better quality of life, but the US is the place to be if you're a go-getter like me.

Persons: —, Arthur Begtine, Begtine, we'd, I've Organizations: Service, Business, France Locations: Atlanta, France, Toulon, Tunisia, Nice, Georgia, Ernstein, Spanish, York, Pelham , New York, New York, Europe, Montreal, Canada

☆ Inheritance can tear families apart. A financial therapist shares 3 ways to manage conflict.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-13 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Even when assets are split equally, family members might butt heads over how money should be invested or spent. Understanding your emotions around money can help to navigate tricky inheritance conversations, Tessler said. AdvertisementPeople might feel that they don't understand money or that their siblings don't see them as financially responsible. Using personality tools, such as the Enneagram, can help people figure out where their family members are coming from when disagreements arise, she added. AdvertisementTessler said she has previously advised clients to wait 24 hours before reading emails from "intense and challenging" family members.

Persons: —, Bari Tessler, who's, Tessler, spender Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Bari

☆ My kids lived in Slovenia for a year. When we returned to the US I felt reverse culture shock.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-08 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

I'd never left the US until I moved to Slovenia, and I didn't have a passport until I was 28. America has a lot to offer kids too, but I'm so glad my kids experienced a new culture. When I first went to visit my kids' preschool in Slovenia, I accidentally wandered through the kitchen instead of the admin office. Parents in Slovenia attend preschool with kids for 2 weeksMy three-year-old, who was in the older kids' class, started two days after my first visit. In Slovenia, parents attend preschool with children for one or two weeks to help them acclimatize.

Persons: —, Britanny McAnally, I'd, We'd, we'd, don't, we're Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Germany, Slovenia, Tennessee, Nashville, Monterey , California, Slovakia, Italy, Croatia, Ljubljana, America, daycares, California, Nevada, Europe, Vilnius, Lithuania's, Garmisch, Zugspitze

☆ I skipped grad school and became a mechanic instead. I ended up getting a dream job at Tesla.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-28 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewThis as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Diana Welsch about training to be a car mechanic instead of going to grad school. I went to trade school instead of grad schoolI decided to go to trade school in 2014. AdvertisementI got a dream job at TeslaAt my trade school fair, I saw that Tesla was hiring trainees. I left Tesla later that yearI'd wanted to stay at Tesla my whole life — it was the most fun job ever. I wish I had gone to trade school after high school instead of college.

Persons: —, Diana Welsch, I've, Tesla, I'd, Elon Musk, Uncle Elon, Elon, they'd Organizations: Service, Business, Universal Technical Institute, Sun Devil, Tesla, Bluetooth, LA, Management Locations: Arizona, Phoenix, Los Angeles, North Dakota

☆ A New Yorker took her first solo trip to Greece at 38. She loved the slower pace of life so much that she moved there.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-24 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

She told Business Insider she worked 16 hours a day some days and often worked weekends. Rodriguez told BI they'd been working hard on a new project just before being let go. AdvertisementWith her new business, Rodriguez thought she needed to stay in New York to meet clients in person. She took a solo trip to GreeceRodriguez decided to attend a friend's birthday party in Greece in June 2021. She'd never visited the country before and decided to take a 10-day solo vacation to Greece around the party.

Persons: —, Marissa Rodriguez, Rodriguez, she'd, Chris Burch, Wonder, Sofia Vergara, Renata Black's, Greece Rodriguez, She'd, New York —, couldn't Organizations: Service, New York University, Business, C.Wonder Locations: Puerto Rico, Manhattan, New York, Greece, America, Athens, there's, New York City

☆ A mom in Sweden took 21 months off when her kids were born, and her partner took 15. Sharing parental leave changed their expectations of each other.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-20 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Parents get 480 days of leave in SwedenIn Sweden, parents are entitled to 480 days of leave per child. AdvertisementLindgren started parental leave two weeks before their daughter was born, after which her husband took 10 days of paid leave, which is standard practice in Sweden. In total, Lindgren took 10 months of parental leave for her first child and said she was paid 80% of her salary during most of this period. Her husband took a combination of parental leave and annual leave to make it happen. When their second child was born in December 2021, Lindgren took another eight months of parental leave.

Persons: —, Nicola Lindgren, Lindgren, breastfeed Organizations: Service, Business Locations: New Zealand, Sweden

☆ I help tired moms take care of their newborns at night on top of my day job. It's hard but rewarding work.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-19 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewThis as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Jessica Hall, a night nanny and occupational therapist in Chicago. I'm now the clinic lead and oversee physical therapy, social work, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. AdvertisementI started working as a night nanny on the sideHall said it was rewarding to help parents who were struggling with balancing their newborns and going back to work. Related storiesI needed to know about pediatrics and child development for my occupational therapy training. I did night nanny shifts two or three times a week, though sometimes I did it five times a week.

