Slate Careers

Getting past "and what is it you do?" to "how do you do it?" and "why?" These episodes, drawn from across the Slate network, dive into how to live while making a living.

Business
26
Working: A Newspaper Comic That Shows a Changin...
Candorville creator Darrin Bell talks about getting the strip into print in the early 2000’s and the ways his characters keep evolving.
45 min
27
Well, Now: How Nick Cannon Got Celebrities to O...
From Howie Mandel to Lamar Odom, high-profile men open up about their struggles with anxiety, depression, grief, and addiction on the new Prime show Counsel Culture.
51 min
28
Working: An Author’s Mission to Make Her Reader...
Writer Sally Franson talks about her hilarious new novel Big in Sweden, which was inspired by her real-life experience as a reality TV contestant.
48 min
29
How To!: Take a Sabbatical
DJ DiDonna on taking a break from work and making it count.
36 min
30
Working: How to Photograph a Hardcore Punk Show
Music photographer Jim Saah talks about the iconic images he created of the D.C. punk scene in the 80’s and 90’s.
44 min
31
Well, Now: Michelle Obama Gets Health Advice fr...
In her latest book, veteran OB/GYN Sharon Malone gives us ‘grown woman’ advice on how to advocate for our care at every phase of life.
51 min
32
Death, Sex & Money: Baby Reindeer’s Intimacy Co...
The intimacy coordinator for Baby Reindeer and Poor Things talks about what her job entails, from choreographing the perfect orgasm to navigating tricky workplace dynamics.
39 min
33
Working: How One of the Best Podcast Sound Desi...
Musician, editor, and sound designer John DeLore explains how he brings podcast audio to the next level.
45 min
34
Well, Now: Psychedelics' Long Strange Trip to t...
Some psychiatrists and patients are begging the FDA to approve psychedelics for certain mental health treatments. What’s the hold-up?
38 min
35
Death, Sex & Money: Kara Swisher and Orna Gural...
Anna interviews a psychoanalyst and a tech journalist, both known for asking tough questions, about how to get people to open up.
71 min
36
Working: A New Kind of “Live Documentary” Honor...
Filmmaker Sam Green explains why he decided to start presenting his work in a more performative and ephemeral way.
52 min
37
Death, Sex & Money: Mark Duplass on Making Mone...
In this episode, filmmaker Mark Duplass talks about managing depression, what it’s like to have a creative partnership with his brother, and how they talk about making and spending money.
50 min
38
Working: How a Colonial Williamsburg Actor Huma...
Actor and historical interpreter Stephen Seals shares his process for performing and educating simultaneously.
45 min
39
Well, Now: Doctors Agree: Obesity is a Disease....
We don’t blame a knee replacement on “lack of willpower.” Why does that change when we talk about weight?
48 min
40
What Next TBD: Fee’d Up: A Musician’s Take on T...
Look what you made Merrick Garland do
19 min
41
What Next: The Hollywood Strikes Are Over. No O...
Film and TV crewmembers were burning through their savings during the last Hot Strike Summer. Their own union contracts are running out this July.
19 min
42
Working: Money Advice for Freelancers
Personal finance whiz AJ Ayers offers actionable tips for creative people whose income streams can be a little inconsistent.
35 min
43
Well, Now: The Isolation of a Life-Threatening ...
How author Suleika Jaouad grapples with identity after a leukemia diagnosis, remission, and re-emergence.
40 min
44
Working: A Broadway Hit That Defies Genre
Choreographer Justin Peck talks about his new show Illinoise, which is based on a beloved Sufjan Stevens album.
47 min
45
Well, Now: How Doulas Make Childbirth Safer For...
For centuries, doulas have guided us through major life transitions, from childbirth to death and everything in between (even first menstruation!).
43 min
46
How To!: Take a Gap Year
Abby Falik on the benefits of taking a break from traditional education.
41 min
47
Working: A Classic Opera Gets an Overdue Update
Francesca Zambello, artistic director of the Washington National Opera, talks about a bold new staging of Puccini’s unfinished final opera, Turandot.
44 min
48
ICYMI: The Aftermath of a Layoff
Yowei Shaw’s new podcast Proxy investigates the psychological and emotional residue of a layoff — starting with her own
41 min
49
Well, Now | “As Little Regulation as Guns”: How...
Minors are facing a mental health crisis, and data supports social media as a culprit. One city health commissioner is helping fight back in the courts.
37 min
50
Working: A Much-Needed History of Queer Women’s...
Writer June Thomas talks about bringing journalistic rigor to a subject that’s close to her heart.
42 min