The hottest Career Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Health & Wellness Topics

Infinite Games

The Generalist • 3342 implied HN points • 26 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Career
  1. Joining Hummingbird as a partner while keeping The Generalist fully owned and continuing to publish, with the partnership expected to sharpen the investing craft.
  2. Hummingbird’s contrarian, founder-focused approach — driven by deep curiosity and attention to founder psychology — helps surface subtler, more interesting questions about startups.
  3. The Generalist will publish less often but focus on fewer, long-form, deeply researched pieces about the most consequential organizations, trading frequency for greater depth and quality.

Networks

Points And Figures • 666 implied HN points • 01 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Career
  1. Networking means giving before getting; help people first and build genuine relationships instead of collecting business cards.
  2. Mapping and studying networks reveals why certain cities and groups hold lasting influence, and turning gut instincts into rigorous analysis helps you avoid bad decisions.
  3. An energized professional network is a practical tool for getting things done and spreading ideas across industries and regions. Leaders who can tap into those networks can implement solutions and save resources.

Momentum

Rob Henderson's Newsletter • 1363 implied HN points • 08 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Career
  1. The year was dominated by constant motion—travel, events, and nonstop conversations that created strong momentum.
  2. A meticulous daily log shows high output—49 trips, 55 podcasts, and 64 essays—highlighting a very productive but busy year.
  3. Despite the momentum, there was a lingering unease, as the activity felt like outrunning an important question that hadn't been faced yet.

Use the power of storytelling in tech to get promoted faster

High Growth Engineer • 735 implied HN points • 18 Jan 26
đź’Ľ Business Career
  1. Storytelling is essential to move into leadership in tech; technical skill alone won’t show your executive presence, but a well-told story shapes how decision-makers feel and helps you get buy-in and promotions.
  2. Use the 4S framework — Substance (focus on the listener’s top priorities), Surplus (cut irrelevant process details), Sequence (start with the answer to create curiosity), and Style (use metaphors, pronouns, tense, and wake words to connect).
  3. Apply storytelling in presentations, interviews, and promotion talks: lead with a clear recommendation (BLUF), trim long setups, create an open loop to hold attention, and use relatable analogies and language to be memorable and likable.
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A Season of Creative Partnerships

Tech and Tea • 164 implied HN points • 18 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Career
  1. Leaving full-time work opened up creative energy that’s now being poured into collaborative projects with friends, and building together feels energizing and leverages complementary strengths.
  2. Practical offerings have been launched—courses like DRI Your Career and EM Survival Guide plus a fractional leadership firm (Noodle Labs)—all designed to be accessible, hands-on support for early-stage teams and managers.
  3. Making space for creativity is still a priority through a journaling course and small local projects like a neighborhood trinket trade box, emphasizing meaningful, joyful work over things that must scale.

Making Space After Burnout

Tech and Tea • 213 implied HN points • 02 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Career
  1. Get clear on why you want a sabbatical—whether for rest, learning, adventure, play, or connection—because that purpose will guide your planning and help you stay the course when challenges come up.
  2. Practical barriers like money, health insurance, housing, and career concerns are common but often solvable with careful planning, creative problem‑solving, and community or professional support.
  3. A sabbatical can be deeply transformative, so design simple daily rituals or loose structure aligned with your why, give yourself permission to slow down or follow joy, and treat the time as an investment in a life you truly want.

Claude AI for Job Interviews 101: Your Complete System From First Application to Signed Offer

The Product Channel By Sid Saladi • 20 implied HN points • 09 Mar 26
đź•ą Technology Career
  1. Interviewing is a distinct skill separate from doing the job, and people usually lose jobs not for lack of ability but for lack of focused preparation and feedback.
  2. You can set up Claude Pro as a persistent, personalized interview coach using Projects, Skills (desktop app), or Claude Code so it remembers your resume, session history, and scoring rubrics automatically.
  3. This Claude-based system gives unlimited mock interviews, scored feedback, question prediction, and offer negotiation help end-to-end, and it’s positioned as a much cheaper alternative to human coaches at about $20/month.

