• Learning a new topic, whether for a career move or an academic test, is no small feat. 
• The free and popular Coursera class "Learning How to Learn" makes the process easier and teaches students about the science of learning. 
• By understanding the underpinnings of how your brain works, processes information, and builds memory, you can successfully learn any subject you want. 
• Read more: Yale's most popular class ever is available free online — and the topic is how to be happier in your daily life

If you want to learn it, chances are you can find it online.

Taken by more than 1.8 million students from 200 countries, one of the most popular online classes from Coursera doesn't teach skills like how to program and analyze data with Python or the basics of intellectual property law and policy.

Instead, the Coursera class called "Learning How to Learn" invites students of all ages and educational backgrounds to pause before diving into those other classes. It wants to reframe your entire thinking about the process of learning and set you up with the most effective learning techniques, so you can master literally any topic. 

This 2018 best-selling class is offered by McMaster University and UC San Diego, and taught by Dr. Barbara Oakley, an engineering professor at Oakland University, and Dr. Terrence Sejnowski, the computational neurobiology director at The Salk Institute for Biological Studies.

With videos, exercises, and bonus materials, it takes about 12 hours to complete and has flexible deadlines so you can make it work with your schedule. Those 12 hours offer a toolbox of actionable strategies and a lifelong understanding of how to take on topics that can help you complete your degree, make a major career move, or simply enjoy learning for the sake of learning.

When people have trouble mastering a new subject, they often attribute their frustration and difficulties to their own intelligence or the subject matter itself. "I'm just not smart enough or cut out for chemistry (or finance or literature)," you've probably caught yourself thinking as you struggled through a class.  

What's more possible is just that you haven't been properly trained on how to learn. This class introduces you to the two learning modes the brain uses and how it processes information. Other topics include illusions of learning, memory techniques, dealing with procrastination, and best practices for mastering tough subjects. By learning about the science of learning, you can apply the approaches to become better at anything, be it art, math, science, languages, or sports. 

The class is organized by week, with each week covering a set of different topics. The videos, which can be downloaded, include scripts, interactive transcripts, and subtitles.

There are also optional further readings and interviews if you want to dig deeper into each week's topics, as well as a discussion forum to engage with your fellow learners. And if you're still itching to immerse yourself more in all things related to learning, the instructors send out a weekly newsletter of recommended books, videos, articles, and learning resources. 

Like most of Coursera's offerings, "Learning How to Learn" is completely free to audit. You can access all the materials, but you won't receive a grade. To officially complete the course and receive a grade and Course Certificate, you'll have to purchase it for $49. 

Enroll in "Learning How to Learn" at Coursera here

Browse all of Coursera's online class offerings here

Join the conversation about this story »

• In January, Bill Hemmer took over Shepard Smith's slot on Fox News and now hosts "Bill Hemmer Reports."
• He plays an important role as the chief news anchor of the president's favorite TV channel.
• He's been on-air for the last 25 years, getting his start in local news in Cincinnati before moving to CNN and working his way up the ranks. In 2005, he jumped to Fox News.
• After 15 years since joining the network, he's now leading the station's news coverage.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Bill Hemmer chooses his words carefully. 

In January 2020 he took over Fox News' 3 p.m. hour-long news slot. He was taking over from Shepard Smith, who resigned from Fox after reporting for the station since its start in 1996.

Hemmer has been an anchor at Fox News for 15 years, but this is the first time he's had his own show. In his career — much of it also at Fox's rival, CNN — he's covered atrocities like the Boston Marathon Bombing, the Haiti earthquake, and the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting. He's also covered a number of presidential elections.

It's a high-stakes gig. Fox News is the president's favorite TV channel. And at times, there's been tension between Fox employees on the news side of the station, like Smith, and on the opinion side, like Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity — to name two of President Donald Trump's favorite personalities. And Hemmer has been an important voice in informing Fox News' viewers about the coronavirus, interviewing the likes of Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country's leading expert on infectious diseases.

In an interview with Insider in January, Hemmer was enthusiastic about his role but careful about talking about whether he was nervous about taking over Smith's high-profile slot.

"Well," he said, "I want to get it right."

"I've felt for a long time that your best preparation — sorry, your best defense — in this industry is your own preparation," he added.

He's been preparing for quite some time. His life, he said, was full of "data points." There was the German professor who convinced him to get out of the US and move to Luxembourg. There was watching the Iran-Contra deal unfold on CNN in 1987, as well as the impact of an early "mid-life crisis" that saw him quit his job and travel the world, sending back dispatches that later won him two Emmys.

Despite being in the public eye for 25 years, and unlike the opinion hosts he works alongside with at Fox News, he's managed to avoid controversy.

On his Twitter, his most common tweet appears to be a simple, uncontroversial weekly reminder: "Friday, folks." And as he told the Washington Post in 2010, "Knock wood, I think I've been lucky to, as my mother would say, be careful before you speak."

Here's what his life and career have been like so far.

SEE ALSO: Fox News and CNN are 2 of America's biggest news sources — but they couldn't be more different. Here's how they've changed in the past decade.

DON'T MISS: 20 times Trump has criticized Fox News

On January 28, as President Donald Trump's defense team argued in his impeachment trial, I traveled to Fox News' New York headquarters to interview the recently promoted newsman Bill Hemmer.

Fox News sits in a unique place in America's media landscape.

It's the most-watched cable news network in the country, although it's biggest personalities host opinion shows.

But Hemmer, taking over from Shepard Smith, has a job delivering straight news.

A member of the Fox News public relations team escorted me up to Hemmer's studio. Cartoonishly large screens beamed out his name.

A few minutes later, Hemmer appeared.

He looked good at 55 — far more energetic than me. He came striding in without makeup, wielding a plastic water bottle and an iPhone.

And he was focused: Over the next 45 minutes, he rarely drank or checked his phone.

He took his time in the interview, answering carefully.

I was reminded of a 2003 New York magazine profile, which said Hemmer, after most shows, descended to his office to rewatch his show, analyzing how he appeared on-air. The profile also mentioned how he used to do his own makeup, but we'll get to that later.

Hemmer was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on November 14, 1964, as the third of five children in a Roman Catholic family.

He joked that he thought for the longest time that he was a Valentine's Day baby — until, at some point, he realized that wasn't mathematically possible.

In an old profile, his father said he hoped Hemmer would be a priest. But Hemmer's parents mostly let them decide their own fate.

"They allowed us to step on our own pile, to figure out how to clean it up on our own," he said. "I don't think there were a lot of course corrections for any of us. Only when they deemed it truly necessary."

One sibling works in public relations, one is a paralegal, one is a teacher, and one is a full-time mother.

In 1983, he graduated from the all-male Elder High School. While there, he and his friend Doug had broadcast "bad rock and roll" from a "cheap little turntable" at the top of a radio tower to the school.

They played artists like Bruce Springsteen and Molly Hatchet.

The radio station lasted about three weeks. But the dabble in broadcasting triggered something in Hemmer.

"I figured, you know what, maybe I could talk for a living," he said.

From that point, Hemmer figured he could succeed in broadcasting if he was persistent enough.

"Even today, if you at least pick a path, if you have a direction, you will find yourself years ahead of your colleagues. So pick a path, make a decision."

Between the ages of 16 and 20, Hemmer said he had "19 different jobs."

He worked with his hands: in a produce department, at a garden center, mowing lawns, trimming hedges, and sweeping floors at his high school.

"You take a job, you quit a job, you take a job, quit a job. I did everything," he said.

He was trying to figure out a way to keep working while also playing football in high school, which meant he couldn't stick with one job for long.

He played as a strong safety. "It's a defensive back when you're not quite a free safety where you're not quite as big as a linebacker. And not quite small enough to play defensive back," he said.

After high school, he studied broadcast journalism at Miami University and kept up the intense work ethic. He hosted an overnight jazz program on 97.6TK, one of the first alternative rock and roll stations in the US.

He wasn't a huge fan of the music — English rock like The Smiths — but the pay was good. And by good, he said, $3.35 an hour, working from midnight to 6 a.m.

Early on at college, when he was 19, he interned at WLWT-TV, a local television station. It was all new to him.

"I was looking to get knowledge about the industry and to try and figure out if it was possible to get a job," he said.

He also spent a semester abroad living in Luxembourg. He was inspired to do so after taking an 8 a.m. German class in his freshman year.

He was convinced he wanted the career on his first day, when the elevator opened and he saw the control room's blue light.

"It looked so inviting and so challenging at the same time," he said. "Deadlines, accuracy, live performance. I saw all of that instantly and thought I want it to be, I wanted to have that knowledge."

He decided that television, and not radio, was the path for him.

After graduating in 1987, he worked as a sports producer for WLWT Channel 5, then as a reporter for Cincinnati's WCPO for two years. He told Insider he was earning $9,000 a year.

Source: Cincinnati Magazine

It was during this job, in the summer of 1987, that he remembered watching CNN's coverage of the Iran Contra hearings. "I was struck by that moment," he said. "It left a mark on me."

At 26, he had what he called his "mid-life crisis."

He quit his job and traveled the world from August 1992 to June 1993, living off his savings. He researched where to go by reading, looking at photos, and watching National Geographic.

"I felt the walls in my world were going to cave in around me if I didn't get this thing done," he said.

Hemmer traveled to countries like China, Egypt, India, Europe, Russia, Vietnam, and New Zealand. It was a risky move, since he was walking away from his dream career without knowing if he could come back.

"I'm very much of a day to day person and a day to day thinker. I didn't forecast the future," he said. "The only thing I thought for sure was that I could not afford to turn the age of 30 without seeing what was out there."

Along with getting attacked by a pack of dogs in Calcutta, he had not anticipated the education he got from traveling.

"I'm going to stress, this was 25 years ago," he said. It was before email, ATMs, or social media. He was armed with nothing but traveler's checks and books.

Hemmer wanted to make sure he saw some of the world's greatest sights.

"So what is the South Island in New Zealand all about? I heard about it from all my friends. I wanted to see it myself," he said. "What did the Great Wall of China look like? What did the Opera House in Sydney look like? What does Kathmandu smell like, and feel like, every day?"

His travels paid off.

He kept his hand in the game sending back monthly dispatches to the Cincinnati Post, as well as footage of his travels, which later became a documentary called "Bill's Excellent Adventure," riffing on the film "Bill and Ted's Adventures."

The footage won him two regional Emmys, for best host and best entertainment program. When I asked him what winning was like, he became emotional.

"It was to be recognized, I think, for something that was deeply personal," he said.

For the next two years, he worked at the Cincinnati's WCPO as a news reporter.

"News reporting job is essential to everybody in the business," he said. "You have to work at a local level to understand how the city, the county, and the state works."

He made mistakes in his early appearances on television to an audience of several million.

But his family and friends didn't give him a hard time. When asked why not, he said, "I guess they were being nice."

After his documentary, he got an agent, who landed him a job at CNN.

In 1995, at 30, he moved to Atlanta to work for the network.

At CNN, he started by filling in for other anchors, then worked his way up the morning schedule.

In 1995, he was on at 5:30 a.m. By 1997, it was 10 a.m. In 1996, he won another Emmy for his work covering the Olympic Centennial Park bombing.

But it was in 2000 that he made a name for himself, with his coverage of the 37-day presidential recount between George W. Bush and Al Gore.

He was on-air throughout the day from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., and the coverage led to him being nicknamed the "Chad Lad."

In 2001 he went to Afghanistan while US forces hunted for Osama bin Laden. The trip was meant to be short, but he stayed for six weeks and thrived in rough conditions.

Hemmer liked to be on the ground, but as his career progressed he was spending more and more time in the office, and unable to do as much in-the-field reporting.

After several years pushing for it, he co-anchored "American Morning," with Soledad Brian.

She told Cincinnati Magazine she was impressed at how nice he was. She said, "If people on the camera crew like you, that says a lot."

But in 2005, CNN had a shakeup.

Management replaced him with Miles O'Brien, to increase the "chemistry" on the morning show. Hemmer was offered a job covering the White House. But, according to the Washington Post, someone close to Hemmer said he was concerned it was a demotion.

"We were in a battle," he told Insider. "And we were losing."

"I had been watching what Fox was doing and I had a decision to make: either stay in New York or move to Washington, DC," he said. "I had wanted to live here for a long time and I felt New York was more in my blood than Washington."

In the end, he moved to Fox News.

At the time, he told the Los Angeles Times that Roger Ailes and his right-hand man, Bill Shine, were among the reasons he decided to jump ship.

He said the two had a "winning track record" and "vision."

In the years since, Ailes had become the center of a storm of sexual harassment accusations and died in 2016, while Bill Shine moved to work on communications at the White House in Trump's administration, and then on his 2020 presidential campaign.

He said there isn't any confusion being Fox News' third "Bill," following Shine and O'Reilly. "They call me Hemmer. That's it," he said.

In his first week at Fox News, Hurricane Katrina hit the US.

Hemmer covered it, and went on to cover a number of on-the-ground stories, including the Boston Marathon bombing and the Fort Hood military base shooting.

The change from CNN to Fox News took him a year to adjust.

"It was more significant than I expected," he said.

CNN relied more on personality, he said. "It took me a little bit of time to get comfortable with that show."

He began as a daytime anchor alongside Megyn Kelly until she got her own show. He also worked alongside Martha MacCallum and Shannon Bream.

For the last 10 years, he's co-hosted Fox News' morning program, "America's Newsroom." He's been one of Fox News' journalists covering presidential elections since 2008.

Hemmer has now been at Fox News for 15 years. Along with his coverage of 9/11 while at CNN, the two other stories that impacted him the most were the Sandy Hook shooting and the Haiti earthquake.

"I was wholly unprepared for the emotional effect of flying into a country that has nothing to begin with and to be wrecked by mother nature in ways that felt entirely unfair to me," he said of Haiti.

He's had a low-profile personal life and few career controversies. "I don't think the story is me," he said.

What is public is that he was in a longterm relationship with model Dara Tomanovich from 2005 to 2013.

It appears to be the longest public relationship he's been in.

In 2004, he had a run-in with Michael Moore, documented in Moore's book "Here Comes Trouble."

According to Moore's telling, Hemmer confronted Moore and said: "I've heard people say they wish Michael Moore was dead." Moore was incensed by the question.

But according to Hemmer, the interview was cordial, and it was only later that a camera crew followed it up with him.

But he's mostly been controversy-free. The only time Hemmer was featured on President Donald Trump's Twitter feed was in 2016.

Trump said he was "very nice in explaining the excitement and energy in the arena."

Things changed for Hemmer in 2019 when Shepard Smith resigned, and he was announced as his replacement.

According to CNN, their styles differed: Hemmer didn't aggressively fact-check or challenge misinformation the way Smith did.

But there are a number of examples where Hemmer has pushed back on Trump administration officials. One example, cited by The New York Times, was Hemmer following up when Former White House secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders insulted an MSNBC host's looks.

"It just seems like it's entirely more personal than it needs to be," he told Sanders.

With regards to fact-checking, Hemmer told Insider, "You can learn a lot by listening. I don't feel it's necessary to take a blow torch to every argument or discussion."