Persons: —, Jessica Hall, I've, I'm, I'd, It's Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Chicago, Arizona, Illinois

☆ I work 2 full-time jobs from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. I'm sacrificing sleep, friends, and hobbies so I can retire in my 30s.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-09 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

I started working two jobs while I was finishing my sociology and business major in college in 2021. My marketing job was flexible, so I could do my college work during my lunch breaks or quiet periods. I kept up my 2 jobs after collegeIt felt natural to continue working two jobs after graduating from college in 2022. I kept up my customer service job, working 65 hours over two weeks. If you work two full-time jobs and would like to share your story, email Ella Hopkins at ehopkins@businessinsider.com.

Persons: —, Jane, I'd, I'm, I've, Ella Hopkins Organizations: Service, Business, FIRE Locations: Canada, ehopkins@businessinsider.com

☆ I was rejected from my first promotion at Google. Here's how I took control of my career and landed 3 promotions.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Then I could go back to my manager and say: "Here's the problem, and here's what I did to solve it." I applied for another promotion a year after being turned down for the last oneI applied for another promotion. AdvertisementGetting rejected the first time was a blessing in disguise because I learned so much by getting rejected. I was tasked with being the tech lead of a number of critical projects for the Google Fiber TV ads team. Learning that I had to take control of my own career was vital to all the promotions I've had in my career since.

Persons: —, Irina Stanescu, who'd, I'd, I've Organizations: Service, Google, Business, YouTube, Uber Locations: California, Romania

☆ How to run an efficient meeting, according to tech billionaires who took them very seriously
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

"I like a crisp document and a messy meeting," Bezos said in a conversation with podcaster Lex Fridman in December. Microsoft had just bought the company Williams worked at. Gates "was always curious, always wanted to understand, always drilling for more detail," Williams wrote for BI in 2023. AdvertisementAfter Jobs died in 2011, Segall wrote a book about Apple's work culture, "Insanely Simple." "He stopped cold," Segall wrote.

Persons: —, Mark Cuban, Jeff Bezos, Cooper Neill, Bezos, Lex Fridman, Bill Gates, Sean Gallup, Chris Williams, Gates, Williams, he'd, Steve Jobs, Justin Sullivan, Ken Segall, Jobs, Segall, Lorrie, Eric Schmidt, Antoine Antoniol, Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg, Rosenberg Organizations: Service, Business, Getty, Microsoft, Intel, BI, Getty Former, Google

☆ I left JPMorgan and escaped the 'golden handcuffs.' I have no regrets.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

I started working in a towering office building in London, and I felt completely out of my depth. In 2016, I was about to move into an area I didn't want to work in when JPMorgan headhunted me. I had been stuck in golden handcuffs, but I was lucky that I didn't have some of the financial pressures other people have, like children. But I get much more of a sense of purpose from my work and feel like I am supporting people. If you left a high-paying career and would like to share your story, email Ella Hopkins at ehopkins@businessinsider.com.

Persons: —, Lucy Puttergill, It's, JPMorgan headhunted, I'd, I've, weren't, Gabor Mate, Ella Hopkins Organizations: Service, JPMorgan, Citi, Business, impressiveness, Mexico City Locations: South Africa, London, Italy, South America, Mexico, Cape Town , South Africa, ehopkins@businessinsider.com

☆ I studied to be a surgeon, but I became an electrician instead. I have no regrets.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewThis as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lexis Czumak-Abreu, a 27-year-old electrician in New York state. But now I work as an electrician. I did an apprenticeship with an electrician company in 2015 and kept up electrician jobs on the side when I needed money for my family. I became a full-time electrician instead of continuing in medicineI could no longer work as a personal trainer under the COVID-19 restrictions. I'm happy where I am and excited to move into working with even higher voltage in the future.

Persons: —, Lexis, Abreu, I'm, I've, haven't Organizations: Service, Business Locations: New York

☆ 5 people share the different ways they landed jobs at Big Tech companies
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Ella Hopkins | Shubhangi Goel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewGetting a foot in the door at one of the four Big Tech companies — Meta, Google, Apple, and Amazon — can require years of training, an expensive education, and many interviews. Business Insider spoke to five people who landed jobs at Big Tech companies about how they learned the skills and experience that landed them the role — and how they showcased those skills during the interview. AdvertisementGriffin worked as a software engineer for Rotten Tomatoes, Vox, and Shopify before applying for jobs at Apple four times. Griffin landed a role as a software engineer at Apple and worked at the company for two years. "I took it to get my foot in the door of a Big Tech company and build credibility," he told BI.