Being a New Grad Here is a Service to Yourself

Creating Value from Nothing • 318 implied HN points • 10 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Career
  1. Do the case and do it well — it’s a near 1:1 preview of the actual job and the best way to know if the daily work truly fits you.
  2. New grads at this type of startup get real responsibility fast, handling customer calls, data, reports, and even leading vendor decisions or automation projects within months.
  3. What excites you matters — if you show genuine interest, management will make room for you to run experiments and own projects, which speeds up learning and impact.

Who does what and how to support them

Leading Developers • 125 implied HN points • 20 Jan 26
đź•ą Technology Career
  1. Match resources to missions by balancing immediate company efficiency, engineers' growth and challenge, and the team's long-term durability and flexibility.
  2. Build a simple knowledge map of tech, systems and soft skills to spot single points of failure and to surface clear development opportunities.
  3. Support people based on task-relevant maturity — how experienced they are with the specific task — not just job title, and reduce inertia by lowering activation energy with small, deliberate steps when rotating ownership.

Why So Many Elites Feel Like Losers

Persuasion • 3007 implied HN points • 06 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Career
  1. Elite overproduction can lead to social unrest among the financially secure who feel entitled to success.
  2. The democratization of creative tools has not made it easier for aspiring artists to make a living.
  3. The lack of a clear, achievable vision of success can lead to destabilization and dissatisfaction in society.

Chia tay Google

Thái | Hacker | Kỹ sư tin tặc • 4233 implied HN points • 01 Apr 23
đź’Ľ Business Career
  1. The author has decided to leave Google after nearly 12 years, feeling sad about this personal decision.
  2. The author jokingly chose April Fools' Day to announce this decision but ultimately feels the weight of the farewell.
  3. Working at Google was a dream come true for the author, and they express deep gratitude towards their colleagues and friends.

Hitting Reset Part 2

CRAFT TALK • 2358 implied HN points • 17 Feb 23
đź“š Literature Career
  1. Rejection is a common part of a writer's career, but it's important to bounce back and find the right fit.
  2. Finding the right publisher/editor is crucial for an author's success and growth.
  3. Building a supportive community and staying focused on writing are key to navigating the ups and downs of the publishing world.

Are You In The Portal?

Culture Study • 10926 implied HN points • 22 Oct 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Career
  1. The portal represents a period of transition and transformation in midlife.
  2. Many individuals experience a shift in priorities, questioning societal expectations, and seeking more purpose.
  3. It is a time for reevaluation, confronting challenges, finding creativity, and embracing change.

Leave the "Casino": You don't need to play silly games as an indie entrepreneur | Q&A with Jessica Lackey | #320

Boundless by Paul Millerd • 98 implied HN points • 12 Jan 26
đź’Ľ Business Career
  1. Don’t gamble on quick fixes, viral hacks, or pricey masterminds — those are the “casino” tactics where the house usually wins. Focus on real business models and the trade-offs that make them sustainable.
  2. Building a profitable solo business takes time and clear choices, often years of work; prioritize frameworks, consistent long-form content, and relationship-driven sales instead of chasing follower counts.
  3. Operational thinking and repeatable rhythms matter: use frameworks and processes to run your business, and treat products (like books) as leverage that still require years of work and ongoing maintenance alongside active client work.

The Impact of One Great Leader

Fish Food for Thought • 26 implied HN points • 18 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Career
  1. A single clear sentence from a credible leader can reframe how someone sees themselves and send their career down a very different path.
  2. Powerful mentorship is often short and works by naming undervalued strengths, offering a new identity, and granting permission to act rather than giving long advice.
  3. Leaders should point out others’ potential because that recognition lowers barriers and compounds into bigger opportunities. People earlier in their careers should pay attention and act when a credible person reflects a new possibility for them.