In the months before Smith resigned there were public clashes between him and opinion hosts, like Tucker Carlson. Hemmer respects keeping the two sections separate.

"I think our opinion people are outstanding," Hemmer said.

He said neither operation would tell the other how to do their job.

"That's been my experience for 14.5 years and that's what I would expect to continue. I don't expect them to get involved with what I do," he said. 

Hemmer was candid for most of the interview and had good words for Smith, but kept silent about whether Smith had given him any advice.

"I wished him the best of luck and he told me that it was time," Hemmer said of Smith.

As to the blurring of facts by Fox News opinion anchors, he said, "I am unaffected by the opinion-makers."

In the final minutes of our interview, I took some photos of him. He asked to see them, and when he saw the reflection from the bright studio, he apologized and jogged out of the room.

He promptly returned with a makeup artist for a touch-up. "Not a ton," he said. Just a touch-up."

In January, Fox News launched "Bill Hemmer Reports." It started strong, with 1.8 million viewers. In contrast, MSNBC got 1.01 million and CNN got 867,000. Despite the high ratings, he said he wouldn't get complacent.

A week later, I returned to the studio to watch Hemmer do his show live. This time the studio was full.

Five young people were typing at the cartoonishly large screens, while 10 others were behind cameras or waiting in the wings.

The slow, measured way he spoke last time had been replaced with rapid television speak.

He and the crew rehearsed his tone, as he said "boom" over and over again. A member of the camera crew muttered, "we'll get it right this time."

In our first interview, Hemmer said he was most comfortable in the news lane. "That's how I'm built. It's how I think, it's where I'll stay," he said.

On-air, he looked at ease. Between segments, he typed or spoke to his producer. At one point, as two cameras were steered towards him, he silently mouthed to the cameraman, "Am I that one, or that one?"

When he was done with his guest, he twirled his finger below the camera to wrap it up.

At the end of the first segment, after they switched guests due to a satellite issue, he said to his crew, "Good stuff, smooth stuff, all clean. Thank you." And it occurred to me that was what Hemmer was for Fox News, too — good stuff, smooth stuff, all clean.

This year you may take on a side job for a number of reasons. Whether you're doing it to pay off your student loans or pursue an unfulfilled passion and eventually become your own boss, you may be able to turn your side hustle into a high-paying career.

Business Insider talked to entrepreneurial leaders who earn nearly six figures or more at their gigs about their advice on building side hustles.

Emerging professions include:

• Graphic Designer
• Blogger
• Reseller

Download this FREE slide deck to learn more.

Business Insider Prime is publishing dozens of stories every day that go inside the companies and industries that matter most to you.

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• Goldman Sachs is hiring for operations roles in Salt Lake City that only require a high school diploma or GED, according to job postings.
• Goldman typically hires through college campus recruiting and laterally across the industry for experienced professionals.
• This "Alternative Staffing Model" was rolled out last year in Salt Lake City, a Goldman Sachs spokesperson told Business Insider.
• These hires perform traditional operations functions like trade processing and reconciliations.
• Salt Lake City is one of Goldman's many "high value" locations, and the bank has been shifting roles out of hubs like New York to these lower-cost cities for years.
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

You don't necessarily need a college degree to work at Goldman Sachs. 

The investment bank has posted job openings for roles in its operations division that require a high school diploma or GED. 

"Last year we rolled out an Alternative Staffing Model in Salt Lake City to meet demand around optimizing our coverage of financial exchanges for markets around the world," a Goldman spokesperson told Business Insider in emailed comments.

The "process coordinator" roles are part of the firm's operations teams which support Goldman's various business lines, including sales and trading as well as investment management. 

It's a new role, according to the job description, and while a high school diploma is a basic requirement, an associate's degree is preferred.

Process coordinators perform traditional operations functions like trade processing and reconciliations, according to the spokesperson.

Goldman opened its Salt Lake City office in 2000, where it now staffs people across the majority of the firm's divisions. For years the bank has been moving roles out of high-cost hubs like New York and London to "high value" cities like Salt Lake and Dallas.

But employees in these locations are still supporting businesses based in cities like New York, so their hours can skew early.

While the process coordinator jobs are full time, the hours may be adjusted to be in line with hub locations.

"As these roles have alternate working hours, often starting very early in the morning or later in the day, we've seen high demand from job seekers who need flexibility in their work schedule," the spokesperson said.

Process coordinators are hired through a typical interview process which includes meeting with leadership of the team, the spokesperson said.

Goldman Sachs has long been known for its rigorous interview process, and landing a job at the prestigious investment bank is not easy. Of the 1 million job applications received each year, the firm hires just 5,000 of them, an acceptance rate of 0.5%.

While many of these applicants are vying for roles in the firm's revenue-generating divisions like investment banking or sales and trading, prospective hires across all divisions have to go through similar interview processes to get an offer.

For college grads, landing an internship or entry-level role is more about academics and culture fit. The bank is looking for curiosity and drive, as Dane Holmes, former head of human capital management, previously told Business Insider. 

Lateral hires — usually meaning mid-level employees with experience at other firms — need to demonstrate technical skills, too.

These new process coordinator jobs fall somewhere in between. They aren't necessarily "entry level," as the firm is looking for previous experience in a "business process-oriented" role. But not requiring an undergraduate degree is a new approach for Goldman.

Typically, entry-level roles at Goldman are filled through college campus recruiting efforts and its pipeline of summer analysts, many of whom are offered full-time roles before returning to school for their senior years.

And Goldman's employees have tended to come from top-ranked schools, according to LinkedIn data.

But Goldman's approach to hiring has been changing. In 2016, the firm stopped visiting colleges to conduct on-campus interviews, instead having applicants complete their first-round interviews via pre-recorded video platform HireVue.

"As we've built offices in new cities and geographic locations, we've needed to recruit at more schools located in those areas. Video interviews allow us to do that,"Holmes wrote in the Harvard Business Review.

Editor's note: Shannen Balogh was previously an employee of Goldman Sachs in New York. 

SEE ALSO: Real estate experts say Wall Street will keep ditching New York for cheaper cities, and think the open-office craze has played itself out

SEE ALSO: Goldman Sachs just hired 2 senior recruiting execs focused on luring top talent from other firms —and it's a huge departure from the firm's traditional promote-from-within mentality

SEE ALSO: Goldman Sachs is about to move dozens of jobs out of pricey New York to Utah as Wall Street turns to cheaper cities

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: WeWork went from a $47 billion valuation to a failed IPO. Here's how the company makes money.

• If you aspire to get into this elite graduate business school, it helps to be aware of what — and who — you're up against. 
• Wharton likes to look at candidates holistically, and will turn down interesting candidates who lack clarity of goals, according to an admissions expert.
• Business Insider grilled six Wharton grads and a leading MBA admissions advisory on their advice for what to do and what to avoid if you want to have the best shot at getting in.
• "It's all about storytelling; the key is to own your narrative," said one graduate.
• The deadline for applying in round three has been moved to April 15 due to the coronavirus pandemic; the new advance access deadline was moved to May 27.
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

The Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania routinely appears at the top of the list in MBA program rankings. A recent 2020 Global MBA Ranking list led by education specialists Quacquarelli Symonds put Wharton as No. 1 of the best business schools in the world.

But if you aspire to get into this elite graduate business school, be aware of what  — and who —  you're up against. 

Wharton's website shows that out of 6,245 applications for its 2020 MBA Class, 862 students are currently enrolled. Drilling down further, you can learn from the Wharton School's admissions department that this is a typical class profile. Admissions generally receives 6,000 to 7,000 applications in any given year, and the vast majority of all applicants (up to 80% of them) meet the required qualifications for admission. Around 1,000 candidates are offered admission, with the final class size usually averaging about 840 students.

This year, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the application deadline for third-round admissions was moved to April 15, and the advance access deadline was moved to May 27.  And applicants no longer need to submit test scores, given the limited ability for students to sit for tests at this time. 

How can you get in? Stacy Blackman of Stacy Blackman Consulting, an MBA admissions consulting firm whose team includes former Wharton admissions officers, explained that it's "not an exact science."

"Flexibility is inherent to the admissions process at Wharton," said Blackman. "Wharton is very willing to take applicants with strong GMAT scores, professional experience, and clear goals without that 'wow' factor, though of course the preference is both. Also, Wharton will turn down interesting and unique candidates who lack clarity of goals and ability to succeed in academics." 

If your GMAT numbers are high, though, Blackman underscores that increasingly, the admissions team is less interested in that metric as a predictor of student success, as it's no longer a clear enough differentiator among applicants. "Don't think your smoking GMAT is enough to get noticed," said Blackman. "Wharton could throw darts at a wall and hit 730 GMATs. Wharton wants to make sure the applicant can cut it quantitatively — which means they like to look at candidates holistically as a starting point."

If you're a prospective student, you can learn many key facts and figures— such as the average mean GRE score (163 verbal; 162 quant) and the average undergrad GPA (3.6) for the class of 2020 — from the Wharton website. The site is also a great resource to begin studying the admissions process and requirements. But while the website gives you a starting point for your goal of being accepted into this prestigious program, nothing beats getting the inside scoop from successful applicants who beat the tough odds and earned a coveted Wharton MBA.

Business Insider grilled six graduates — as well Blackman's leading MBA admissions advisory, which has a strong track record of acceptances to the world's top MBA programs, including Wharton — on what's most challenging about the admissions process to the Wharton School, and their advice for what to do and what to avoid if you want to have the best shot at getting in. 

Meet the trifecta of criteria

Blackman notes that Wharton is very focused not only on making sure the applicant can do the work, but also on managing everything else that's part of the MBA experience. With this in mind, she states that applicants to Wharton's MBA program must meet the "trifecta of criteria": 

• Exceptional career trajectory 
• Quantitative chops (strong GMAT, GPA) 
• Demonstrated leadership/teamwork/interpersonal skills

"Quality and rigor of professional career path are extremely important to Wharton, especially as they've combined Admissions and Career Services under the same umbrella," said Blackman. "The Wharton admissions readers are thinking about exit opportunities when reviewing applications in terms of: is this person already on the fast track, are their goals logical and reasonable, do they have a plan for how they will use their time during the program and how they will meet their goals?"

Blackman added that analytical prowess is a hallmark of Wharton's admissions process: "It is very important to show success via a strong test score and a college transcript that ideally includes calculus, stats, and/or economics. If you don't have the coursework exposure, consider taking additional classes unless your GMAT is high and analytical work experience like investment banking/private equity is already demonstrated." To address the third point in the trifecta, leadership and active engagement on campus, Blackman recommended including specifics in your application about how you will contribute to the Wharton School community and/or classroom.

Read more: Here's exactly what it takes to get accepted into Harvard Business School, according to 5 grads and the managing director of admissions

Fill in your 'gaps' before applying

As you think about the trifecta of criteria, determine where you currently may fall short. When Phyllis Zimbler Miller decided to apply for a Wharton MBA, she had a realization: "I had nothing going for me that could interest Wharton. I hadn't had math since junior year in high school since there were no math requirements for my BA in journalism, and although I grew up in a business-oriented family, I had no actual business experience."

So instead of beginning the application process right away, Zimbler Miller, who is today an author and screenwriter, set off to fill in her "gaps." In her case, this entailed taking a pre-calculus college course to demonstrate her math skills, and convincing the newspaper at which she was a reporter to allow her to write a bi-weekly Money Matters column to showcase her finance expertise.

 Next, she homed in on prepping for the MBA program's in-person interview and carefully chose who would write her business school recommendations. (When it comes to recommendations, Blackman points out that it's preferred that they be from a professional experience, not from a professor or an extracurricular capacity.) Zimbler Miller then leveraged her preparation by including one of her best finance columns in her application, noting that with a Wharton MBA, she could do even better in financial and business reporting. Zimbler Miller believes the same strategy can help other applicants. 

"Do an honest review of your strengths and weaknesses in terms of what Wharton might be looking for in MBA candidates," she advised. "Then work on filling in those gaps before applying, emphasizing your unique strengths." 

Another type of gap to address is any interruption in your work history, according to Blackman. As examples, she notes that Wharton is wary of those who are not working at the time of application, and that too much job jumping is also frowned upon. 

Work at a company with a history of high Wharton MBA acceptance rates

Recent Wharton business school graduate Ashley Lim (class of 2018) suggested that targeting your employment toward certain industries and organizations may give you an edge in selection for the MBA program. "A large percentage of Wharton students come from major management consulting firms, investment banks, and big tech companies," said Lim. "These companies go through their highly selective hiring practices to vet their candidates, so having their brand on your resume can help your chances. These firms also hire Wharton students as interns or full-time hires, so the relationship seems to be symbiotic."

Lim pointed out, however, that affiliation with one of the Big 5 firms or other corporate behemoths isn't a prerequisite to get in — and it doesn't ensure that you'll stand out.

"You don't need to have worked for one of the major companies. Nor does being one of the many Google employees guarantee your acceptance to Wharton," said Lim. "What is more important is your story. What are your interests? What type of work did you do, and what have you accomplished? What do you plan to achieve in the future, and how can a Wharton MBA help you?"

Lim explained that while she both interned and worked as a consultant at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) before applying, she took pains to differentiate herself from other BCG management consultants by emphasizing her deep passion for health and food — as well as her plan to start her own aged tea company. It worked, and today she is founder and CEO of Mansa Tea.

Read more: Here's exactly what it takes to get accepted into Stanford Graduate School of Business, according to 6 grads and the assistant dean of admissions

Don't be ambiguous in your essays

 When it comes to your story, there's no better vehicle for communicating it to admissions than the business school essays. It goes without saying that to gain entry to any top MBA program, you must be prepared to write stellar essays — and this is particularly true at the top tier. To succeed in this mission, Blackman recommends avoiding ambiguity in your writing at all costs. 

Apu Gupta, who obtained his MBA from the Wharton School in 2005 and today is CEO of the social commerce company Curalate, said that he found the biggest challenge of getting admitted was figuring out how to make his application stand out among so many superstars.

"Illustrating who I was beyond my numbers and resume took a lot of introspection," said Gupta. "It was an exercise that forced me to better understand what I was trying to accomplish with my life." 

His solution was to leverage the essay portion of the application for optimum impact. "I viewed the business school essays as an opportunity to connect the dots on what could otherwise seem like a bunch of disparate life experiences," recalled Gupta, adding that it was important to do this in a way that didn't seem "manufactured" for the school.

Instead, he focused on crafting "an authentic reflection" of the story of who he was, and who he wanted to become. Once that was established, he used the essay to link his story to his thoughts around why he believed Wharton was the right fit for him.

Wharton MBA holder Nithya Thadani (class of 2012) — who is CEO of the voice technology agency RAIN — also felt the biggest challenge of getting into the Wharton School was building a clear and compelling narrative that "cuts through the noise and allows your candidacy to shine."

Like Gupta, Thadani emphasized the importance of "connecting the dots" in your essays. In her case, she prioritized showing the link between what she was currently doing — a career in banking and product development — and her future ambitions in social innovation, suggesting the role that a Wharton MBA could play.

