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Careers

When Michael Ferry last looked for a job, the iPhone had yet to be released, and "uber" was just a German word. The tech worker, who was recently laid off, is wading into a job market that's far different from what it was in 2005, when he landed a role at a software company by applying on Monster.com. Ferry, who's in his mid-40s and lives near Philadelphia, said he had opportunities to leave over the years, but stayed because he loved what he did.

The country's defense ministry said the drone flew in Romanian airspace for about 50 minutes and that the F-16 pilots, who were on patrol and then deployed to meet the threat, had been authorized to shoot it down. But the drone headed back to Ukraine, leaving near the town of Pardina in northern Dobruja close to the Black Sea, per the ministry.

That dream might be creeping out of reach for younger people trying to break into the industry, which looks to be on the cusp of a big shift as firms trim their ranks, double down on AI, and tighten performance standards across the career ladder, industry analysts told Business Insider. No one is exactly sure how it will play out, as much of the future will depend on where the economy goes and how quickly AI is adopted.

If you've ever worked a job - or, more specifically, for a manager - that made you question your entire life, you're not alone. Recently, u/gargoyle_dream asked, "What's the most hilariously awful thing an employer has ever said to you?" The responses were equal parts unhinged, infuriating, and, honestly, horrible to the point of hilarity. So, here are some of the most jaw-dropping things people have actually heard from their bosses:

For years, Elon Musk has consistently argued that one of the greatest threats to civilization is collapsing birth rates. The billionaire CEO believes that declining fertility could hollow out economies, weaken workforces, and leave the West unable to sustain itself. In an X post last week, he wrote: "Low birth rate is the number one threat to the West. There will be no West if this continues."

Selena Gomez lives by the rule: "If you're on time, you're already late"-and it's a mindset that could help Gen Z thrive at work. As many young workers struggle with punctuality and deadlines, Gomez's habits reflect professionalism, preparation, and respect. Studies show tardiness can cost workers their reputation-or even their job. With Gen Z missing deadlines at nearly four times the rate of boomers, her advice is a timely reminder that showing up early still matters.

AI is making it harder to find a job. AI-driven Application Tracking Systems (ATS) can dump your resume before a recruiter has ever seen it, even if you have all of your qualifications clearly spelled out. TopResume takes the guesswork out of the process by giving you a fresh, professionally-written resume, as well as a free resume review that focuses on these tracking systems-essential in a time where AI is making the decisions on who moves forward in the interview process.

A serious face is often deemed professional-even the dictionary associates unsmiling with being businesslike. It's why hopeful new hires may tap into their inner Victoria Beckham or Kanye West-who famously scowl or pout-when they want to look like they mean business. But actually having a poker or somber face in a job interview may be a less successful strategy to landing a role than flashing potential bosses a big, cheesy grin. That's because, according to new research, a smile exudes confidence and consequently, makes you more hirable.

For all of them, in the last 15-to-20 minutes, I give them an opportunity to ask questions-and if they don't have any, I think that's a pretty significant mark against them being curious about what they're interviewing, the company, the way we might work together, chemistry, culture, all of those things. That's a pretty big red flag.

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are now the gatekeepers. They screen, score and sort resumes before a human ever reviews them, and most never make it through. With cold applications showing a success rate as low as 0.1% to 2%, and requiring roughly 32-200 applications for a single offer, the odds aren't in your favor unless you tailor your approach. Here's how to stop ghosting your own job search and start working with the algorithm instead of against it.

A good resume should tell your story: what you've built, solved, and led. Notion resume templates can help you capture that story in a clean, modern format that feels less rigid than traditional Word docs. But when the job hunt gets serious, you need a system to track roles, applications, and outcomes. That's where ClickUp comes in, giving your career journey structure and momentum.

As the tech war moves forward amid fighting in Ukraine, Russia's Black Sea Fleet is testing new jamming-resistant naval drones guided by fiber-optic cables. State media outlet TASS reported that the fleet received uncrewed vessels for trials, with combat testing scheduled for September. Both Russia and Ukraine have been experimenting with naval drones and drones with fiber-optic controls, which are immune to electronic warfare tactics. The two sides are racing to expand their fleets of uncrewed systems and blunt each other's innovations.

PB&J Parties Let's face it, most office routines aren't exactly thrilling. You answer emails, survive meetings that could have been a Slack message, and silently curse your co-worker for not saving the spreadsheet you need on the shared drive. But some offices have embraced the weird and wonderful, establishing traditions that range from hilarious to outright bizarre. Here are 15 of the greatest work traditions I've heard about from readers.

Editor's note: This story features several interviewees who requested to be identified only by their first name or call sign for their safety. Every few weeks, Ukrainian bridal shop owner Ilia scrapes together a donation usually no more than $7. "If I had any doubts about how my money was being used, I wouldn't give it," said the grizzled 33-year-old, who is exempt from military service because he is blind in one eye.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday that his country's interceptor drones struck 150 Russian long-range attack and decoy drones in a single night. In his regular public address, Zelenskyy said Russia had launched a total of 810 drones in one wave, including over 400 Shahed loitering munitions. His tally indicates that nearly a fifth of the drone wave was downed that evening by interceptor drones - an emerging low-cost air defense that Ukraine is rushing to produce at scale.

The importance of a strong profile picture can't be overstated. Studies show the human brain forms judgments about competence and trustworthiness in milliseconds. It's critically important for you to have a profile picture on LinkedIn, and more specifically, it should be a professional and effective one. Grab a recent, high-quality headshot where your head fills 60% of the frame. Dress for one level above how you normally dress in the office.

As AI continues to disrupt the job market, OpenAI is launching an AI-powered jobs platform to help job seekers match with employers seeking AI-skilled talent. The "OpenAI Jobs Platform" will use AI to connect qualified candidates with companies. The ChatGPT-creators will also offer free AI certifications through its expanded OpenAI Academy, partnering with corporate giants like Walmart and John Deere, to certify 10 million Americans by 2030 to help workers adapt and pivot.

Far from devaluing creativity, the AI boom is making it one of the most expensive skills in tech. A job listing for a content strategist at OpenAI, posted earlier this week, comes with a pay package that rivals senior engineering roles: $310,000 to $393,000 in base salary plus equity. Glassdoor data shows the average US content strategist earns about $92,000.

Gayle Dempsey is depot manager at Howdens in Ballyfermot

NATO ally Norway is buying advanced warships from the UK in its biggest defense deal ever. NATO officials say the move will sharply strengthen its ability to hunt enemy submarines in the North Atlantic. The £10 billion ($13.5 billion) agreement for Type 26 frigates will tie Norway's navy more closely to Britain's, creating a combined fleet of 13 vessels designed for anti-submarine warfare.

First, congrats on your promotion! But what a bummer that someone in your office is trying to take the wind out of your sails (and people for some reason seem to believe her). I would confront Sandy directly and tell her that you know she's been spreading rumors about you and it not only needs to stop, but she needs to tell everyone that she made it up.

He advised candidates to use their résumés to highlight the impact and results of past work. As a former interviewer, Anderson said he would often scan résumés looking for an "icebreaker" to spark conversation at the start of an interview. For that reason, applicants should view their résumés as a way to "control all of the different variables" an interviewer might draw on. In terms of length, he recommended keeping it to one page per decade of experience.