The viral job paying $120K 💥

Hey there! Last week, we asked you: If your company paid you to hang out with coworkers outside of the office (like Ethena does), would you do it? 🧐 While 54% of you voted ‘Yes,’ a handful felt very differently:  

• “I work from home full-time and find it mentally draining having conversations with my co-workers virtually…I’d rather spend time with my family to re-energize.” 

• “I like setting boundaries with my co-workers. I’ve been burned before and would be hesitant that someone would burn me at work.” 

One thing is for sure: Getting paid to socialize with fellow employees IRL beats a Zoom happy hour any day. 

 1   UPS drivers are the latest internet sensation 📦

This past year, UPS drivers have gone viral for everything from their Herculean workout routines to package-hiding skills—and now, their salaries. Skyler Stutzman, an Oregon-based UPS driver, is one such web celeb: He went viral after posting a TikTok revealing his pay stub. 

• By the Numbers: After one week of work (42 hours), Stutzman made $2,004. After taxes and deductions, his total compensation was $1,300, averaging out to $44.26 per hour. 

“I’m doing the wrong job,” read one of the hundreds of comments under Stutzman’s video. Stutzman’s case isn’t unique; another UPS driver we interviewed in NYC shared he was making $120,000 a year—and his interview attracted over half a million views on TikTok. 

Although interest in UPS jobs has surged (Indeed reported a 50% increase in ‘UPS’ searches), hitting that coveted six-figure salary doesn’t happen overnight. Stutzman spent six years in the UPS warehouse before becoming a driver, and it can take up to four years for a driver’s wage to reach top rate. 

Yet these impressive salaries are a testament to the power of—you guessed it—unions. In July, the Teamsters union, which represents over 340,000 UPS employees, protested for better pay, benefits, and working conditions. 

• Zooming In: 🔍 Teamsters negotiated pay raises of $2.75 an hour and a $7.50 hourly increase by the end of a five-year contract. Part-time workers get a bump of $16.20 to $21 hourly—and full-time UPS drivers have the potential to earn $170,000 a year.  

“This is the most lucrative contract in labor history,” said Teamsters general president Sean O’Brien. Although it’s tough to tell the real impact of a strike from just the news, it’s people like Stutzman who show us just how profoundly an individual’s life can change from collective action.

 2   College-educated moms are dominating the workforce 💪

She-cession who? In 2020, America experienced its first female recession as women left jobs to care for children during the coronavirus pandemic. Economists feared it’d destroy women’s finances and prospects for the long-run—but it turns out this hasn’t been the case (phew). 

• By the Numbers: 75.3% of women between the ages of 25 and 54 are employed, per the Penn Wharton Budget Model. This is the highest rate of female employment in US history. 

How did we recov-her? Wharton’s study cites two driving factors: 

1. More women are going to college. The number of college-educated women rose 30% to 45% over the past 20 years. And with a college degree comes better job opportunities—and subsequent higher employment rates for women. 

2. More college-educated moms are working. The option to WFH has given working mothers the flexibility they need to juggle both their professional and caregiving responsibilities. 

However…employment rates for moms without a college degree haven’t budged, hovering at 65% compared to 60% two decades ago. The culprit? Jobs that don’t require a college degree (retail, hospitality, etc) often offer less flexibility and fewer benefits, such as maternity or sick leave.  

But there is a workaround: Trade jobs could be a great alternative to those who want high-paying, flexible jobs without the years of education and debt. These jobs are not only secure and in-demand, but they often pay you to learn (we ❤️ apprenticeships). To learn more about these careers and their salaries, go right here!

 3   Working in your sleep? This nightmare could become reality… 💭

VC-backed startup Prophetic is creating a headpiece to let people control their lucid dreams. It sounds awesome and futuristic…until you realize the goal is for people to use that newfound time “productively.” 

• Wait, what? The technology releases sound waves into the region of the brain responsible for lucid dreams, making it technically possible to dream of anything…like perfecting your Q4 pitch, debugging pesky code, or designing wireframes. 

Prophetic plans on releasing its device in spring 2025, and it’ll retail around $1,500 to $2,000. While we’re staunch opponents of sleep being used for anything other than rest, we’ve got to say: Seeing the “rise and grind” mantra replaced with “doze and dominate” could be entertaining.

Sponsored by Indeed

These Are The Most Secure Jobs On The Market

It’s no secret: The current job market is intense. Amidst inflation, mass layoffs, and the rise of AI, it seems as though everyone is wondering: “Is my job safe?”

But there are industries that are future-proof: They have a high growth rate, a low unemployment rate, and major potential for career advancement.

Fortunately, our friends at Indeed did the heavy lifting for us by curating a list of 20 jobs with the most job security in 2024. Best part? They all have an average yearly salary of at least $55,000.

• What do ADP, Toast, and Uber have in common? According to a new survey, they all have great company culture.

• Despite a median salary of $144,000, 66% of senior product managers want to quit. 

• This professional Mexican soccer player earns $10,000 a month. ⚽️

• Did you get a bonus this year? Here’s why you should negotiate for a raise instead.

Thank you for being here! Keep your eyes peeled for a particularly 🎄 festive 🎄 newsletter next week. As a gift, we’re hand-picking tons of resources, guides, and videos that’ll help you advance your career. Your inbox won’t know what hit it.

We’ll see you next week!