"It's all about storytelling," said Thadani. "The key is to own your narrative."

Avoid online forums

Like anything in life, some things are within your sphere of influence, and others aren't. Gupta emphasized that he found spending too much time comparing notes with other applicants about the latter was unhelpful, and distracted him from doing what he could do to maximize his own application.

"Applying to business school involves a great deal of anxiety," said Gupta. "Is my GMAT high enough? Do I have the grades? What are my chances of getting in? Unsurprisingly, these questions get asked on various online forums and people start sharing their scores and grades and their success or failure in getting in. Reading this stuff is terrifying. It got me into a terrible headspace. So I ditched the forums and focused on what I could control — the story of me." 

Read more: The ultimate guide to whether you should go to business school or not, according to successful CEOs, founders, and execs who've had to make the choice

Figure out your fit

In addition to a careful approach to your essays, several of the Wharton business school alumni with whom we spoke stressed the importance of cultural fit in both your general application and your interview.

"Fit carries real weight in the interview process, and demonstrating genuine interest and enthusiasm for Wharton can tip the balance," advised Thadani. Because of the importance of fit, she prescribes that applicants do their homework by getting to know not only about Wharton and its programs and values, but also about the nuance of the local area, or "Philly culture." 

Gupta agreed with this approach of getting to know the school intimately, and suggests going beyond the obvious in your research.

"Go deeper than 'case method' versus 'lecture,'" he said. "Schools have cultures. Investigate them and try to understand the ethos of the program. Then figure out if and why it's the right home for you." 

Haley Russell, class of 2018, referred to this strategy as thinking about the "broader university ecosystem" and determining how you might like to participate. She highlighted that the networks at Wharton and Penn more broadly were instrumental in providing support and feedback for the pet food company she ultimately launched, Chippin— and emphasized that understanding this in advance can help you position your application.

"The University of Pennsylvania is home to an incredible body of knowledge, cutting-edge research, and potential collaborators for you during your time at school and beyond," said Russell. "Wharton was my number-one choice because I knew I wanted to use my time as an MBA student to set the foundation for my future venture."  

Go all in

Kon Leong, CEO of ZL Technologies, earned his MBA from the Wharton School with distinction in 1986. Leong said that having an MBA from Wharton makes him a popular informal advisor for others who are trying to do the same thing — and that it's often a leap of faith that prospective applicants most need.

"Don't be your own worst enemy," said Leong. "Instead, open up your mind to your potential." 

He added that having counseled many applicants toward pursuing their MBA at Wharton, he faces the recurring challenge of assuring them it's not that impossible to get in — but that this "intimidation factor" can be overcome by building confidence, understanding what the admissions committee is looking for, and then over-delivering.

To that end, Leong recommended making sure you're ready to invest yourself fully in the mission of preparing your application.

"I don't mean normal preparations — I mean total dedication and focus on every aspect of the process, including the interview," said Leong. "If you're not willing to go the extra mile, maybe you should reconsider." 

Read more: The 25 best executive MBA programs in the world to help you reach the C-suite

Stay business-school specific 

As you work on fine-tuning the story you want to tell, your focus is important. Thadani recommended that your message stay firmly on what a Wharton MBA specifically can help you achieve.

"Try to avoid defaulting to reasons for attending business school that can be achieved outside of the classroom," said Thadani. "For example, if you're looking for hands-on operational experience, you probably don't need an MBA for that. Wharton provides you with the tools, resources, and community to tackle challenges in the real world."

Blackman concluded: "When a succinct and clear 'why MBA', 'why Wharton' is missing, it will sink an application."

This article was originally published on Business Insider September 27, 2019. It has been updated with new information.

SEE ALSO: The dean of Harvard Business School explains what personality types he looks for in MBA candidates

Join the conversation about this story »

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• With 360-feedback season in full swing at Netflix, Business Insider spoke with former employees who had risen through the ranks at the streaming company to learn what it takes to get ahead there.
• The insiders said new hires should spend the first few months at the company adjusting to the culture and pace.
• Relationships are also key, the insiders said: find time for one-on-one meetings with higher ups and get to know leaders on adjacent teams.
• And get comfortable giving and responding to feedback, which is core aspect of Netflix's culture.
• "At Netflix," one insider said, "you have to drive your own career growth ... if you want to scale up or take on more responsibilities."
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

From the outside looking in, Netflix's corporate culture can appear cutthroat.

The streaming company describes itself in its culture memo as a ''dream team" that only employs the "extraordinary" and the "stunning." Adequate performers tend to get the axe, and four months of severance pay, according to the document.

Such a high-performance culture can be intimidating for new hires, especially during the spring 360-degree feedback season, which is usually held during March or April. It's the time of year when Netflix employees are encouraged to submit feedback to anyone in the company, all the way up to chief executive Reed Hastings.

Like many things at Netflix, which touts employee "freedom and responsibility," there's no formal structure for climbing the corporate ladder. So Business Insider spoke with nine former Netflix employees who rose through ranks or had long tenures at the company to learn what it takes to get ahead there. 

The bulk of the insiders agreed that there are plenty of opportunities to advance your career within Netflix, once you learn how to navigate its culture.

Netflix declined to comment for this story.

Spend your first 3 months at Netflix assimilating to the culture

Netflix insiders said new hires should spend their first few months at the streaming company getting acclimated to its workplace culture, learning its current priorities, and adjusting to the pace.

Netflix is a large, fast-moving, global organization, but taking on too much too quickly can overwhelm and potentially derail your career there.

"Do not try to add value during the first three months," one former employee at the company said. "Focus on culture, diversity and inclusion, and other things that are important but more aspirational."

The same Netflix insider also recommended blocking out time on your calendar during those first few months to think — catch up on memos, brainstorm, or prepare for projects — and to focus on wellness and sleep.

"The energy ... is like electricity and it will drain you," the insider said. "You have to stay ahead of it. There's so much work to be done that you won't take care of yourself."

Learn what it means to be a 'stunning colleague' on your team

As at many companies, the best way to get ahead at Netflix is to crush it at the job you were hired for.

The Netflix insiders said the streaming company is made of of hundreds of different teams that, for the most part, operate independently of one another. Every team, and manager, evaluates success differently. Ask your manager how they judge people on the team.

In the content division, led by content chief Ted Sarandos, insiders said the fastest way to move up is to bring in hit shows.

One benchmark content execs use to evaluate the success of their shows is "efficiency," a ratio of a project's budget to its viewership, as The Hollywood Reporter previously reported. The content, strategy, and planning team creates efficiency projections for each show. Surpassing those forecasts can signal a hit.

Another measure is "watch percentage," or the share of Netflix subscribers who are watching a given show. A watch percentage of higher than 15% is generally considered very good, one former content exec said, adding that that benchmark can vary by genre or type of show.

"At Netflix, talent development is much more amorphous [than at other places]," the former employee said. "Certainly on the content side the fastest way to get moved up is to bring in a hit show."

Insiders on other teams, like engineering and talent acquisition, said there weren't always clear-cut performance metrics that employees could use to evaluate their own success. Some managers gave specific tactical or strategic targets to their teams. Others had goals that were harder to measure, like innovation.

The insiders on those teams said the best ways to move up within the organization, regardless of your team, is to listen to the feedback your manager gives during "one-on-ones." Employees typically meet with their bosses one-on-one once a week or every other week.

Netflix has few title levels — for example, on engineering (a subset of product chief Greg Peters' team), there are four levels: senior engineer, manager, director, and vice president — so the insiders said they typically judged their own career progressions year to year by whether they took on more responsibility or received pay raises, rather than promotions.

"A Netflix, you have to drive your own career growth in terms of if you want to scale up or take on more responsibilities," one former employee said. "The growth you'll see, unless you push really hard, is just adjustments to your compensation."

That doesn't mean there aren't opportunities to get a title promotion. Everyone Business Insider spoke with said they'd known people who had managed to climb the corporate ladder to manager, director, or the even the tough-to-get vice president position.

Schedule one-on-ones with executives above you

Most of the Netflix insiders said advancing at Netflix was as much about relationships as job performance.

All Netflix employees are expected to be top performers, so "socializing your role," as one insider put it, can help you stand out when it comes time for a promotion.

"Try to get meetings with those above you," the insider said. "The longer they've been at Netflix the better ... When you have explosive growth like Netflix has, just educating your colleagues on what you do is a challenge."

But it is also crucial to your career path.

Promotions are decided by managers, with the support of the team's designated human-resources-business partners (HRBP). Together, they have a broad view of the team's needs and who might be up to taking on a leadership role.

Your manager will make a case for why they plan to promote you, and ask for feedback from a panel of other people at the level you're being considered for. Those people will give input on whether they think you're ready for the role. If they don't know you, they can't recommend you. (If one of the higher ups doesn't think you're ready for the promotion, you may also be asked to meet with that person to discuss.)

Insiders said employees should try to schedule one-on-ones with higher ups, so they can vouch for you if asked. It can be tough to find time on an executive's schedule, the people said, but most will be happy to meet with you if you ask.

Team reorganizations, which insiders said happen often at Netflix, can also be opportunities to get the attention of a higher up.

Employee departures are often announced in internal "postmortem" emails sent to that person's team, or in the company-wide listserv, "Welcome, farewells, and promotions."

Read more about Netflix's postmortem emails:Netflix insiders share how they feel about its internal 'postmortem' emails that detail why employees were fired to their coworkers

An email announcing that multiple people within a department are being let go and a higher-level leader is stepping in to run the group could be an opening.

"If you happen to see teams struggling, leaders being replaced, and higher-level leaders stepping in," one insider said. "Then you go talk to that leader and say, 'What can I do to help you?' ... Then you have an opportunity to stand out."

Get comfortable giving and receiving feedback, as it can impact your pay and promotions

If you want to long career at Netflix, embrace open feedback. It's the best way to know how you're performing and what you should improve to get ahead.

It's not uncommon to receive feedback in the middle of team meetings, during one-on-one sessions, or in email chains and other internal communications, insiders said. Feedback is one of the most commonly used words in Netflix's current culture memo, along with "efficient."

"Think about it like someone has a piece of noodles or spinach between their teeth," one former employee said. "You would want to point it out to them as a matter of compassion, almost. That is the analogy that is being used internally to explain the feedback culture."

Managers are also encouraged to regularly conduct the "keeper test" of whether they would fight to keep an employee from leaving, so staffers know exactly where they stand at any given time.

And, once a year, Netflix also prompts employees to give feedback to colleagues during what's known as 360-degree reviews.

Employees can review anyone within the organization through a software tool called 360. People may receive feedback from their direct manager, as well as other people they've worked with.

"It's a period of time where you can self-reflect and reflect on your peers," one insider said. 

The process is freeform; people can write whatever they want. For newcomers, Netflix suggests using the "start, stop, continue" template to help organize your thoughts, insiders said. It's a common management tool that focuses on things a person should start doing, stop doing, and continue doing.

Each person's boss, HRBP, and superiors all the way up the chain of command have access to the feedback the employee gives and receives.

The season can be jarring for people who are new to Netflix.

"I had a number of people I hired who were very afraid," one insider said. "In reality, probably the only way you would get fired is if it was a known issue, there was an assumption things had gotten better, and it had not. If people expected waves of firings they'd get really cautious and that's not what you want to have happen."

Longtimers said it's not so scary once you're used to it.

"After the initial year, I didn't think much of them,"one insider said. "I know some people are a lot more sensitive."

Netflix's annual compensation reviews are held separately from the 360s, and usually occur in November or December. 

Managers look at the people on their teams who have taken on more responsibility, changed roles, or are in positions that have become more valuable, and raise their pay accordingly. The managers in each division also get together to "calibrate" the compensation before raises are given out, to make sure one boss isn't paying more than another for comparable roles. Employees are notified about their raises during routine one-on-ones with their bosses.

While Netflix pays employees based on the "personal market" for their skills and responsibilities, insiders said the feedback you receive during 360s and throughout the year can also impact pay raises, as it does at most other companies.

Lingering issues that haven't been resolved by the annual compensation reviews could affect how much of a bump you receive, insiders said.

"The compensation review is an assessment of what the current market is for your role," one insider said. "There is also a multiplier on top of that ... based on your personal performance in your role. But I wouldn't say it necessarily was a large part of it."

Another insider had occasionally hold off on raises during review season to employees who had only recently received important feedback, to give them time to resolve those issues. Those employees who successfully addressed the issues would usually receive their expected raises a few months later. Managers can give out raises at any time, when warranted, which allows for that flexibility.

"This was a nuance that was brought in recently; there are exceptions," that insider said.

Don't ignore the feedback you receive

It's not always clear how seriously to take the feedback received during 360s or one-on-ones, some insiders said. But the one thing that won't let help you advance your career at Netflix is ignoring the feedback altogether.

Two former employees said they had been fired over issues they thought were minor, and later saw them cited in postmortem emails to staffers describing why they were let go.

"Where it gets tricky is, some managers ... don't say, 'this is a problem that might affect your career here at Netflix,'" another insider said.

The key is to stay in touch with your manager and your HRBP on any feedback you receive. Ask your manager outright how seriously you should take an issue that was raised, and keep them tuned into your progress.

"Stay in close touch with your manager," the insider said. "Ask your manager point blank."

For more on Netflix's corporate culture, see our coverage on BI Prime:

• Netflix insiders share how they feel about its internal 'postmortem' emails that detail why employees were fired to their coworkers: After firing an employee, Netflix explains its reasons for letting the person go in an internal "postmortem" email, as people within the company call them.
• Exactly what it takes to get a job at Netflix, according to its head of hiring, former employees, and recruiting experts: Insiders share their best tips for navigating the hiring process, from how to prep for an interview to what to do if you don't get the job.
• How to get noticed by Netflix job recruiters who can help you get hired, according to company insiders: The first step is to craft your online persona to tell your professional story.
• How to get a job interview at Netflix with the help of employee referrals — and what to avoid doing, according to company insiders: Recommendations from Netflix employees can get prospective candidates noticed by Netflix recruiters. Former employees shared their top tips on getting referrals, and using them to land a job.
• Netflix's 5 toughest job-interview questions, according to company insiders: These are some of the job interview questions prospective candidates should be prepared to answer at any stage of the hiring process.
• Netflix's recruiting boss reveals the team the company is staffing up the most in 2020: Netflix's creative-production team will be its biggest hiring priority.
• The top 10 slides from Netflix's groundbreaking first culture deck that experts say had the most impact: Netflix's culture deck is a must read for prospective candidates. Recruiters explain what sets Netflix's culture apart from other tech companies.

Join the conversation about this story »

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• Jill Koziol and Liz Tenety are the cofounders of Motherly, a modern lifestyle brand redefining motherhood that has a monthly audience of over 30 million people.
• Since Motherly was founded five years ago, it has operated with an entirely remotely team and has grown to a team of over 50 people.
• Koziol and Tenety were consistently told by investors and advisors that running a venture-backed company completely remotely would never be successful — instead of believing them, the pair proved them wrong.
• They share how remote working doesn't make their business more difficult to manage — it actually makes it more successful and promotes a better work-life balance for their employees.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Many employees are facing a prolonged term working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In many cases, both employers and employees are freaking out about what this means for the health and future of their company. We are living in a moment of collective hysteria about whether we can actually do this while working remotely.