The One Who Got Away

Agents and Books • 1709 implied HN points • 31 Oct 23
đź’Ľ Business Career
  1. Agents can get rejected too, even after offering representation.
  2. Rejection in the publishing industry is common, but it's important to stay positive and professional.
  3. Not landing every opportunity is okay, there are always more chances ahead.

15 Random Things That Will Probably Help Your Publishing Career Much More Than an MFA Ever Could (or Writers’ Conferences, or AWP)

How to Glow in the Dark • 839 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
đź“š Literature Career
  1. Success in book publishing is unique and can't be replicated by following the traditional path
  2. MFAs and writers' conferences have value, but they don't guarantee commercial success as an author
  3. Factors like platform, artistic skill, and personal artistic style are crucial for achieving a big book deal

New dreams?

Random Minds by Katherine Brodsky • 46 implied HN points • 29 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Career
  1. There’s a strong sense of questioning and standing at a confusing crossroads, with many zig-zagging paths and no clear next step.
  2. Career dreams shifted a lot over time—from childhood ideas like dentistry, to writing or law, to chasing big entrepreneurial goals—showing ongoing exploration.
  3. Big ambitions and others’ expectations shaped choices but often faded or didn’t pan out, prompting reflection and a need to rethink what to pursue next.

On Wise Agency, Part 3 | #317

Boundless by Paul Millerd • 112 implied HN points • 09 Dec 25
đź’Ľ Business Career
  1. Figure out what to work on by running lots of small experiments: ship quickly, design an easy off-ramp to quit, and learn what each experiment tells you.
  2. Don't just copy a niche — find a mode you can sustain for years that fits how you like to work. That lets you evolve your own style and choose projects you actually enjoy.
  3. Be deliberate about how much and when you work by mixing small bets, sprints, and long-game projects, and accept the trade-offs between autonomy, methods, and income by rotating priorities across gigs and seasons.

David Beckham the footballer, was better than you probably think.

Grace on Football • 1002 implied HN points • 20 Oct 23
🎾 Sports Career
  1. David Beckham's football skills were underrated and he performed consistently well on the field.
  2. Beckham excelled in an era where football tactics were changing, demonstrating his versatility as a player.
  3. Despite Beckham's celebrity status, his on-pitch contributions were significant and he should be recognized as one of England's best footballers.

Managed decline

Logging the World • 418 implied HN points • 25 Feb 24
đź“– Philosophy Career
  1. Spurious precision in quantifying data can lead to misleading conclusions. It's important to question the validity and relevance of highly specific measurements.
  2. Success in fields like sports, work, or academia is influenced by luck and chance. It's crucial to acknowledge these factors in evaluating performance and outcomes.
  3. Random events play a significant role in everyone's career. It's essential to maintain perspective during both highs and lows, understanding the impact of chance in long-term success.

So, here we are ...

Tim Culpan’s Position • 19 implied HN points • 30 Aug 24
đź•ą Technology Career
  1. The author recently left a long career at Bloomberg and started a Substack to stay connected with followers. They weren't expecting such a positive response with many signing up and offering financial support.
  2. The author values their audience and will focus on Asia's technology scene moving forward. They want to keep their readers engaged with honest and critical insights.
  3. The author is interested in feedback and has created a poll to understand what their audience wants. However, they hint they'll ultimately follow their own path regardless of the results.

Why I can no longer pursue a career in academia

David’s Substack • 19 implied HN points • 20 Sep 24
🚌 Education Career
  1. You don't need to fully understand the brain anymore to create advanced AI. Recent advancements in machine learning have made it possible to develop useful AI without deep knowledge of neuroscience.
  2. Just knowing things isn't enough; building and creating is important too. The academic world focuses too much on understanding without encouraging actual creation, which feels unfulfilling for some people.
  3. Academic culture often discourages ambition, leading to a focus on small, safe projects rather than bold, innovative research. This can make talented individuals feel stuck and unmotivated.

