Working

377
Careers #129

Hosts Isaac Butler, Ronald Young Jr., and June Thomas interview creative people about how they write, compose, paint, and more.

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Recent Reviews
  • Masicko
    Sell sell sell
    All commercials. Amazing abuse of one’s time.
  • malarr
    Missing Old Format
    I appreciate interviews with creative people, but I am really missing the old format of the show. I really liked hearing from individuals in a wide range of jobs that I didn’t even know existed or couldn’t imagine how they did their work. I think the old format had both a depth and breadth that the newer episodes are missing. I also wish there was less emphasis on the hosts’ reflections - there are a million other podcasts that I could listen to for conversations between hosts, but I came to working for superb interviews.
  • All_Hail_Lucy
    I don’t care about the hosts
    They talk too much about themselves.
  • Zendikari9876
    I miss the variety
    Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy having artists here and there on the show, but the best part of this show was the variety. You could feel like you got to experience more that life has to offer through varying perspectives. I held on for dear life after the format change, hoping it would find its stride and improve. I think the interviews are valuable, but everything I loved about this show that made me originally subscribe is gone. It used to feel like a space to genuinely learn about someone different from you. Now it’s clearly only for creative workers/artists, and only elite ones at that. I first subscribed because I felt lost without direction in my life, and this podcast was there to show me there’s no “right” path - there’s valuable, interesting work to be found everywhere. Maybe it can still do that for artists, but not for anyone else. I love that they feature more women and people of color, but there’s more to diversity in the world than artistic work. I want to come back, I hope some day they can find a happy medium.
  • AZ Asphalt
    No politics please
    I was enjoying the show up until the hosts started bashing former presidents. I didn’t sign up for this podcast to hear politics. It’s amazing that the hosts and producers automatically assume their audience shares their political beliefs. Please remember you have a diverse audience and stick to talking about “working” instead of politics.
  • Rugelach7
    Host chat excessive
    The interview are great, but the chat between the hosts becomes tedious and overpowers the guests. I really don’t think the interviews require explication; they speak for themselves.
  • phoof!
    Jed Mercurio
    Maybe I missed it, but June Thomas did not ask Jed Mercurio one question about his show, Bodyguard, which was mentioned in his introduction.
  • Sno & Lo
    The fascinating lives of NYC ‘s elites
    I’m a slate + member and I have road tripped AND flown to attend live broadcasts. in its early years I used to look forward to this show. No more. 1. it’s almost always a New Yorker who is being interviewed. Even post Covid. Yes I know there was that one season in Detroit. 2. Lately the only subjects being interviewed are leaders in their fields: the Hamilton composer, the curator at the Met... Not really revealing of what Americans do all day. I would prefer more “everyday people”. I’d rather hear a whole season about elementary school, ER, or skateboard industry workers are interviewed.
  • scmodstyle
    Astrology presented as fact
    I had greatly enjoyed this series until the host gave legitimacy to astrology
  • K80fab
    New listener here
    I listened to the latest episode, and then went back and listened to what has been referred to as the “old format.” I loved the episode about the nun. I’m not Catholic, don’t know anything about Catholics, but I loved it. And then I listened to the latest one. Some guy with a Pulitzer. It was okay. I really preferred the nun, though. Five stars for the old format show. Three for what it is now: just another Chase Jarvis/Tim Ferris/ Debbie Milman show. You guys lost your unique voice.
  • Justhatched
    Change of scope is a bummer
    This podcast used to interview individual people working at an organization and go into depth about their working day. With a change in host, it seems to be another Hollywood entertainment podcast. I love host June but I subscribed because I wanted the in depth about working jobs in a variety of fields.
  • Tallest of them All
    Not a fan of the new format
    I used to regularly listen to this podcast and listen to all the episodes. Unfortunately, they recently switched the format and I am unsubscribing. The new format spends too much time, in my opinion, having the hosts interact with themselves instead of the guest. Additionally, the charm of this podcast was in seeing the passion the guests had for their usually quirky jobs. Now it feels like the guests are too busy getting into the technical aspects of being creative and plugging their latest work.
  • gnidrg
    Good show
    Loved the MOMA episodes especially. Great interviewing skills in the host
  • kevinpaulconnor
    Recent pivot a real mistake
    This show, which I've subscribed to for years, used to compellingly interview ordinary people working for a wage. The recent pivot to interviewing creative people about the creative process, is an already saturated market that is far less interesting to me. Sorry to say that I've unsubscribed.
  • ElimiNathan
    A good way to learn about how some people live thier lives
    We all live our lives through the lenses of our own experiences. Working allows us to see how some people work and how different or similar that can be. I like that people are interviewed about their jobs.