We are the cofounders of Motherly, a venture-backed, multimillion-dollar company with over 50 employees, and we've operated as a fully remote organization since conception five years ago.

We are successful because of being remote, not in spite of it. If we allow it, this moment has an enormous amount to teach us about the future of work. 

From the beginning at Motherly, which we cofounded as mothers of now six children between us, we wanted to create a workplace that allowed our employees to fully integrate their professional and personal lives. 

We heard consistent feedback from investors, advisors, and partners that our ambition to run a venture-backed company with a fully remote team was not possible. Undeterred, we built the best of remote work into everything we do — hiring incredible talent wherever they happen to live, cutting down on overhead by not paying for office space, making KPIs the core of what we do, cultivating a culture based on a strong sense of mission, and empowering our employees to simply get the job done. 

As a result, we've been able to do both preschool drop-off and lead board meetings on the same day because of the flexibility a fully remote company allows.

The trade-offs people worry about are minor in comparison to the gains companies reap by empowering their employees to get the job done in a remote environment.

Admittedly, there are ways in which this coronavirus-induced work-from-home environment is different, namely that people are trying to get the job done while also looking after small children without childcare. This is a very challenging situation, and to be clear, under normal circumstances our employees are expected to have childcare coverage during the hours they're working.  

On our own team, we are recommending shift work, ruthlessly prioritizing KPIs, and opening communication with managers. And we are finding it is still possible to apply the broader lessons about remote and flexible work to this acute situation. 

Let's address some of the biggest concerns about remote work, what they can uncover about your business, and how you can turn them into advantages.

SEE ALSO: How to lead your team when everyone's working from home, according to a president who's managed more than 350 remote workers for over a decade

DON'T MISS: 3 ways to stay connected and not feel lonely by 'bringing your human to work' while working from home

Myth #1: In-person interactions are necessary to drive business results

Today's social distancing measures may be an introvert's dream, but even for those that crave human interaction remote work isn't the end. Collaboration is easier than ever with video conferencing technologies and synchronous communication tools becoming ubiquitous.

There are dozens of video conference platforms that can now take the place of in-person meetings or cross-country work trips. Slack and Google Docs allow teams to collaborate remotely in real time. Client meetings? There's Zoom for that, and you can even order in a DoorDash-ed lunch for your clients or team. Video conferencing can also be used effectively by managers to deliver performance reviews and tackle hard conversations. 

Discovering a manager has challenges managing a team remotely may be an indicator they need help with technology or more skills in the emotional intelligence department. It can also indicate a lack of agility in your workforce, something that's critical in today's business environment, regardless of the COVID-19 black swan we are currently experiencing.

Myth #2: But so much creativity comes from bumping into each other at the water cooler!

This is an antiquated idea that needs to be rejected. (Also, who has water coolers anymore?) In our experience, the notion that you can only be creative when you're sitting together in an office has not materialized. In fact, the modern office with its open floor plan, lack of privacy, and constant distractions creates major downsides for productivity, which in turn can limit creativity. 

Remote companies are also not hindered by physical barriers between departments, better facilitating cross-functional sharing and creativity. Interestingly, in practice there is actually less separation between remote teams because everyone interacts more horizontally, which means problems can be solved better and faster. 

Creativity can flow at any company when people feel safe to share new ideas and are given space to offer up fresh perspectives without feeling rejected or judged. We agree that there needs to be a dedicated time and place for creativity — or what we at Motherly call "flaring"— which is why we have team-wide Friday Flares via video conference each week where we dedicate time to exploring how to improve or change something in our business.

If you find creativity hurt by remote work, it's time to question what fiefdoms have been created across your business that limit knowledge sharing and why employees might not feel safe sharing ideas. Ultimately, the more you empower people and the more autonomy they're given, the more creativity you get, remote or otherwise.

Myth #3: Company culture will suffer and people won't feel connected

Does anyone really believe a strong culture is formed through in-person staff meetings or birthday lunches? Deep down we know that's not true. The challenge is that building a strong company culture takes far more work and thoughtfulness than ordering a sheet cake for a party. It takes a passionate commitment to a shared mission and teams embodying core values at the individual level.

At Motherly, we hire to our values. We look for a passion and a shared sense of purpose, a belief that what we are doing at Motherly matters. 

And it works. 

Our annual culture survey shows that our team feels unified, connected, and understood by their teammates and managers. And when we get together for our annual IRL meet-ups each year, the connection our team feels between them is obvious. They know each other on a deep level and are bonded by our mission. They greet each other with affection and excitement and stay up late chatting in the hotel lobby trading company lore and anecdotes from their personal lives. 

Don't rely on proximity to encourage realness. It's critical to stress the importance of being empowered and speaking truth to power, encouraging teams to share constructive criticism versus platitudes.

Ask yourself how strong your culture is and what's driving it. Do the hard work to understand what's motivating your team to work together and how you can reinforce company values and mission to unify them, creating a strong culture in the process — regardless of the number of in-person staff meetings.

Myth #4: If they work from home, employees won't work

A persistent fear we hear from business leaders is that if their employees work from home, they won't actually work. Enter visions of top talent frittering the day away on social media, Netflix, and afternoon naps. If this is your fear, you have much bigger problems than your employees working remotely — you don't trust the people who work for you. 

When you cut out the one to two hours workers spend commuting to and from work each day, you give them back hours of their life. You give them time with their children, space to squeeze in a run, or time to actually go to the grocery store. 

At Motherly, we have found that we get that time back in spades in job satisfaction, commitment to our company, willingness to put in overtime when necessary, and overall employee retention. When you treat your employees like capable adults, they act like them. 

Want to win at business while your team is working from home? Set clear guardrails and ensure your team has clear KPIs and deliverables — and hold them to those standards. Businesses that measure to clear KPIs perform better, period. Why should you care when and how that work gets done?

This is a challenging time filled with new constraints for businesses, but remote work doesn't have to be one of them. Take this time to lean into this moment with curiosity, not fear, seeing it as an opportunity to discover where there are soft spots in your business, where employee engagement is lacking, where values and mission are misunderstood, and where leaders aren't actually effective managers. 

Because remote work isn't just our present, temporary situation, it's our future. And, it's good business. 

Jill Koziol is the cofounder and CEO of Motherly, a modern lifestyle brand redefining motherhood with its over 30 million monthly audience. She is also the coauthor of "This Is Motherhood: A Motherly Collection of Reflections and Practices" and the forthcoming book, "The Motherly Guide to Becoming Mama: Redefining the Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum Journey." Jill is passionate about serving and empowering women and mothers because when mamas are successful, everyone wins. She is an advocate for families, female founders, and how to thrive with multiple sclerosis. Jill lives in Menlo Park, California with her husband and two daughters. You can see Jill's article on Motherly here, and follow her on LinkedIn and at @JillKoziol on Instagram.

Liz Tenety is cofounder and chief digital officer of Motherly. Liz oversees digital community at Motherly, leading content strategy and audience development, and serves as host of The Motherly Podcast. An award-winning former Washington Post editor and video producer,  she is also the coauthor of "This Is Motherhood: A Motherly Collection of Reflections and Practices" and the forthcoming book, "The Motherly Guide to Becoming Mama: Redefining the Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum Journey." Liz resides outside NYC with her husband, three sons, one daughter, and one amazing au pair. You can see Liz's articles on Motherly here, and follow her at @etenty on Instagram. 

• Beauty industry trailblazer Madam CJ Walker is the leading character in a new Netflix series, "Self Made." Historians consider Walker to be America's first self-made female millionaire.
• In the late 1800s, Walker experienced hair loss from a scalp condition. She used this personal struggle as a catalyst to launch a line of hair products for black women.
• The historian A'Lelia Bundles, a descendant of Walker, shared with Business Insider the strategies that led the entrepreneur to amass a $2 million fortune (more than $30 million today after inflation).
• Bundles credits the entrepreneur's use of advertising, her ability to learn from strong leaders, and her perseverance as the main factors behind the successful business.
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Kylie Jenner may be widely considered the world's youngest self-made billionaire, but she's far from being the first beauty-industry trailblazer.

Netflix recently premiered "Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam CJ Walker"  a series starring and executive produced by award-winning actress Octavia Spencer, who documents the struggles of the nation's first female millionaire. 

Nearly 100 years before the success of the Kardashian-Jenner clan, there was Madam CJ Walker. Most historians agree that Walker was America's first female millionaire, and she built her fortune through beauty products. Walker, who was the first child in her family to be born free, began her career as a washerwoman before finding her fortune in entrepreneurship. She eventually became the head of a $2 million empire, or more than $30 million in today's dollars.

In the 1890s, Walker lost most of her hair to a scalp condition. She then developed a secret formula for scalp ointments and shampoos to help her deal with the issue — and this inspired a line of haircare products for black women.

To gauge what made Walker so successful, Business Insider contacted her great-great-granddaughter, A'Lelia Bundles, a historian who wrote the biography "On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker." Bundles identified three key strategies that her famous ancestor used to solidify her success in the beauty industry and amass a fortune.

Here are the tips, which Bundles said could still work for any entrepreneur today.

Effectively market the product

Walker's third husband, Charles Joseph Walker, encouraged her to ditch her given name, Sarah Breedlove, and use something more recognizable. She took the title "Madam," which was a common name for businesswomen in her era, and adopted her husband's initials. After the name switch, she began printing her face on the containers of her special pomade, Madam CJ Walker's Wonderful Hair Grower. According to Bundles, having her name and likeness on the product fostered a personal connection with her ever-growing audience of black women.

"She would have been an Instagram girl," Bundles said. "She really did understand advertising."

In fact, studies show it is easier to recognize faces than names. Because of this, people are more likely to remember a brand with a human face. Going further, Walker promoted her lectures about issues affecting the black community in newspapers around the country. Bundles said Walker created a special presentation on the issues closest to her heart, which she shared with the masses (a PowerPoint deck decades before PowerPoint).

"She became more savvy about how to tell her story," Bundles said. "She was the attraction before the internet, before television, before many towns had movies."

Bundles said Walker's popular lectures were often held in African American churches. There, Walker would gather about 10 to 15 black women who were interested in becoming "agents," or sales representatives. Then, she taught them how to market the product.

"She was always attuned to the women who were asking the best questions and the women to whom others gravitated," Bundles said. Because of this, the person who stood out in the group was hired as her lead sales agent for that town.

Bundles said Walker repeated this hiring strategy throughout her US tours. By employing curious sales agents across America, Walker pushed her products further into the mainstream market.

Identify leaders you can learn from

Walker identified leaders on her board who were detail-oriented and had experience managing others and whom she could learn from. Bundles said Walker hired Alice Kelly, a former dean of girls at a boarding school in Kentucky, who later managed her manufacturing company. While on the road, Kelly tutored Walker on grammar.

As a leader who didn't have the benefits of a formal education, Walker leaned on employees who could help her develop her skills. She eventually surrounded herself with a savvy team who helped grow her workforce to 3,000 employees. In fact, experts agree that to improve management, bosses should hire employees who are smarter than them.

Another key leader was Walker's secretary, Violet Davis Reynolds, who was hired as a teenager. During their travels, Reynolds also wrote letters and flyers promoting the products. Because of this detailed paper trail, Walker's business left behind a rare trove of records that paint a picture of what black entrepreneurship was like at the start of the 20th century.

"Her attorney and her office people kept excellent records," Bundles said. "Through that careful record keeping, we are able to document her life, which is very unusual for any company founded in the early 1900s by women or people of color."

Push past rejection from investors

In the early 1900s, a friend introduced Walker to Booker T. Washington, a founder of the National Negro Business League. At the time, Washington was one of the most powerful black men in the country. Yet, he declined to offer Walker any investments. An excerpt of the rejection letter in "On Her Own Ground" says Washington's "time and attention" were "occupied" with building his institution.

"It shows how then as now, women and people of color often are underestimated in their pursuits to start businesses," Bundles said.

The leaders, however, did share the same values for self-promotion. Later, Washington invited her to speak at National Negro Business League conventions. The group eventually endorsed Walker as "the foremost businesswoman of our race." Because of this platform, Walker's network expanded.

Research has long touted the importance of people skills in any successful business plan. In fact, a 2016 Harvard University study used figures from 1918 that found 85% of job success comes from people skills, a set of behaviors that allow one to connect with other humans. Business Insider previously reported that asking for help encouraged empathy and could open up greater levels of trust.

While Walker won over Washington through their shared values, Bundles said the leader never financially invested in the business. Like Walker, female founders today still struggle to secure funding. In fact, Business Insider reported that startups founded by women accounted for 2.9% of total venture investments in the first half of 2019.

"Walker would be really glad to know that there are lots of women CEOs and more women millionaires in business," Bundles said. "But she would be really frustrated to see that the needle has not moved on people who have the resources, being willing to invest in companies."

SEE ALSO: 15 African Americans you may not have heard of but should definitely know

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• Facebook, Microsoft, and Twitter, among others, are contributing resources toward a hackathon for building tech products that address coronavirus-related issues.
• Developers can build any technology of their choosing, but the World Health Organization provided some examples of areas where help is needed the most.
• Those examples include technologies that can help support medical workers as well as those that can protect vulnerable populations.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Tech giants such as Facebook, Microsoft, and Twitter are all contributing to a hackathon project that encourages developers to build technology that addresses challenges and issues related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Online hackathon provider Devpost is hosting the initiative.

Participants can build any technology of their choice, but the World Health Organization worked with Devpost to provide some areas where help is needed the most.

These include focusing on heath initiatives, like technologies that can help support medical workers or scale telemedicine, help vulnerable populations like the elderly stay safe, working on remote learning environments that teachers and schools can use, and promoting social connections as people remain socially isolated. 

Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter, Giphy, TikTok, Pinterest, Slack, and WeChat will be contributing resources to support developers looking to participate. In addition to WHO, scientists at the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub are also partnering with Devpost on the project.

It's rare for major technology firms that often compete with one another to work together on a common project, although they sometimes collaborate to encourage the adoption of new technology standards across the industry.

In addition to providing resources for the global hackathon, many of these companies are also leveraging their own products and platforms to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Facebook, for example, is providing free services to government health organizations and UN agencies looking to use its Messenger service as a tool to spread accurate and helpful information about COVID-19. Argentina's Ministry of Health is using this tool, according to Facebook.

As it relates to the hackathon, Facebook is providing educational materials and Facebook Live tutorials to developers looking to participate.

The deadline to submit projects is March 30, with the highlighted selections being announced on April 3.