Breaking Into Crypto: Investment Analyst

DeFi Education • 599 implied HN points • 12 Dec 23
đź”® Crypto Career
  1. Being a crypto analyst means staying updated on a lot of different tokens and doing a lot of research. It involves daily tasks like checking news, writing reports, and talking to project teams.
  2. The hiring process in crypto can be less structured than in traditional finance. Networking and showing your active interest in the industry can really help land a job.
  3. It's important to have a strong curiosity about crypto and a belief in its future. This helps you stay motivated during tough times, like bear markets, and succeed in your role.

Peak Hustle on the Picket Line

The Ankler • 805 implied HN points • 01 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Career
  1. Networking on the picket line can lead to valuable connections with showrunners and industry professionals.
  2. Don't be intimidated by successful writers - they're just people too, so approach them and start a conversation.
  3. Being around other people, whether for networking or socializing, is beneficial for your career and mental well-being.

I keep overrating intelligence

Sex and the State • 19 implied HN points • 30 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Career
  1. People working in service jobs often show more intelligence and skill than people assume.
  2. Switching from a corporate career into the service industry can reveal and correct false assumptions about who is smart or capable.
  3. Feeling surprised or embarrassed by those assumptions is a useful prompt to notice and adjust your own biases about coworkers.

Shiny Happy People Recipe...

illyanna Maisonet's Newsletter • 687 implied HN points • 26 Sep 23
🎭️ Culture Career
  1. The author offers a discount for annual subscriptions to their newsletter until the end of the year.
  2. There is a discussion about engaging and retaining followers, with feedback on the tone of the newsletter being shared.
  3. The complexity of balancing authenticity with audience perception, especially in terms of expressions of anger or jadedness, is highlighted.

AI Certifications to Pursue in 2024

Rod’s Blog • 436 implied HN points • 29 Dec 23
🚌 Education Career
  1. AI certifications can boost career prospects and earning potential in a fast-growing field like Artificial Intelligence.
  2. When choosing an AI certification, consider whether you want a formal certification from a professional body or an educational institution, the specific topics and domains that interest you, and the features and benefits of the program.
  3. Some recommended AI certification programs for 2024 include Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate, Certified Artificial Intelligence Scientist by ARTIBA, and Jetson AI Courses and Certifications by NVIDIA.

Life update: Middling

Sex and the State • 32 implied HN points • 06 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Career
  1. The move out of a high‑pressure city was meant to provide rest and more family time, and it also led to reconnecting with a life partner.
  2. Unpredictable events—like a layoff, shrinking VC funding, and political changes—plus practical constraints such as pets and a partner’s preferences made returning to the previous job market and city much harder than expected.
  3. Socially, the hometown has been isolating: making friends has been difficult, there’s been a lot of rejection, and that lack of connection is taking an emotional toll.

Valuable, but not productive

Passing Time • 970 implied HN points • 02 Dec 24
đź’Ľ Business Career
  1. Many elite graduates end up in consulting and finance jobs, even if they don't know much about these fields. They often choose these paths due to pressure and anxiety about what to do after college.
  2. While jobs in consulting and finance are lucrative, they often don't contribute much to society. The work can feel unproductive and doesn't create a lasting impact or legacy.
  3. These high-stress jobs can lead to burnout and affect personal lives. People may sacrifice their health and relationships for prestige and money, but there are other fulfilling paths to explore.

How to Work With Anyone

Perspectives • 5 implied HN points • 20 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Career
  1. As your career advances you often can't choose who you work with, so learning to cooperate with a wide range of people becomes essential for success.
  2. Start by understanding what others value and how they are measured, and look for even small commonalities to build trust and align incentives.
  3. Make people look good by sharing genuine, specific praise and credit, and take a team posture by framing challenges as shared problems so others join you rather than defend.