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
51
Working: How a Stand Up Comedian’s Sense of Hum...
Comic and Daily Show writer Dina Hashem explains why it’s getting harder and harder to make herself laugh.
46 min
52
Well, Now: How to Avoid Heat-Related Illness
Tips to stay cool and hydrated — and how to care for those who aren’t — from a surgeon general in one of the country’s hottest states.
42 min
53
Death, Sex & Money: Olympic Legend Greg Lougani...
The four-time gold medal winning diver explains what it was like to compete at the highest level while undergoing treatment for HIV.
38 min
54
Working: Writing the Two-Author Novel
45 min
55
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
56
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
57
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
58
How To!: Take a Sabbatical
DJ DiDonna on taking a break from work and making it count.
36 min
59
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
60
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
61
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
62
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
63
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
64
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
65
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
66
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
67
Working: How a Colonial Williamsburg Actor Huma...
Actor and historical interpreter Stephen Seals shares his process for performing and educating simultaneously.
45 min
68
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
69
What Next TBD: Fee’d Up: A Musician’s Take on T...
Look what you made Merrick Garland do
19 min
70
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
71
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
72
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
73
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
74
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
75
How To!: Take a Gap Year
Abby Falik on the benefits of taking a break from traditional education.
41 min