SEE ALSO: I just started playing the wildly popular game 'Animal Crossing' that has taken over the internet, and I'm convinced it's the perfect way to escape COVID-19 lockdown life

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NOW WATCH: Jeff Bezos reportedly just spent $165 million on a Beverly Hills estate — here are all the ways the world's richest man makes and spends his money

• With a recession likely, entire industries on pause, new job openings dwindling, and unemployment soaring, five seasoned recruiters shared how job seekers can network with recruiters during the current hiring slowdown hitting many sectors due to coronavirus.
• Many potential employers are currently downsizing and not hiring, and at the same time the market is being flooded with talent looking for work.
• On the bright side, however, just like candidates have more time to talk during slowdowns, so will some recruiters, so now is the perfect time to initiate new relationships with recruiters.
• Be cautious and considerate when reaching out, name drop, and expect slower response times.
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

Across nearly all aspects of society — the world of recruiting included — what was once the norm is no longer a given. That's how immediate and all-encompassing the impact of the current global coronavirus pandemic has been.

Add to that a predicted recession that's expected to rival the Great Recession, mass layoffs, and skyrocketing unemployment claims, and those who have been on the lookout for new opportunities since before the crisis and those now suddenly experiencing job loss or insecurity as a result of the economic fallout may be wondering what the new rules of engagement for job seekers are in this day and age.

Business Insider reached out to five recruiters with dozens of years of experience combined — dating back to the time of the Great Recession and earlier — and who have placed candidates across industries. Here's their advice for how job seekers can keep the door open to new opportunities, even during these uncertain times.

Acknowledge the changes that are happening and rise to the challenge by demonstrating humanity and kindness

Businesses are scrambling, and the new normal is anything but normal for most — and that's something today's job seekers need to recognize, said Hermon Ghermay, director of the marketing, media, and communications executive search firm Grace Blue who has placed candidates at Harman, Omnicom, Omidyar Networks, R/GA, and Universal McCann. 

She encouraged job seekers to acknowledge what's happening with every outreach, and with more than a generic "I hope you're doing well" one-liner, which could come across as insincere. 

"Sound human, not 'professional,'" she said. "The tone of the conversations I've had with perfect strangers this week has been refreshingly intimate and is a reminder of the power of vulnerability in creating connections. From the travel industry executive who was having to lay off staff while tending to a vomiting five-year-old and looking to get tested for coronavirus, to the SVP who was rushing to get a mother-in-law."

Reset expectations for response rates and times

Many of the recruiters Business Insider reached out to shared the same advice about any form of outreach during this time: Be respectful and patient.

"Don't get frustrated about calls getting pushed back or read into delayed timing," said Ghermay, who explained that some roles may be on hold indefinitely due to the current circumstances. It's not personal and it's not a reflection of you as a qualified candidate, it's about "companies trying to ascertain their talent needs in this new environment," she said, explaining that everyone involved in the process — leaders, hiring managers, recruiters — are dealing with limited information as everything changes so quickly. 

For industries most directly impacted by the pandemic, two competing forces are at play, both at job seekers' disadvantage — employers are going through a period of contracting while simultaneously the market is experiencing a flood of talent looking for work. In short: companies are "thinking about which talent to retain, not who they'll add," noted Ghermay.

Be cautious and considerate when reaching out 

For candidates who have recently interviewed with a company and haven't heard back in more than two weeks, "It's OK to reach out to a recruiter and check in," said Kim Hoffman, a talent-acquisition director at Intuit who has 20 years of recruiter and talent experience and has hired thousands of candidates in her career.

She provided the following template for reaching out:

• Preface the email by recognizing the situation, and asking if the recruiter is staying safe during this time. 
• Mention that with the current situation, you understand that timelines may have shifted, so you're checking in to see if there is anything further needed from you. 

"Then, I would give them breathing room to respond at their own time," she explained.

Use "judgment when it comes to frequency and be empathetically persistent and considerate of not flooding inboxes and voicemails," said Ghermay. You should stick to whatever communication channel (email, phone, text, or LinkedIn messages) has already been in use with the recruiter. 

"If you're not getting a response or not getting a response as quickly as you'd like, be patient and resist the temptation to reach out repeatedly on multiple channels," she said.

Pete Sosnowski, the head of human resources and cofounder of the resume-building website Zety, added, "If the company [has] put on hold all hiring activities, ask when would be a good time to reconnect."

Even if a given opportunity has been put on hold, candidates can still check in with recruiters with whom they've established relationships every couple of weeks to be considered for future positions, said Tom McGee, the general manager of the sales and marketing division at the executive-recruiting firm Lucas Group. McGee has 35 years of experience in recruiting and has placed candidates at global companies like True Value, Ashley Furniture, and Thomson Reuters. 

As to what to avoid when reaching out, the recruiters interviewed shared that the following would be seen as crossing a line professionally:

• Insisting on meeting in person — given the current call for physical distancing.
• Reaching out to the same individual recruiters more than once a week.
• Continuing to reach out about opportunities when employers have made it clear that all recruitment activities are canceled or will be on hold for a set amount of time.

Don't be afraid to initiate new relationships with recruiters — they may have more time on their hands to connect

For job seekers looking to expand their networks at this time, McGee shared that there may be an even more receptive audience on the other end. "Just like the candidates have more time to talk during the slowdown, so do recruiters, so reach out and talk to someone," he said. "The more people you reach out to, the more success you can have."

In industries that haven't been as affected — other than by moving online instead of doing their work in a physical office, "recruiters might get back to their normal activities very quickly," said Sosnowski, who shared similar advice for candidates to use this time to reach out, especially when they think they're the best fit for a new opportunity. 

"You're actually doing them a favor by pointing their attention to (possibly) the right candidate," he said.

When candidates do reach out, it's important to remember that recruiter-candidate relationships are a two-way street, shared Ghermay. Candidates can add value by asking how they can help recruiters, making "thoughtful" referrals, and sharing industry trends, news, and learnings, she added.

For example, here are a couple lines Ghermay provided for making connections between a recruiter and one's network:

• If there are any searches you're currently working on that I can help source talent for, just let me know the criteria or share a job description and I'll think of anyone in my network that I can introduce you to.
• A former colleague is trying to fill a couple of business critical roles and could use an external partner to help with that, can I connect you both?

Save recruiters time by crafting an attention-grabbing elevator pitch — and name drop whenever possible

More important than resumes, elevator pitches are what help recruiters sell candidates to key decision makers, said Ghermay.

"Be concise and precise … make it easy for the recruiter to advocate for you by highlighting what skills and experiences match up with the job requirements," she explained.

For candidates being referred to the role, be sure to name that person — particularly in the subject lines of initial emails to recruiters, recommended Ghermay.

Invest in yourself 

This is a great time to cross off items on the to-do list — whether that's seeking the help of a professional coach, taking new classes, or building a website showcasing career experience and work samples, said Ghermay.

Some other ideas Hoffman shared are updating your resume and LinkedIn profile and seeking out networking opportunities. 

While in-person networking may be on hold, connecting online is always an option. 

"Some companies are offering virtual events where they discuss different topics or projects happening within the company," Hoffman added. "These can be great activities to continue to make yourselves more marketable during this time."

Kerri McKinney, the director of global sourcing for Terminal.io, a remote engineering staffing company, who has over 10 years of experience in the recruiting industry hiring for high-growth companies, including Indeed.com, PayPal, and Amazon, suggested considering virtual coffees and informational interviews. "People may be hungry for interaction during this time and happy to discuss professional growth opportunities," she said.

Hoffman suggested job seekers can set these up by reaching out to friends or peers at companies of interest.

Be open to new kinds of opportunities

One of the best ways candidates can keep the door open, said Ghermay, is by being open to new kinds of possibilities. 

"The world looks very different today than it did even a week ago, and it will keep changing," said Ghermay, adding that job opportunities will likely look different, too. "Don't be myopic about opportunities or have stagnant career goals. Think creatively about what might be next and be willing to connect with different groups and communities."

SEE ALSO: The exact steps a freelancer turned entrepreneur took to build up a 6-figure salary and self-fund her own startup

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• Senate leaders and the White House have tentatively agreed on a $2 trillion coronavirus relief package.
• The bill includes directly sending people checks depending on the income they reported on their 2018 taxes, the Los Angeles Times reported.
• The payments would start at $1,200, declining for individuals who made $75,000 or married couples who filed jointly and made $150,000.
• People who made $99,000 or more and couples who made $198,000 or more would not be eligible for the payment.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The White House and leaders in the Senate have come to a tentative agreement on a nearly $2 trillion stimulus package to deal with the effects of the coronavirus outbreak, and it includes a provision to send checks to Americans.

The direct payments would fluctuate depending on the income a person reported on their 2018 taxes, the Los Angeles Times reported.

They would start at $1,200 for people who made less than $75,000 and decrease for individuals who made more than that or married couples who filed jointly and made $150,000 or more.

People who made $99,000 or more and couples who made $198,000 or more would not be eligible for the payment.

The details of the package still need to be finalized before the Senate can vote on the bill. The House of Representatives would also need to pass the legislation and the president would need to sign it for it to become law, though both are likely to approve it.

It was unclear how the government would deliver the payments or how quickly they could be distributed.

Here's everything you need to know about the payments.

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• Senate lawmakers and the White House have agreed on a $2 trillion stimulus bill to bolster the US economy during the coronavirus pandemic.
• The Senate will vote on the bill Wednesday, after which it needs to pass in the House before being signed into law by President Donald Trump.
• The proposed relief package includes about $500 billion in loans and other help to companies and state and local governments, $350 billion to small businesses, and $150 billion to hospitals and healthcare providers, Bloomberg reported.
• It would also expand unemployment benefits by boosting the payment amount by $600 per week for up to 4 months and including provisions for self-employed and contract workers, according to Vox.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Senate lawmakers and the White House have reached an agreement on a $2 trillion stimulus bill to bolster the US economy during the coronavirus pandemic.

The proposed relief package, which still needs to pass in the House of Representatives before being signed into law by President Donald Trump, includes about $500 billion in loans and other help to companies and state and local governments, $350 billion to small businesses, and $150 billion to hospitals and healthcare providers, Bloomberg reported.

While the final text of the bill has not been finalized, one of its core tenets is expanding unemployment benefits.

"Every American worker who is laid off will have their salary remunerated by the federal government so they can pay their bills," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said. 

The US has already seen a historic spike in people applying for unemployment benefits as the pandemic results in mass layoffs. For the week ending March 14, jobless claims jumped by 70,000 to 281,000. This Thursday, the Labor Department will be publishing the number of new jobless claims for the week ending March 21, and it's poised to be historically bad news for American workers. Goldman Sachs estimates the number could be a record 2.25 million, more than three times the previous record high of nearly 700,000 set in 1982. The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) estimates that 3 million total jobs could be lost by the summer due to the pandemic.

Here's how the proposed bill would affect unemployment insurance.

An extra $600 per week for up to 4 months, and provisions for self-employed and contract workers

The package would increase the amount each unemployment claimant receives per week by $600, according to Vox. In January, the average unemployment insurance check was $385 per week, as Vox noted, so an additional $600 is a huge jump.

Claimants will be eligible to receive these higher benefit amounts for up to four months.

The bill also includes a Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which provides up to 39 weeks — or about five-and-a-half months — of unemployment benefits to those who typically aren't eligible, including self-employed and contract workers, according to the American Action Forum.

The compromise on the stimulus package was announced in the early hours of Wednesday morning, but the full text with specifics was not expected to be released until later in the morning. The Senate could vote on the bill in the early afternoon, The Washington Post reported.

The new coronavirus bill was not the first to address unemployment insurance in response to the pandemic. On March 18, Congress passed and Trump signed into law the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which expanded unemployment benefits and gave grants to states for processing and paying unemployment claims.

The federal government also previously issued guidance to states to allow more flexibility with granting unemployment benefits to employees who can't go to work because their workplace was shut down, to workers who are quarantined, and to those who leave work due to a risk of exposure or infection or to care for a family member.

The novel coronavirus, which has infected more than 436,000 worldwide and killed more than 19,600, has also dealt a huge blow to the economy and will likely cause a global recession.

SEE ALSO: How to file for unemployment benefits if you lose your job during the coronavirus pandemic

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NOW WATCH: Pathologists debunk 13 myths about the coronavirus, including why masks won't help

• TikTok is one of the most popular social platforms, particularly among Gen Z, where users can watch short-form video clips and create something that could go viral.
• Some of the most popular creators have millions of followers who watch them lip-sync, dance, and produce comedy skits as they grow into high-profile influencers.
• These are the 40 most popular TikTok stars, who found fame on the platform and racked millions of followers.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The most popular figures on social media platforms like TikTok are well beyond mega-celebrity status in the eyes of their teen fans.

These TikTok stars claim millions of followers — many who are of part of Gen Z themselves — and found fame by creating short video clips lip-syncing to soundbites, showing off viral dances, and crafting comedy skits that get shared thousands of times. Even if you've never heard of the app, it's worth getting familiar with. TikTok has more than 1.5 billion all-time downloads, and its popularity and influence only continues to spread.

The hottest accounts on the 2-year-old TikTok don't have nearly as many followers as the top channels on the more established YouTube (where PewDiePie has blown past 100 million subscribers). However, TikTok can be credited as the launchpad for many of the memes and songs that dominate the internet and often cross over to mainstream popularity, including Lil Nas X's chart-smashing hit "Old Town Road."

At one point, a pair of German twins named Lisa and Lena had the most popular account on TikTok, but they deleted their account at the end of March 2019 to "break new ground." Now Charli D'Amelio has taken over the platform as its biggest creator.

Note that this list consists of independent creators who blew up online thanks to TikTok or its predecessor, Musical.ly. The rankings exclude accounts run by companies, and those from users who got famous first through other means — like former Vine stars Cameron Dallas and Zach King, and JoJo Siwa and Mackenzie Ziegler of "Dance Moms" fame.

These are the 40 biggest stars on TikTok:

SEE ALSO: How to use TikTok, the short-form video app Gen Z loves and that's ushering in a new era of influencers

40. Sky & Tami — 13.5 million

Sky Odin and Tami Tomo are a couple from Spain who jointly run a TikTok account. They post videos dancing with their friends, playing pranks on each other, and showing behind-the-scenes views of how they create their more complex clips.

(Tied) 38. Joey Klaasen — 14.1 million

Before TikTok, Joey Klaasen may have only been known as the younger brother of Jon Klaasen, who gained fame as a member of a boy band on US version of "The X Factor." However, Joey Klaasen, 20, has since taken off on TikTok on his own, and recently signed with an up-and-coming talent agency called TalentX, the company behind collab house Swag LA.

(Tied) 38. Suraj Pal Singh — 14.1 million

Suraj Pal Singh is a TikTok star from India whose videos often comprise of comedic sketches and star his girlfriend, Yashi Tank, who has a respectable 7.6 million followers on her own account.

37. Avani Gregg — 14.4 million

Avani Gregg is one of the several teens on this list who shot into the TikTok elite in 2020 thanks to the launch of the collective Hype House, a group of 2020 up-and-coming creators who often collaborate on videos and viral challenges thanks to a shared house in Los Angeles. Besides dance videos, Gregg, 17, also shows off her makeup looks on TikTok.

