Fighting Nazis for a Living
How growing up in the South during the 1960s and 1970s influenced Richard Cohen’s trajectory as a lawyer
Human Capital
How technology and globalization are changing what it means to work
Amazon's Autodidact Streak
In her job as the director of learning sciences, Candace Thille has found a way to make a job out of the thing she is most passionate about.
Building a Chinese-Food Empire
After a series of jobs in the food industry, Andrew Cherng teamed up with his dad to create the well-known chain.
The First Black Woman to Lead the Heritage Foundation
How Kay Coles James parlayed her experience at Hampton University and in the George W. Bush administration into a job at a conservative think tank
Lessons From a Failing Company
Leigh Radford is now a vice president at Procter & Gamble, but she started her career at companies in turmoil.
Start-Ups Aren't Cool Anymore
A lack of personal savings, competition from abroad, and the threat of another economic downturn make it harder for Millennials to thrive as entrepreneurs.
The Quality More Important Than Confidence
The host of public radio’s 1A on how support from his West Palm Beach community cannonballed him into media
When Losing Your Job Is a Blessing
How Tim Chen, the founder of NerdWallet, worked up the nerve to start a company after getting laid off during a recession
Why Young Pakistanis Are Learning Chinese
By investing billions of dollars in Pakistan and dozens of other countries, China is gaining cultural cachet worldwide.
The Backlash Against Screen Time at School
Combining education and technology is great—until it's not.
LeVar Burton on Pursuing the Priesthood Before Acting
Before Roots, Star Trek, and Reading Rainbow, the actor had chosen to devote his life to the Catholic Church.
The Blackfeet Brain Drain
Some Native kids who leave to pursue education find themselves stuck between a longing to help their community and the lack of viable employment back home.
Kehinde Wiley on Self-Doubt and How He Made It as a Painter
The artist behind Barack Obama’s presidential portrait talks about developing his skills at a junk store.
The Haunting Possibility of Alternative Lives
The author Elizabeth Kolbert on why she went into journalism and the myriad futures she imagined for herself
Insecure’s Natasha Rothwell on Finding Her Path to Hollywood
The actress talks about first jobs, switching schools, and finally telling her parents about her dream of acting
When Being the Boss’s Son Isn’t Enough
Ken Ma, a 32-year-old M.B.A., on expanding his parents’ optical-shop empire.
How a Struggling Business United a Family
Kevin Huang, a 22-year-old college student, on getting reacquainted with his family’s bakery
Finding a Place in the Family Business
Cynthia Koo, a 30-year-old designer, on managing the online presence of her parents’ restaurant
Her Parents Wanted Her to Land a Cushy Job. She Wanted to Build Their Legacy
Olympia Moy, a 35-year-old activist, on trying to turn her parents’ music school into more of a community gathering place
The Burden of Being the Oldest Son of Immigrants
Jason Luo, a 24-year-old entrepreneur, on a son’s responsibility and embracing his family’s laundromat business
Using Technology to Preserve the Culture of a Chinatown Shop
Alice Liu, a 24-year-old community advocate, on how she’s helped modernize her parents’ small shop
Taking Over the Family Business in Chinatown
As the neighborhood continues to gentrify, the children of immigrant shop owners must decide how, and if, they will keep stores running.
The Employer-Surveillance State
The more bosses try to keep track of their workers, the more precious time employees waste trying to evade them.
The Cow-Milking Robots Keeping Small Farms in Business
Around the country, dairy farms are struggling to stay open, embracing technology may be one way to make them more efficient.
Brands Like Nike and PepsiCo Are the New Art Patrons
Major companies are now fulfilling the role that wealthy individuals once did. And it’s causing some tension in the art community.
Computer Science for Everyone
A new middle school in Washington, D.C., wants to help bridge the racial and economic gaps in tech.
Employers Are Looking for ‘Influencers’ Within Their Own Ranks
Some businesses, concerned about unreliable social-media personalities, are turning to their own employees and customers to serve as brand ambassadors.
It’s Getting Harder for International STEM Students to Find Work After Graduation
Schools are competing to bring international STEM students to the U.S., but shifting policies mean that many students are prevented from taking open jobs that could allow them to stay in the country.
Westworld Star Jeffrey Wright on the Lessons He Learned From Sports and Summer Jobs
The performer did everything from cleaning pool locker rooms to children’s theater before landing major acting gigs.
Driving for Uber When You Can’t Afford a Car
In South Africa, extreme inequality means that drivers have a much more difficult time turning a profit with the ride-share service.
The Swiss Secret to Jump-Starting Your Career
A first-of-its-kind youth-apprenticeship program in Colorado aims to prepare students for the industries of the future by mirroring a successful model in Europe.
A New Kind of Labor Movement in Silicon Valley
Employees at Google and elsewhere are protesting their bosses’ business decisions. Will that evolve into a more sustained labor movement?
The ‘Whitening’ of Asian Americans
Recent lawsuits suggesting reverse discrimination have aligned the interest of white Americans and Asian Americans, raising complex questions about identity and privilege.
The Viral Success of a Strike No One Can See
Inmates around the country have managed to engage the public in their ongoing prison protest through a targeted media strategy.
Tiffany’s Sparkly Surge Reflects a Divided Moment in America
The jewelry company credits a hip-hop–inflected ad campaign for its success. It should credit the wealth gap as well.
The Speedy Rise and Fall of Robot Babysitters
Automation has given rise to new jobs in robot minding—but the flurry of opportunities may be short lived.
There’s a Shortage of Welders. Will More Women Fill the Gap?
Past efforts to attract women to welding have had underwhelming results. New programs aim to change that.
A Woman’s Paycheck Is Influenced by Her Hometown—Even If She Doesn’t Live There Anymore
In a new study, economists find women from places where sexist attitudes prevail end up earning less later in life.
Teaching Kids to Code During the Summer—for $1,000 a Week
Are private summer camps exacerbating tech's diversity problem?