  • KZ0289
    Interesting for sure
    I really enjoy hearing about jobs I’ve never and probably will never interact with. Not all episodes have gripped me but a majority are finished eventually. I will say though, as someone who isn’t in a creative field, I felt a little rejected when the new hosts said their focus was all creative jobs all the time. Like it’s fine for an extended segment but there a lot of interesting jobs that aren’t writing or acting or art...
  • Doreader
    Not enjoyable
    Was one of my favorite podcasts, but with the change of the last few weeks I find it not enjoyable or worth my time
  • beccapollack45
    Excellent series....
    The interviews are outstanding. Each episode provides a real sense of the challenges and the opportunities. The series presents a valuable humane perspective regarding individuals and families who face housing challenges. Highly recommended--Harold Pollack
  • Exgaysurvivordan
    utter nonsense presented as lelgitimate
    I'd enjoyed the show up until the astrology episode where utter nonsense was presented as legitimate. Imagine if the Medieval Times queen interview had presented her as an actual queen and not just an employee doing a job to entertain us -- That was the astrology episode.
  • sesily
    Older seasons are great!
    Updating again: I used to love this show and while there have been some fun recent episodes (Bon Appétit and magic the gathering were both great). The quality seems to be going down overall. The new host isn’t as engaging and there have been several episodes I’ve given up on as the interview subjects also seem to be lower quality (the series on influencers has grown tiresome). Especially after the comedy cellar season I’m losing interesting. Update: Still a fan of the show, but not loving this season. I wish you had picked a different comedy club. I’ve heard some great hard hitting interviews with people at the comedy cellar on other podcasts but I don’t think Working’s format lends itself to examining this subject with the skepticism it deserves. This show is super great. I love the deep dives into different industries. I found this show recently and also enjoy going through old episodes and listening to the ones that stand out me (the season of replayed favorites is great starting point if you’re new). This show does a great job of getting a cross section of an industry. The recent series on Moma and the pot series did a great job at looking at it from all different angles.
  • sk9797
    So many men...
    Wish they’d interview more women and poc
  • Bruceallen12
    Great Show, Best Season
    Don't get me wrong: I've been a Working fan since it first started. But I think this is my favorite season yet. The new host just seems to be enjoying it so much. She's funny, she's curious, there's an infectiousness to the whole enterprise. She manages to be firm and clear without seeming confrontational. Excited for the remaining episodes.
  • jlouise413
    Great podcast
    Really enjoy this podcast. Covers a very diverse range of jobs and work environments. Fascinating, informative, also easy to listen to.
  • Meribethcakes
    Always interesting!
    I especially liked the Bon Appétit series.
  • bdubose1
    Skiing?
    How about a series on those who run a ski resort? Snowmakers, Lifties, Instructors and Ski Team Coaches, General Managers, Marketing
  • TJP1011
    Great series
    I started listening to this series a couple of months ago and I truly enjoy it. First, I love the premise. Many jobs have always fascinated me, and I've wondered what the day-to-day work would be like in some of them. I began with the MOMA series, which I was fairly certain I'd like because I love modern art and museums. I did love it. I'm now listening to the "pot" series and the Medieval Times series, both of which I didn't think I'd necessarily enjoy, but I do. If I lived near a Medieval Times, I'd go because the interviews have really made it seem interesting. Second, generally the hosts are good. The current one (Jordan, I think) asks mostly decent questions, although sometimes he wants to joke too much and he steps on the answers.
  • randy-oh
    new listener/great find
    Having just discovered this podcast, I now have to work my way back through the archives. There are professions out there that don't come to mind when someone thinks "what do I want to be," but the interviewer brings them to life. His genuine interest in their stories fuels my interest as a listener, and every job has fascinating tales to tell. I love hearing the pride people are taking in their work, their enthusiasm for what they do, and the humanity that they remind us exists in all those working around us.
  • Sonneveldt
    A fun story every week
    I just listened to the Podcast regarding the Knight and his horse while working at the Medevial Times. Wow! What a story and what an experience of a job! Thanks for all of your fun stories. I enjoyed the MoMa series as well.
  • Tibbyjoys
    Fun listen
    I get this in the slate digest but I always listen to this. Love to learn about people’s job paths and industries. Loved the moma episode.
  • Heyman747
    Great show
    I’ve enjoyed this show since it first started, but I’ve really found it compelling since Jordan took the helm. The interviews with the cannabis business people have been especially interesting for me. Keep up the good work!
  • Eddy Tony
    Very good work from Slate podcasts
    Working is one of my favorite podcasts from Slate, I look forward to it every week. The host Jordan Weissman consistently chooses interesting and engaging interview subjects and keeps the conversations accessible to a broad audience as well as maintains a smooth and organic pacing, while also facilitating very informative discussions about the day to day aspects of each episode’s respective career.
  • Zqoq
    Scratches an itch i didn’t know I had
    Interviews with workers in an array of fields, some of which I never new existed. Provides great insight into eclectic fields of employment.