36. Jordi Koalitic — 14.6 million

Jordi Koalitic is a photographer, but has been able to transition his still photos into moving videos adaptable for TikTok. Koalitic films behind-the-scenes snippets of how he sets up and captures his creative works, and the result — which he shows at the end of each TikTok — is always surprising. He also uses his TikTok and YouTube accounts to share tips and tricks for other aspiring photographers.

35. Aashika Bhatia — 14.9 million

Aashika Bhatia's claim to fame is a handful of popular roles as a child actress, but she moved that following at age 20 over to TikTok, where she shares videos of herself dancing and lip-syncing.

34. Josh Richards — 15.1 million

Josh Richards, 19, is one of the 6 TikTok stars living in Sway LA, a rented house in Los Angeles designed for its creators to easily engage in content collaboration and video production. 

33. Cash Baker — 15.2 million

Cash Baker is the younger brother of fellow TikTok star Maverick Baker, who he releases music with. The 16-year-old rose to fame with the song "The Way You Move," a collaboration with his brother, which went viral on TikTok. The Oklahoma-born Baker brothers also have a TikTok famous sister, Lani.

(Tied) 31. Oye Indori (aka Robin Jindal) — 15.6 million

Oye Indori, whose real name is Robin Jindal, is one of the most famous Indian comedians on TikTok. While his TikTok feed is made up of funny skits with his prominent TikTok friends, his YouTube channel is filled with pranks and song parodies.

(Tied) 31. Annie LeBlanc — 15.6 million

Annie LeBlanc's brand was first tied to her family, since she got her start as one of children in her family's YouTube channel Bratayley, which has over 7 million subscribers. The 15-year-old was propelled to Gen Z fame, however, after starting her Musical.ly channel and landing a role as one of the lead cast members on the popular YouTube series "Chicken Girls," produced by teen-beloved media company Brat.

30. Lucky Dancer (aka Arhan Khan) — 16.4 million

Lucky Dancer— whose real name is Arhan Khan— has been posting TikTok videos showing off his dance moves since he was 14. Khan, now 18, also runs dance workshops in India in his spare time.

29. Holly H — 16.5 million

Holly H had a moderate following on Vine before it shut down, but has built most of her fanbase through TikTok. The 23-year-old is Britain's biggest TikTok star, and The Times referred to her in a recent profile as the "virtual best friend/big sister/confidante/girl crush" to millions.

28. Jason Coffee & Family — 16.8 million

Jason Coffee has shared the antics of his family online to gain a massive following for him and his children: Peyton, Isaac, and Caleb. Coffee's online pseudonym comes from his time as a Starbucks barista before he started making videos on Vine, and later TikTok.

27. Danielle Cohn — 16.9 million

Danielle Cohn became one of the most popular creators at the age of 13 on Musical.ly. Cohn, now 15, was the subject of much anger and concern earlier this month after she produced a video saying she was married to her 16-year-old boyfriend, fellow influencer Mikey Tua, and pregnant with his child. Cohn later revealed that the video was just a joke for attention, but it has helped to bring more followers to her YouTube channel and Instagram account.

26. Czn Burak (aka Burak Özdemir) — 17 million

CZN Burak— whose real name is Burak Özdemir — is the most famous chef on TikTok. He's known for cooking elaborate Turkish meals while his face features a seemingly permanent, unmoving smile.

(Tied) 24. Dixie D'Amelio — 17.3 million

Dixie D'Amelio is the older sister of TikTok's biggest star, Charli. Dixie, 18, is also known for her dance videos and choreography. D'Amelio is also a member of Hype House, and signed a contract with a major talent agency alongside her younger sister in late 2019.

(Tied) 24. Lilhuddy (aka Chase Hudson) — 17.3 million

Chase Hudson, 17, has rocketed to fame as another member of the Los Angles-based creator collective, Hype House. Hudson, who goes by Lilhuddy online, is perhaps just as well known for dating Charli D'Amelio, the 15-year-old who recently took over as the most followed creator on TikTok.

23. Savannah LaBrant & Family — 18 million

Savannah Labrant is the matriarch of a family with a wildly popular social media presence. Her husband, Cole, is a former Vine star known as part of a dancing trio dubbed "Dem White Boyz." The couple's YouTube channel about their family has more than 10 million subscribers, and their two children — age 6 and 7 months— each have Instagram followings over 1 million.

22. Lauren Godwin — 18.7 million

Lauren Godwin frequently produces comedic content based on life as a "normal gal going to school in Houston," the 19-year-old told Business Insider in July. She is dating fellow TikTok star Sebastian Bails, and the two often produce prank and challenge videos together.

21. Garima Chaurasia — 18.8 million

Garima Chaurasia (aka Gima Ashi) is a 22-year-old Indian TikTok star and model. She went viral in February for a TikTok video dancing and lip-syncing to an India song titled "Boht Hard."

20. The Stokes Twins — 20.4 million

Alex and Alan Stokes are 23-year-old twins who have channeled the internet's obsession with twin pairings to go viral and garner a following on YouTube and Instagram.

"It's the same reason why couples channels do well," Alan Stokes told The Atlantic this year. "Twins are the closest you can get to someone without it being a couple thing."

19. Avneet Kaur — 20 million

Avneet Kaur first emerged on the scene as a contestant on an Indian reality dance competition in 2010 at nine years old, but has since went on to be a popular actress and choreographer. The 18-year-old Kaur frequently features on her TikTok behind-the-scenes footage from her time on set, and lipsync videos with family and friends.

18. Sameeksha Sud — 20.5 million

Sameeksha Sud is known for her comedic sketches alongside two other India TikTok stars, and the three of them altogether run a successful YouTube channel called TeenTigada. The 26-year-old Sud is also an actress, but has gained in popularity thanks to TikTok.

(Tied) 16. Jannat Zubair Rahmani — 20.8 million

Jannat Zubair Rahmani is an 18-year-old actress whose career started at eight years old. She has since found success on TikTok as one of India's most popular accounts, where she shares music she produces and shares lip-syncing videos.

(Tied) 16. JiffPom — 20.8 million

JiffPom is a tiny Pomeranian dog who holds two Guinness world records for his speed on only two of his four tiny legs. He's often spotted in trendy outfits in his multiple celebrity appearances, including in the music video for Katy Perry's song "Dark Horse."

15. The Dobre Twins — 20.9 million

Lucas and Marcus Dobre are a pair of 20-year-old twins whose TikTok videos comprise comedic skits, pranks, gymnastics, and vlogs. The twin brothers also create content for YouTube with their older brothers Cyrus and Darius, and the four are embarking on a cross-country tour this summer to meet fans.

14. Jayden Croes — 21.2 million

Jay Croes, 21, is the younger half of popular social media sibling duo Croes Bros. The two brothers grew up in Aruba, where life was "pure and simple," then started to grow their fanbase on Musical.ly in 2015.

(Tied) 12. Nisha Guragain — 22.8 million

Nisha Guragain is a 22-year-old from India who capitalizes on viral trends by recording lip-sync videos to songs growing in popularity on TikTok.

(Tied) 12. Jacob Sartorius — 22.8 million

Jacob Sartorius was one of the most popular stars on Musical.ly, which has helped the 16-year-old launch a mildly successful career in music. Sartorius also graced headlines in 2018 as part of a much-publicized relationship with "Stranger Things" star Millie Bobby Brown. 

11. Awez Darbar — 23.2 million

Awez Darbar is a 26-year-old dancer from India known for posting videos showing his original choreography  to viral hits.

(Tied) 9. Arishfa Khan — 23.5 million

Arishfa Khan is a 16-year-old girl from India who got her start as a child actress at age 9. However, she gained a major following for her lip-syncing videos on her TikTok account, and has since created a beauty and makeup-centric YouTube channel. Her videos often feature fellow TikTok star Lucky Dancer.

(Tied) 9. Kristen Hancher — 23.5 million

Kristen Hancher has gained an incredibly large fanbase who have watched the 20-year-old through years of lip-syncing videos and dozens of hair color changes. Now, Hancher is a member of Jake Paul's Team 10 squad, and lives in the infamous Los Angeles mansion full of social media stars.

8. Gilmher Croes — 24.7 million

Gil Croes is the other half of the wildly popular Croes Brothers, and is one of the older stars on TikTok at age 26. Croes told Business Insider last month that since starting to make videos in 2015, the brothers have been forced to change and adapt in order to maintain popularity on the platform.

"We never get comfortable, can never do the same thing that we were doing before," Croes said. "You can't please everyone, but we try to adapt in a way where people enjoy our content."

7. Mr. Faisu (aka Faisal Shaikh) — 25.3 million

Mr Faisu is part of a squad of Indian creators dubbed Team 07. After he was suspended from TikTok in 2019 for violating its community guidelines, he returned in early 2020 to continue making videos and maintaining his spot as India's most popular creator.

6. Spencer X (aka Spencer Knight) — 25.9 million

Spencer X is the stage name for Spencer Knight, a beatboxer who shows off his skills to millions on TikTok. The 27-year-old artist has been able to turn professional thanks to a sponsorship from energy drink brand Moster Energy.

5. Addison Rae (aka Addison Easterling) — 27.8 million

Addison Rae— as 19-year-old Addison Easterling is known online — quickly rose to fame after joining TikTok in the summer of 2019. She's now a member of Hype House, and regularly draws hundreds of thousands of views on videos where she dances and lip-syncs to popular songs on the app.

4. Baby Ariel — 31.3 million

Baby Ariel, aka Ariel Martin, was the first individual to surpass the 20-million-followers mark on Musical.ly, and her fame has only grown from there. The 19-year-old's illustrious TikTok fame has led to multiple gigs on Disney Channel and Nickelodeon TV shows.

3. Riyaz Afreen — 32.9 million

Riyaz Afreen is only 16, but has established himself as an actor and star through going viral on TikTok. He often features other popular Indian TikTok stars on his accounts, including Mr. Faisu and Aashika Bhatia.

2. Loren Gray — 41.3 million

Loren Gray was a star on TikTok's predecessor, Musical.ly, at only 13. Gray has been a frequent part of TikTok's lip-dubbing trends and viral dance challenges, and has garnered nominations at the Teen Choice Awards and People's Choice Awards for her social media presence. She recently told Insider she was planning on focusing more on her career in music, which she's been producing since 2017. She most recently released the single "Can't Do It" in May 2019.

1. Charli D'Amelio — 41.4 million

Charli D'Amelio is officially TikTok's biggest star. After launching her channel in June 2019, the 15-year-old from Connecticut rocketed to the top of TikTok in just a matter of months through choreographed dances to viral songs. Her breakout success has led her to a spot in Hype House, a cameo appearance in a Super Bowl commercial, and a contract with a premier talent agency.

Do you work at TikTok? Got a tip about it? Contact this reporter via Signal at +1 (201) 312-4526 using a non-work phone, email at pleskin@businessinsider.com, or Twitter DM at @paigeleskin. (PR pitches by email only please.) You can also contact Business Insider securely via SecureDrop.

• As companies turn to remote work amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, some workers are struggling with loneliness and isolation. 
• Lynda Gratton, an executive education faculty director at the London Business School, said creating a culture of collaboration can remedy this issue. 
• Gratton suggests scheduling casual social breaks that allow employees to destress and build relationships with each other. 
• Join Business Insider on Thursday at 12 p.m. ET for our digital live event "Leading From Home," where we'll be talking with WorkBoard founder Deidre Paknad and Chatbooks founder Nate Quigley about how to lead remote teams amid the coronavirus crisis.
• Click here for more BI Prime content.

I find it hard to adjust to working from home.

While the virtual messaging platform, Slack, has been useful in connecting with my colleagues, I still miss our in-person conversations. 

We joke, we meet up for coffee, and hashed out headlines at nearby coffee shops. These were brief moments where my coworkers and I had a break from our daily grind. I find myself missing these interactions.

This is a new reality for thousands of workers across the globe, thanks to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Research shows feeling secluded or lonely when working from home isn't all that uncommon. A survey of more than 2,000 employees from HR advisory firm Future Workplace and employee engagement tech company Virgin Pulse, found 40% of teams are craving deeper relationships with their colleagues. 

Lynda Gratton, an executive faculty director at the London Business School and coauthor of the book "The 100-Year Life," said in a recent webinar about virtual work, that isolation is the new reality for many remote workers because of the novel coronavirus pandemic. 

"What earlier pioneers found is that although working from home had a lot of advantages, the disadvantage was that they were lonely [and] isolated," Gratton said. "Also companies fretted that they weren't as innovative as they might have been because they weren't collaborating."

But this doesn't have to be the case. Gratton suggested managers use these three strategies to help workers feel more connected to one another even when they aren't in the office. 

Invest in relationship building 

One of the best ways to combat loneliness at work is to use video chat for meetings so employees can see one another, Gratton said. 

"Use video as much as you can," Gratton said. "Humans really like face-to-face communication." 

You can also schedule virtual meetups. Gratton advises managers schedule "water cooler" conversations or casual social breaks for their employees. For example, in the afternoon, Gratton takes a virtual coffee break with her staff. At the end of the week, she schedules a virtual cocktail hour.

According to the management consulting firm Overland Resource Group (ORG), water cooler conversations are essential to temporarily destress and build workplace relationships. Building connection can also make workers more productive. A study by the researchers at MIT found employees who felt a sense of connection to their coworkers were 10% more productive at work than employees who did not socialize.  

"Humans are very social animals," Gratton said.  "When we are put in our home like this that is going to have an effect on our relationships with ourselves in terms of our mental health, but also our relationships with others." 

Have conversations about shared values

Now is a good time to bring employees together to have a conversation about values. According to Gratton, this can easily be done through conference sites like Zoom, where hundreds of people can connect at once. 

"Have conversations about values and how you're feeling," she said.

To combat feelings of isolation, managers can suggest employees discuss shared values over virtual meetings platforms, she said. Not only does this challenge employees to come up with new ideas, but it can strengthen company culture.

Foster work-life balance

Make sure workers are separating their work and home life.  Gratton said it's useful for managers to set up boundaries for remote workers. According to the team productivity blog and podcast, "Collaboration Superpowers," this includes laying out specific expectations for remote workers or asking IT to supply devices, like laptops (instead of using a personal computer), to help separate employee's work and home lives. 

"You really need to separate out the things you do at work and the things you do for pleasure," said Lisette Sutherland, host of the Collaboration Superpowers podcast in an episode on "How to Set Boundaries When Working From Home." Sutherland added, "You would read your emails on one particular device and look at Reddit on a different device." 

Without intentional social breaks and time for connection, employees could burnout. Gratton said fostering work-life balance is more important than ever since today's workforce is likely going to be remote for a while. 

"This isn't just a blimp. This will fundamentally change the way that we work," she said.

