Hollywood fights back

Hey there! Over the weekend, the STS group chat went bonkers after someone floated a fantastic question: What are the worst interview questions? Here’s what we came up with…

🥉 3rd Place: “What are your biggest weaknesses?”

🥈 2nd Place: “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?”

🥇 1st Place: “If you were a kind of fruit, what kind would you be?” (yes, that’s a real question someone on our team was asked!)

 1   Hollywood actors join the writers' strike 🪧

Hollywood executives are in trouble. SAG-AFRTA, the union that represents 160,000 actors, approved a strike after negotiations with major studios fell through last Wednesday. They’ll be joining the film and television writers who’ve been striking since May.

Here’s what they’re striking for…

1. Fair residuals. SAG-AFRTA negotiations are demanding residuals (AKA payments from repeat showings) partly based on viewership levels. But players such as Amazon, Disney, and Netflix aren’t willing to disclose their streaming numbers.

2. AI regulation. Who owns an actor’s likeness if it’s reproduced by AI? SAG-AFTRA believes it should be the actors (and after watching Black Mirror, we’re 100% on their side).

Actors and writers haven’t picketed together since 1960. Want to know why that’s a huge deal? Our interview with a writer on strike will explain the exploitation these creatives are going through—and show you how you can help.

 2   BRB, applying for a ‘lazy girl job’ 💅

Have you heard of the lazy girl job? In a new TikTok trend, self-professed lazy girls are posting videos about the upsides of their quiet office jobs with cushy salaries, light to-do lists, and lots of breaks. The #lazygirljob hashtag has amassed 40+ million views on TikTok.

But is the lazy girl job worth the hype? One ex-lazy girl quit her job, saying “I’m not challenged at all...I feel like my brain is rotting because I have so little to do.”

 3   The first law regulating AI bias in hiring is here 🤝

65% of recruiters use AI during recruitment, from scanning résumés to scoring interviews. That’s a problem considering AI’s history of automating racial and gender biases during the hiring process.

Introducing: NYC’s Automated Decision Tool Law 🤖

As of July 5, employers in NYC will have to tell candidates if they’re using AI in hiring. They’ll also need to conduct yearly independent audits to prove their systems aren’t racist or sexist. While critics say it’s not enough, the law is the first of its kind to regulate AI hiring bias.

Sponsored by Indeed 

A huge thanks to our sponsor! Indeed is the #1 job site in the world and allows job seekers to search millions of jobs on the web or mobile in over 60 countries and 28 languages. More than 250 million people each month search for jobs, post résumés, and research companies on Indeed. To find jobs (with salary information) near you, visit indeed.com.

How much are influencers and creators earning? 🤳

Rates vary a ton. In 2021, the pay gap between white influencers and those who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color was 29%. And don’t forget audience size—a nano-influencer might earn $27,000 a year. But for the macro-influencer? You’re looking at a salary closer to $100,000. 👀

We headed to VidCon to find out how these creators make money, set their market rates, and price themselves (the interview at 2:40 is wild 🤯).

• Should you save money even if you barely have any left at the end of the month? Here’s one financial advice columnist's honest answer. 💸

• Find out if pay transparency is legal in your state.

• Soothe the pre-interview jitters: Interview Warmup lets you practice your answers so you can show up prepared. 😎

• When air hostesses fought the airline industry’s racist and misogynistic practices and won.

• Alex Garcia earns $800K a year running five different newsletters. Check out his story!

Thanks for reading! Before we part ways, we’d love to know: Would you get a lazy girl job, or are you looking for something a little more demanding? Why or why not?

We’ll share responses next week. See you next Tuesday!