  • trill nighy
    thoughtful, enlightening
    the slate crew offers up a welcome variety of interesting guests and engage them with lines of inquiry that go beyond the obvious. a terrific window to other walks of life.
  • juicelsu
    New season is great
    Jordan Weissmann is a sharp and curious journalist. His first episode was great and I'm looking forward to what comes next.
  • jarratta
    It's remarkable !
    Jacob Brogan is a talent. I often startout thinking I have no interest in exploring the professional lives of many of his subjects (e.g. hair stylist, comic book inker) . . .. an then I am mesmerized. He is a facile and gifted interviewer who never inserts himself and always fraws out his subject. It's a real skill. A Terkel throwback
  • RZ2017
    Excellent interviewer
    The host is amazing at interviews and with a soothing voice. It is so interesting to learn about different people's livelihoods and how they got into them.
  • jilped
    Well Done!
    Such a terrific Podcast - I look forward to it! Keep up the good work.
  • Wogggieee
    It always surprises me
    When a new episode is downloaded I'll look at the title and think this episode is going to be boring. But I always end up being surprised by how interesting the time ends up being.
  • Runner3:40
    runner 3:40
    I really enjoyed your Working at the White House Series - fabulous work. You did an interview with Washington Post White House Bureau Chief, Julie Eilperin - it would be great if you updated that interview with her in the current WH. How have things changed? Has the use of Twitter helped on hindered reporters, etc... thanks for the great work.
  • podcastlistener111
    Love the show
    I love this show. Been listening since 2016.
  • fi_gau
    Fantastic
    Some of the best interviews you will ever hear with regular people. It can be a fascinating and eyeopening look at America, its challenges and the people who are working to fix them. The Baltimore public defender episode? Fantastic.
  • jenndawn88
    jenndawn88
    I can't recommend this podcast enough. It is utterly fascinating, giving listeners a glimpse into a host of different professions that they may or may not be familiar with. The hosts are remarkable interviewers that make each episode both educational and engaging. Highly, highly recommend.
  • Literary Fan
    The White House Series was the Best!
    I enjoyed various seasons, but the White House series was by far the best! Each person interviewed was articulate, passionate, focused, and a brilliant spokesperson for the White House and for what working there is like. Other favorites were the medical marajuana dispensary and the midwife. Even the make-up artist who was so passionate about her profession and about turning around young women was a good listen.
  • Fruit Juice
    Love the diversity
    Even if you think you know what someone's job is, this podcast humanize it in a way that really allows you to relate. Listen just for the enjoyment.
  • grewupinthe80s
    Was good, now lame
    Update: you've redeemed yourself with the abortion doctor episode. Looking forward to this new series. Glad I didn't unsubscribe. :) Really enjoyed the White House interviews - well-produced, well-paced, and fascinating. This podcast has gone downhill since then. The last couple of episodes have been boring and slow. The latest one about the "tailoress" is soo slow, boring, and seems poorly produced. I couldn't make it through it. Based on the White House episodes I'll give you another episode or two to win me over. Hope you get this podcast back on track.
  • Corky1969
    Love this pod!
    Just want you to know that your two latest pods with the Tailoress and the Nail Artist were so delightful. I loved hearing the inside details of their work, the pride they take in their professionalism, and the skills and artistry they possess. I also loved your White House series. All the interviews ask excellent questions, posed with reapect and clarity. You are really really good at this podcast niche!
  • TDMV
    Working at the White House - Best Season
    I've listened to all seven seasons of this podcast, but have enjoyed the White House season the most. Loved to have the focus on one thing, but hear from the diverse people/jobs involved in the daily activities in and around the one location.
  • erinherrera76
    Incredibly interesting
    Love this podcast! Just discovered it this summer. If I were doing one myself, it's exactly the topic I'd cover. I often ask people what they do, and when they offer their title, I ask, "No...what do you DO? At 10:37 on Tuesday morning, what are you physically doing?" Here's a podcast questioning brilliantly in the same spirit. Love how the host gets into the commute and lunch time routines, interactions with technology, etc, that affect how our days go around our work, as well. White House series was FASCINATING. Keep up the good work!
  • SeattleMe227
    White House Junkie
    I started listening to this podcast before the White House edition and it was good too - fun to pick and chose by job - the more unusual the better! Now with White House edition its great to hear all perspectives of what it takes to keep things running. Hope they continue to do deep focus like this - what's next?!
  • ShourjoDasgupta
    Wonderful
    As a person who is himself detail-oriented and conscientious about trying to do the best job he can (or at least, strives for those ideals), I greatly appreciate hearing from other people in other walks of life in the ways they approach the jobs they do. The questions and answers are always thoughtful and well-considered, and there is often nuggets of wisdom or perspectives that are extensible beyond that job's particular context that might be readily applicable to another's. It makes this podcast a very enjoyable listen. Highly recommend!
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