SEE ALSO: I've been working from home for nearly a decade — here are my top 9 productivity hacks to stay organized and avoid distractions

Join the conversation about this story »

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• Michael Robinson, the director of admissions at Columbia Business School, and three of the school's alumni spoke with Business Insider about what makes for an ideal MBA candidate.
• Columbia Business School is looking for someone who's not only highly passionate about and connected to the Columbia community but someone who also shows incredible leadership potential.
• And, Robinson said, you want to avoid the most common mistake people make when applying: not tailoring their application.
• The deadline to apply was moved to June 1 to accommodate for difficulties in applying amid the coronavirus pandemic.
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

When Stephanie McCalmon was considering MBA programs, Columbia Business School wasn't originally on her list. A born and bred New Yorker, McCalmon thought of grad school as an opportunity to take a short detour from her hometown. But the more research she did, the more she realized that as a media and advertising executive climbing the ladder at publishing powerhouses, the uptown Ivy offered the kind of curriculum, mentorship, and community that matched her aspirations. 

"My Columbia application was my best application ever," McCalmon told Business Insider. She spent months perfecting her essays, spoke with countless members of the Columbia community, and meticulously prepared for interviews. But in the end, she believed that it was the fact that she knew exactly what she wanted out of the experience that helped her land a coveted spot in the Columbia Business School class of 2019: "They want to know how you are going to show up at the school," McCalmon said.

Michael Robinson, the director of admissions at Columbia Business School, affirmed that point during a recent interview with Business Insider. "In the end, we want people who are going to add value to our community, and you can't really add value without knowing the community, taking the time to immerse yourself, and asking: 'Is this the right thing for me, given what I want to do?'" he said. 

Remembering his own application process, Steve Guerrini, class of 2015, explained that he would advise anyone considering Columbia to really understand what the school is all about and the community on campus. "Even if you have an amazing GMAT score, I'm sure admissions can tell when someone puts together a formulaic application," he said. But you have to think to yourself, he added: "How am I speaking the language of the school? How do I use the same words and really reflect the community? Everything has to be personal about this, when you think about how much it changes your professional life and network."

Of course, if you're contemplating business school in the first place, excellence is likely a key criterion: Columbia Business School is ranked No. 6 in terms of top business schools by US News and World Report and No. 7 in Bloomberg Businessweek, and 94% of the class of 2018 received job offers within three months of graduation. 

According to education specialists Quacquarelli Symonds' 2020 Global MBA Ranking, evaluating more than 240 of the best business schools in the world, Columbia ranks No. 11. Their research suggested that Columbia grads earn an average salary of $120,000 to $130,000 post business school.

Due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, applications deadlines to get into this prestigious school have been delayed until June 1. The school is accepting applications without standardized test scores for the time being, given the cancellation of tests while organizations around the world attempt to inhibit the virus' spread — however, a final decision on admittance cannot be made until test scores are submitted.

Read on to learn more about the best way to go about applying to Columbia Business School — and how to avoid the most common errors candidates make year after year. 

Show leadership potential and engagement with the Columbia community 

Robinson has been a member of the Columbia Business School community for nearly 20 years, initially as a student before becoming an administrator. In all that time, he said, the characteristics of good candidates have remained consistent: "We're looking for the kind of person who has the potential to be an impactful, transformational leader," he said.

Admissions admittedly doesn't have a crystal ball for spotting these people, but they have developed some telling criteria. For example, Robinson said, if a candidate was brought into a firm with a cohort, they'd ask: Were they promoted faster than their peers? Were they given more key assignments and high-profile projects from senior leaders? Do they work well in a team-focused environment? 

"When I read your recommendation — it's from an expert practitioner who is your boss — does that person say: 'I've been in this space for 10 to 20 years, this is why I think she has the potential to be a leader in the future because this is what I've seen her do'?" he said. You want to have galvanized support through a consistent demonstration of skills while standing out as a star. 

Another aspect of a successful application has to do with engagement with the Columbia community: Knowing the school and having a clear sense of why they want to be there, as McCalmon did, are key. Students might build that relationship with Columbia in person, or, in the case of international applicants, the process may happen online. "They're on the virtual platform. They're engaging with people on the team. They're watching webinars, sending emails to our admissions ambassadors," Robinson said of the ideal candidate, encouraging potential students to dig into the school's MBA YouTube page.

Don't underestimate the value of making connections within the community during the application process, either. "By the time I was applying to CBS, I'd gone to a number of events, met with admissions officers, spoken to current students and alums, so I knew how to map my career to date and interests onto what I wanted to get from and contribute to CBS across academics, career, and community," McCalmon said. By the time she arrived on campus, she had already made connections — a factor that helped her hit the ground running. 

Remember that test scores aren't everything — seriously

The enrolled class at Columbia Business School has a median GMAT score of around 730. But, according to Robinson, there are people in the class every year whose scores fall in the 500s, and there's room for the fact that some people just test poorly because of anxiety or other mitigating factors, including access to prep resources. (At the same time, he encouraged those wondering how they compare with the current and past student bodies to dig into Columbia's class profiles. "If the school has never admitted someone who had a GPA in the 1.0s, that might be tough," he said.)

"Many people think you have to have the perfect application. But CBS means it when they say they look at applicants holistically," Brad Boone, class of 2020, added. He first started considering business school while waiting to receive final clearance from the military. Originally, he struggled to find a program that stood out before speaking with another veteran who was at Columbia at the time. Connecting with her helped him realize it was the right place for him. 

This isn't to say that scores don't matter at all — or that prepping for the GMAT is something applicants can afford to take lightly. "Definitely [don't] underestimate the challenge — especially the math component," Guerrini said. "That part is really competitive. It's something people need to spend a lot of time on."

The bottom line, Robinson said, is that "because our school is very global, context matters." One key question that goes into evaluating potential students is: "Do we have real evidence that this person is going to be okay in the classroom?" Another is: "Does this person have the potential to be an impactful leader going forward?" 

If you tend to test badly, consider taking the Executive Assessment exam, a variation on the GMAT. Reach out to an admissions adviser early on in the process to discuss your specific questions and concerns about your application — that's what they are there for. "Look at all the options so that when you apply, you're applying with your best self," Robinson said. 

Prepare for a lengthy process and capitalize on rolling admissions

When you think of "cramming," the time span of three months probably doesn't leap to mind — but Robinson said that was the minimum amount of time to set aside for the process. 

"The majority of candidates on the shorter side [take] about six months to 18 months, up to two years" to prepare to apply to Columbia (or any business school for that matter), he said. If it's more of an issue of, "What school do I choose?" rather than, "Should I even do this?" the trajectory can be shorter. "But if you're starting from scratch, I would recommend nine months to a year," he said.

It's also important to understand the decision process itself, which differs depending on the school. "Columbia has a rolling admissions, which means we read and review applications in the order that we get them — so, all things being equal, the earlier one applies, the better [their] chance," Robinson said. If someone with a weak element on their profile wanted to maximize their chances of being admitted, Robinson would also encourage that person to at least explore early admission: "That's when we have the most space possible, and when we're willing to take a risk, because it's wide open." 

Understand what financial support Columbia offers

While students finance their MBAs in a variety of ways, including loans, corporate sponsorship, and scholarships, Robinson said Columbia awarded funding from two buckets. 

The first is merit-based and controlled by admissions, which looks at criteria that includes both academic and leadership potential. The people who receive this funding are "like the stars within the stars," Robinson said. They're also on top of deadlines: Applications are due in January. 

Need-based awards are controlled by the financial-aid office and based on your tax information. "Your goal is to maximize the merit piece and the need-based piece so you're using less of your own savings and loans to pay for those things," Robinson said.

For McCalmon, financial aid was paramount. "I wouldn't have been able to attend school without it," she said, adding that she ended up receiving both merit- and need-based scholarships to attend Columbia. 

Avoid the mistake candidates make every single year

"We really want people who have been thoughtful, who know themselves, who have done the real research and due diligence," Robinson said. The most common mistake he sees, year after year, is easily avoided.

"Say someone has a top-choice school, and they say to themselves: All the big schools in the top 10 are the same, so I'm going to force my essays for school A into school B in order to be efficient," Robinson said. "Every single year, we have a number of essays that may have passed spell check but have another school instead of [Columbia] written as where they really wanted to go." 

The lesson? If you really want to stand out, tailor your materials to Columbia specifically and watch out for minor errors that give away your lack of hard work.

And if at first you don't succeed, try again

Rejection: It's a bummer. But not getting in once doesn't mean that you're out of the game for good. 

"So many people outside the process think it's a simple, binary thing, but it's really hard" to get into business school, Robinson said. "The majority of people who apply are qualified to be in the program. If we admitted them, they would pass all the classes, do well, get a great job post-MBA. Sometimes it's just a matter of space and time." In other words: If Columbia is really the place for you, maybe next time you'll have a greater shot of getting in. You don't know until you try.

This article was originally published on Business Insider September 26, 2019. It has been updated with new information.

SEE ALSO: BUSINESS SCHOOL PREP: The ultimate guides to getting into the top MBA programs in the US

DON'T MISS: Here's exactly what it takes to get accepted into Harvard Business School, according to 5 grads and the managing director of admissions

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• Social Capital CEO and former Facebook VP Chamath Palihapitiya went on Kara Swisher's "Recode Decode" podcast and predicted that businesses will need 36 months' worth of cash — that's 3 years — to weather the coronavirus recession and recovery.
• But small businesses — including many startups — likely don't have these kinds of reserves.
• A JPMorgan Chase Institute Study found that half of small businesses only have enough cash to survive 27 days.
• Growing businesses — which are often small startups — also account for a good chunk of job creation.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Businesses may need 36 months' worth of cash to weather the recession and its recovery, Social Capital CEO Chamath Palihapitiya told "Recode Decode's"Kara Swisher.

Swisher asked Palihapitiya — a former Facebook VP and founder and CEO of the venture capital firm Social Capital — how startups can prepare for the coronavirus impact. Lucia Moses at Business Insider has reported that many startups are already feeling the effects of the pandemic.

"I think people need to make hard decisions to preserve at least 36 months of cash. If you're not doing that you're not giving yourself enough of a buffer for all of this to sort itself out," Palihapitiya said. "Take the Great Depression, or take any recession, for any month when you're in the drawn-down phase, the part of going down, it takes two to three months to get back up. So if this takes nine months to sort itself out, we're in month one, so it could be eight more months, so it could take 27 months to get out. So unless you're giving yourself 36 months of runway, you're putting yourself in a position where you will be at the behest of the price-maker."

Experts say that we may be headed for a "startup depression," as Dominick Reuter reported for Business Insider. One JPMorgan Chase Institute study found that half of small businesses only have enough of a cash buffer for 27 days. The buffer is how many days a business can pay its usual expenses without bringing in any money.

More than 99% of all businesses are small businesses — including many startups — and they employ around half of the US workforce. Smaller tech startups have already seen layoffs, as Business Insider's Julie Bort reported. 

"This is going to trigger a once-in-a-hundred-year event that has the perfect storm of conditions for cratering a huge portion of the American small-business community," John Lettieri, the president and CEO of the Economic Innovation Group, told Reuter.

And Lettieri noted that new businesses — those that scale and grow — are often the largest job creators, meaning that there may be a double whammy of startups going under and the economy losing the new roles they would have created. 

For the two million workers forecasted to lose their jobs due to a recession brought on by the pandemic, that lack of new roles will likely be felt deeply. If Palihapitiya's prediction holds true, to weather the storm and continue hiring businesses will need to find significant cash reserves — from somewhere.

SEE ALSO: A 'startup depression' is the economic blow no one's talking about. Here's the plan 2 economics experts proposed that the government use to take action and save our small businesses.

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• In 2019, the MIT Sloan School of Management's acceptance rate was 11.5%, making it the sixth most selective school among all top US MBA programs.
• But despite the tight odds, it's well worth trying to get in: The school's website reports that 97% of job-seeking graduates in 2018 and 2019 received a full-time offer within three months of graduation.
• Alumni, admissions, and consultants recommended making sure your application tells a cohesive story, whether its through your cover letter, org chart, or interview.
• "They are looking for examples of how you are already living the MIT Sloan mission in your life and how you plan to leverage the experiences and the curriculum at MIT Sloan to further your development as a principled and innovative leader," said Radhika Brinkopf, a 2016 MIT Sloan graduate.
• MIT has decided to keep round three applications deadlines the same despite the novel coronavirus pandemic; however, interviews will be over Skype and the early admissions deadline was moved to June.
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

The acceptance rate at the MIT Sloan School of Management has ranged from 9% to 13% in recent years, reported education specialists Quacquarelli Symonds. In 2019, its 11.5% acceptance rate, according to Poets & Quants, ranked it as the sixth most selective school among all top US MBA programs, ahead of Columbia Business School, Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business, and the Yale School of Management.

But despite the tight odds, it's well worth trying to get in. The school's website reports that 97% of job-seeking graduates in 2018 and 2019 received a full-time offer within three months of graduation, with a median base salary of $135,000.

If you aspire to earn an MBA from MIT Sloan, it's important to note that applying here requires a very customized approach. 

"I don't recommend applying to MIT Sloan if it is just another school on your list," said Radhika Brinkopf, a 2016 MIT Sloan graduate and director of business development at food and beverage company Borden. "The people who are admitted to Sloan are those who are authentic and those who show a true passion for the school, the unique curriculum and experiences, and the community and students that they hope to join." 

Fortuna admissions expert coach Brittany Maschal— who formerly served on the admissions teams of several Ivy League MBA programs including Wharton, Princeton, and Johns Hopkins — told Business Insider that unlike most "super elite" MBA programs, MIT Sloan "mixes things up" in its application process in keeping with its innovation-centric brand.

"It's the only top business school to solicit an organizational chart, and instead of standard written essays, candidates need to craft a cover letter and one-minute video intro," Maschal said. "The Sloan MBA admissions team forces candidates to think about their career path, current role, and future in different ways, not unlike the type of thinking that will be expected of them once they enter the program." 

The MIT Sloan normal MBA admissions criteria, process, and timeline will be the same through the coronavirus pandemic, except that all interviews will be conducted over Skype and campus visits have been postponed. All MBA round three applications must be submitted by April 9. The early admissions, however, have been extended to June 2.

Business Insider gathered intelligence from several MIT Sloan students, alumni, and admissions experts to help you get in. 

Weigh each application component equally

You can learn how to apply to MIT Sloan on the school's website. You'll find application deadlines and detailed descriptions about the eight required components that constitute a complete application: a cover letter, a resume, a video statement, a letter of recommendation, references, an organizational chart, transcripts, and test scores. 

Beyond this, you'll find videos containing application tips from MIT Sloan's admissions team with a link to additional videos on YouTube. 

"No single component of the application is any more important than another," said Dawna Levenson, assistant dean in the office of admissions at the MIT Sloan School of Management. "Having said that, we would never want to admit someone who has not demonstrated the ability to be successful in an MIT Sloan classroom. Evidence of this can be garnered from undergraduate experience, GMAT or GRE, work experience, and comments from recommenders." 

Create a package of materials that tells a story

"Applicants who stand out have put together a well-written application that leaves us wanting to know more," Levenson said. "I think that it is helpful for an applicant to think about the resume, cover letter, and video as a package to tell [their] story. The resume will be career focused, the video can be personal, and the cover letter explains 'why MIT Sloan.'"

She added that the video "does not need to be production quality [and] should show your personal side — you can be a little creative, but don't get carried away and don't compromise [sound quality] for creativity (don't videotape on a ski slope!)."  