Persons: —, Corey Griffin, Apple Corey Griffin, Griffin, Vox, tara Larsen, Tara Larsen, Larsen, Sahil Gaba, Sandeep Rao, Big Tech Sandeep Rao, Rao, Zubin Pratap, Pratap, he'd Organizations: Service, Big Tech, — Meta, Google, Apple, Business, C3G Media, Rotten, Amazon, Gaba, BI, Meta, Oracle, Carnegie Mellon University Locations: Big Tech, Amazon, India

☆ I moved my family to Spain where childcare is 3 times cheaper than the UK. I'm happier and healthier, and I landed a better job.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

I moved with my family to Spain, where I'm from, after living in the UK for two years. I'm much happier and healthier than I was, and I can see us here for the next 10 years. Some parents can pay as little as 300 euros, which is around $320, a month for one child. Childcare was a big factor, but we also wanted to be near my family and have more of a support network. People are warmer and more caring toward children than they were in the UK, though maybe it's just expressed differently.

Persons: —, Sara Bustillo de Castro, I'd, I'm Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Madrid, Spain, Paris, France, Cambridge, London

☆ I'm a millennial who manages Gen Zs. Here are 4 things my youngest employees have taught me.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

She told Business Insider she found managing Gen Z employees different from her fellow millennials. There are many things I love about managing Gen Z. AdvertisementWorking with Gen Z is different from managing millennialsI've been managing Gen Z workers for about three years. When people get stuck on the challenging aspects of working with Gen Z, they miss out on all the positives. Related storiesWhen I gave one of my Gen Z team members feedback, they said: "I appreciated the feedback you gave me.

Persons: Hannah Tooker, Tooker, —, It's, I've, Gen, millennials I've, Gen Z, they'll, they've, it's, We'd, Z, hasn't Organizations: Service, Gen Locations: LaneTerralever, Phoenix

☆ 4 people who relocated and regretted it share the biggest mistake they made and what they learned
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Another said they regretted underestimating the importance of living near their friends and family. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Business Insider spoke with four people who shared their biggest regret and what they learned from it. After two years in Colorado, Michiels and his family moved again — this time to Spain in 2023. The couple loved living in Denver and decided to buy their first house there after a year, but they were priced out of the city.

Persons: —, Amanda Loudin, Loudin, she'd, Wendy Wang, Wang, Eric Michiels, Michiels, he'd, Jackie Branholm, Branholm Organizations: Service, Denver Locations: Maryland, Boulder , Colorado, Boulder, Pennsylvania, Silicon Valley , California, California, Silicon Valley, Atlanta, Denver, Colorado, Spain, New York City, New York

☆ I got my dream job at Apple on my fourth attempt. Here's why I left the 6-figure job after only 2 years.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Corey Griffin landed a job as a software engineer at Apple after showcasing his side hustles. He worked for Apple Music but left to pursue his business this year. I applied for a job at Apple 4 timesI landed a job as a software engineer at Apple in August 2021. I left my Apple job after 2 yearsI worked on software for the Apple music team, including radio and podcasts. I left Apple in December 2023 to pursue my media business full-time, particularly the Speakflow product.

Persons: Corey Griffin, Griffin, —, Vox, I'd Organizations: Apple, Apple Music, Service, Los Angeles . Business, Big Tech, Stanford, Harvard, Rotten Locations: Los Angeles, Culver City , California

☆ Hiring managers are bored of seeing these résumé clichés. Here's how you can avoid them.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-11 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Job applicants can undersell themselves with tired tropes in their résumé. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementYour résumé and cover letter are a hiring manager's first impression of whether your skills and experience match the job you want. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: Jenny Foss, they've, —, manager's Organizations: Service, Business

☆ I started an Etsy candle store last year. The passive income helped me move out of my parents house and travel the world.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewThis as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with 26-year-old Francisco Rivera, an Etsy seller from Orlando. I manage an Etsy store that made $403,499 last year after Etsy's fees and postage costs. Since starting the store, I've moved out of my parent's house and started renting a studio in Orlando. That's when I realized my Etsy store could replace my income from teaching. Quitting my job was scary, but I knew that even if this particular shop failed, I could set up another store on Etsy.

Persons: —, Francisco Rivera, I've, It's, I'm, I'd, Bali . I've Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Orlando, Texas, Bali ., Belgium, France, New York, Caribbean

☆ 6 things you should never do in a job interview — and what to say instead, according to recruiters
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

They shared the biggest red flags they see and what candidates should say instead. "Employers and interviewers are specifically trained not to ask questions around candidates' family or financial situation, so it's best not to bring it up," he said. Revealing that you don't have other job options could give potential employers a reason to lower your salary, he said. They'd often ask candidates problem-solving questions with three or four layers. AdvertisementDe Leo said the best candidates don't always give a classroom answer, but they can show their approach to a problem step-by-step.

Persons: —, Maya Wald, you've, Wald, Matt Opramolla, Carter De Leo, De Leo, Bonnie Dilber, you'd, Chris Williams, Williams, Nolan, they'd Organizations: Service, Business, Google, Employers, Microsoft

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