Maureen Canellas, who worked as an emergency physician in Chicago prior to starting at MIT Sloan this fall as part of the class of 2021, dedicated a large amount of time to reviewing her cover letter and resume side by side to ensure they created a clear and cohesive picture.

"If your cover letter and resume sound like they were written about two different people, consider focusing more on the quality and impact of a few of your related successes, rather than the sheer quantity," Canellas said.

Canellas added that "the video essay, while short, allowed me to emphasize the driving forces behind my career transition without being constrained by a word count or resume formatting." She encouraged other applicants to use the video essay to attach a "passionate and personal voice (and smiling face)" to their application.

While the school has no specific essay requirements, admissions considers the cover letter to be an essay, so keep this in mind when crafting it.

Make your org chart clear and cohesive

One unique part of MIT Sloan's application is its requirement to submit a one- to two-page organizational chart outlining your company's — and your department's — internal structure.

"The org chart helps to provide a visual representation of where you are within an organization, and it provides context around your reporting responsibilities," Levenson said. 

The school's website specifies that you don't need to supply your exact company org chart, but instead can opt to "create your own document or redact individuals' names."

"The org chart, which is a relatively new ask, should be more personal than the org chart on the company website," Levenson said. "It should be specific to the applicant and show any direct reports, dotted-line reporting, and supervisors." Applicants should also highlight any references that appear on the org chart, she added. 

Canellas ensured that her org chart stood out by "focusing on clarity of formatting and roles." She explained, "I knew the admissions team was going to read thousands of org charts and the clearer mine was, the better they could get a true understanding of my role compared to other applicants."

She also focused on "maintaining a cohesive picture" across all portions of her application. "This ensured that the projects and teams I listed in my resume and cover letter were easily found on the org chart," she said.

Choose your recommender wisely

While many top MBA programs require multiple letters of recommendation, the assistant dean of admissions said that MIT Sloan asks for a single recommendation. 

"We believe that one meaningful recommendation is sufficient," Levenson said. "We hope that with one recommendation the [applicant] will take the time to carefully think about who that person should be." 

With this in mind, Levenson suggested selecting someone who is a champion of your pursuit of an MBA, knows you well enough to provide relevant details, and is willing to put in the time to write a meaningful recommendation.

Canellas chose a supervisor with whom she had spoken to frequently about her goals. "[This supervisor] knew my successes and weaknesses and openly knew what I was hoping to accomplish by coming to business school," Canellas said.

"I advise others to avoid the common misconception that the best recommendation comes from those in the highest positions in your organization," she added. "If they cannot speak to your talent and potential clearly and strongly, then do not choose them. Their position in the organization will not make up for a 'so-so' recommendation letter from them."

Yishi Zuo, the cofounder of the software platform DeepBench and a former Goldman Sachs investment banking analyst, graduated from MIT Sloan in June 2018. Back when he applied, two letters of recommendation were still required, but he explained that the process was similar to what today's applicants will face. 

"I chose one person from my then current employer, and one person from a previous employer," Zuo said. "They were natural picks as I had worked closely with each recommender over two-plus years at the same company and they knew me well. Plus, both recommenders were MBA grads, so I had some assurance that they knew how the process worked and didn't need a ton of guidance."

MIT Sloan's website specifies that a professional recommendation is preferred and that recommendations from family members are not accepted. It also provides four questions that your recommender should be prepared to answer.

Although only a single letter of recommendation is required, you must also submit the names and contact information of two additional references who can speak to your professional or academic background and experiences.

Prepare thoroughly for your interview

"Interviews are by invitation only and a required next step in the process," Levenson said. "For rounds one and two, members of the admissions committee travel to [more than] 15 cities around the globe for in-person interviews." Interviews last around 30 minutes, and candidates should think of them as a continuation of the written application, she added.  

"We may ask follow-up questions from the application, we will ask a handful of behavioral questions ... and we will give the interviewee an opportunity to ask their own questions," she explained.

She advised that interviewees "refamiliarize themselves with their application" in the event that they are asked specific questions about a gap in education or employment. When given the opportunity to ask questions, she stressed that interviewees are encouraged to be themselves — and "please do not ask anything that is easily found on our website."  

"The admissions officers are looking to understand how your experiences have molded you into a 'principled and innovative leader,'" Brinkopf said. "They are looking for examples of how you are already living the MIT Sloan mission in your life and how you plan to leverage the experiences and the curriculum at MIT Sloan to further your development as a principled and innovative leader."

Embrace your inner nerd

Zuo emphasized that the key factor that makes MIT Sloan "unequivocally unique" among top business schools is that the school's parent brand is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (His emphasis.) 

"MIT is an engineering and science institution at its core, and the broader school has a reputation for being brilliantly nerdy," he said. "As such, MIT Sloan takes on a bit more of that nerdy vibe relative to other top b-schools — which you should keep in mind for your application."

Zuo added that being a modern nerd means following your authentic interests.

"MIT Sloan is a very accepting environment for you to do just that," he said. "The cultural environment, course structure, and small class size provide the psychological safety and support network for you to be your true self, carve out your own niche path, and pursue your idiosyncratic interests. So for those of you applying to MIT Sloan, my broad strategic advice [throughout the application process] is to just show your authentic self."

Tap into MIT Sloan's alumni network and learning labs

"There is an MIT Sloan saying: 'Sloanies helping Sloanies' — referring to the generosity of our alumni network and reflective of the collaborative culture," Zuo said. "I've experienced this first hand many times over. I wrote an article two years ago about how MIT Sloan alumni and the MIT ecosystem helped get my startup off the ground." Leveraging alumni connections via friends, family, or LinkedIn can be a great way to familiarize yourself with the school.

Zuo also suggested researching opportunities that Sloan offers in advance so that you can speak intelligently about them in your interview and application. 

"MIT's motto is 'Mens & Manus' — meaning 'Mind and Hand,' which is fitting for our engineering roots," Zuo said. "MIT Sloan has put this motto into practice by offering a multitude of 'Action Learning Labs' and hands-on simulations plus group projects." He suggested thinking about how this motto relates to your personal story and all the hands-on learning experiences that MIT Sloan has to offer.

Highlight both technical and nontechnical experience

John Benjamin is also part of MIT Sloan's class of 2018. After graduation, he served as a consultant at L.E.K. Consulting and now is the director of business operations at data science training platform Correlation One. 

Benjamin explained that as an applicant with a liberal arts degree, he felt his biggest challenge would be to shore up doubts about his quantitative experience.

"It's easy to fixate on the 'MIT' part of MIT Sloan and assume technical skills need to be at the center of a strong application," Benjamin said.

To overcome this challenge, Benjamin tried to explicitly call out the technical areas in which he felt he could be stronger, and weave them into the story of why he belonged at MIT Sloan. 

"This plan included identifying specific courses I wanted to take with MIT Sloan professors like Leigh Hafrey and Miro Kazakoff, who bring passion and creative elements to teaching highly technical subjects," he said. "They eventually became mentors and friends."

Kevin Flike from the class of 2016 agreed that it's worth it to throw your hat in the ring even if you don't feel strong enough on the quant side. 

"Too many applicants self-select from applying to MIT Sloan because they are worried about the quantitative nature of the MBA program there," said Flike, who is currently the director of strategic projects at the security software company Threat Stack. 

Flike attended MIT Sloan without a math or a business background and reported that while the work was challenging and the classroom demanding, it was an "incredible experience" that ultimately helped him hone his analytical skills. 

Arun Prakash is the CFO of the software company Cerebri AI and a member of MIT Sloan's MBA class of 2007. Prakash explained that because of MIT Sloan's strong reputation in finance, economics, and operations, the school tends to have an MBA class where a large percentage of students have undergraduate degrees in engineering, making it a challenge to stand out. 

"Just like many well-rounded MIT Sloan students and alumni, I have always been interested in more than just engineering-related activities, so I highlighted those in my application, such as my involvement on the board and volunteer staff of an arts festival in Los Angeles, where I lived before business school," Prakash said. 

He also addressed, "the business challenges of the time" to help his application stand out — including controversial situations that were occurring with the company he worked for. 

"When I applied, my then employer was embroiled in numerous ethics controversies," he said. "I talked about how my upbringing led to a foundation of ethical behavior and how I had once lapsed in college. I think this put a human element on my application, which MIT Sloan recognized as a signal of future leadership." 

Focus more on your past than your future

Sloan prioritizes understanding your personal and professional achievements and isn't overly focused on tomorrow's goals. This is part of what makes MIT Sloan's admissions process unique, Brinkopf said. 

"The belief is that your past performance will be an indicator of how you will perform in the future and how you will contribute to the MIT Sloan community," Brinkopf said. "This means that rather than wanting to understand what you might do as the future leader of a Fortune 500 company, a startup, or whatever else you think you want to do post business school, MIT Sloan wants you to tell the stories of your successes and your failures." 

The admissions officers are looking to understand how your experiences have molded you into the type of leader they seek, she said.  

"They are looking for examples of how you are already living the MIT Sloan mission in your life and how you plan to leverage the experiences and the curriculum at MIT Sloan to further your development as a principled and innovative leader," she said.

This article was originally published on Business Insider December 14, 2019. It has been updated with new information.

SEE ALSO: BUSINESS SCHOOL PREP: The ultimate guides to getting into the top MBA programs in the US

READ MORE: An MBA admissions expert who's helped students get into Stanford, Wharton, and London Business School explains exactly how to nail the personal essay

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• The novel coronavirus has caused many layoffs across a variety of industries. 
• Goldman Sachs analysts said the number of jobless claims could explode to a record 2.25 million, more than three times the previous record of 695,000 in 1982. 
• If you're looking for a job, consider this list of remote opportunities assembled by jobs posting website FlexJobs. 
• Join Business Insider on Thursday at 12 p.m. ET for our digital live event "Leading From Home," where we'll be talking with WorkBoard founder Deidre Paknad and Chatbooks founder Nate Quigley about how to lead remote teams amid the coronavirus crisis. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The novel coronavirus and the threat of a looming economic recession has forced thousands of workers to be laid off or furloughed without pay.

The government reported that the number of new unemployment claims jumped to 281,000 for the week ending on March 14, a spike from the previous week's 211,000. Goldman Sachs said the number of jobless claims could explode to a record 2.25 million, more than three times the previous record of 695,000 in 1982, during the 1980s recession.

The pandemic has also forced many to work remotely, as many businesses close their physical locations and employees self-quarantine to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus. This makes it an especially important time to look for remote work. 

If you're someone looking for work, there are jobs out there. Here are 20 startups hiring remote workers right now, according to remote and flexible job finder FlexJobs.

SEE ALSO: This LinkedIn message took 2 minutes to write and got the sender a job at a successful startup — even though they weren't hiring

Software company Aha!

• Aha! is a roadmap software company. 
• The company is currently hiring a content editor, a writer, a front end developer, and more.
• Look for jobs at Aha! here.

Web development company Automattic

• Automattic is a web development company known for its work on websites like WordPress and Tumblr. 
• The company is hiring a mobile engineer, a senior Wordpress engineer, a director of business development, and more.
• Look for jobs at Automattic here.

Technology company Clevertech

• Clevertech is a tech and engineering company that's worked on product development for clients including KPMG and Barclays. 
• Clevertech is hiring a product designer, a Python/React developer, a junior product development coordinator, and more.
• Look for jobs at Clevertech here.

Custom products company Collage.com

• Collage.com makes customized products like personalized mugs and frames. 
• Collage.com is hiring a software engineering manager, a senior full stack software engineer, and more.
• Look for jobs at Collage.com here.

Online learning company Evolving Wisdom

• Evolving Wisdom is an online education company that offers courses on a range of topics, including love, success, and relationships. 
• Evolving Wisdom is hiring a marketing coordinator, a program coordinator, and more.
• Look for jobs at Evolving Wisdom here.

Online coding platform GitLab

• GitLab is an online coding hub that offers products such as source code management and other tools for engineers.
• GitLab is hiring a senior sales manager, a senior brand designer, an area sales manager, and more.
• Look for jobs at GitLab here.

Accounting agency Greenback Expat Tax Services

• Greenback Expat Tax Services is a tax prep company for Americans living abroad.
• Greenback Expat Tax Services is hiring a tax accountant, and a sales and customer champion.
• Look for jobs at Greenback Expat Tax Services here.

Digital product design company inVision

• inVision is a design platform company that's worked with companies like Lyft, HBO, and IBM. 
• inVision is hiring an engineering manager, an IT systems manager, a sales manager, and more.
• Look for jobs at inVision here.

Digital media company LoveToKnow

• LoveToKnow is an online media company comprising of multiple websites including LoveToKnow.com and YourDictionary.com. 
• LoveToKnow is hiring a senior SEO strategist.
• Look for jobs at LoveToKnow here.

Nonprofit MomsRising

• MomsRising is a nonprofit and online community of mothers and families that organizes around causes such as paid medical leave and gun safety. 
• MomsRising is hiring a campaign associate and social media specialist, and an immigration campaign director.
• Look for jobs at MomsRising here.

Tech and consulting company ScrapingHub

• ScrapingHub turn websites into data with web scraping services. 
• ScrapingHub is hiring a Python developer, and a quality assurance engineer.
• Look for jobs at ScrapingHub here.

Content management company Simple [A]

• Simple [A] is a distributed technology consulting and training company. 
• Simple [A] is hiring web content quality administrator, a content and UX engineer, and more.
• Look for jobs at Simple [A] here.

Online media company The Cheat Sheet

• The Cheat Sheet is an online news company that covers celebrity and lifestyle news.
• The Cheat Sheet is hiring a full stack developer, an executive assistant, and an entertainment writer.
• Look for jobs at The Cheat Sheet here.

Time-tracking software company Time Doctor

• Time Doctor is a time tracking and productivity tool. 
• Time Doctor is hiring a marketing growth senior manager, and a senior SAAS marketing and growth manager.
• Look for jobs at Time Doctor here.

Productivity tracking tool creator Toggl

• Toggl is a time tracking app headquartered in Tallinn, Estonia. 
• Toggl is hiring an editorial and social media marketer, a backend developer, a sales account executive, and more.
• Look for jobs at Toggl here.

Remote company and freelancing platform company Toptal

• Toptal connects freelancers with jobs at startups.
• Toptal is hiring a business writer, a front end developer, a UX researcher, and more.
• Look for jobs at Toptal here.

Digital agency Tri.be

• Tri.be is a digital agency that has worked with companies such as MTV, SAP, and eBay. 
• Tri.be is hiring a digital project manager, a front end engineer, a UI developer, and more.
• Look for jobs at Tri.be here.

Media company Upworthy

• Upworthy is a media website focused on topics such as inspiring news, the environment, and social justice.
• Upworthy is hiring a web engineer and a deputy director of audience development.
• Look for jobs at Upworthy here.

Customer service company Working Solutions

• Working Solutions outsources company contact centers. 
• Working Solutions is hiring disaster relief customer service representatives and sales development representatives.
• Look for jobs at Working Solutions here.

IT company X-Team

• X-Team provides teams of developers for leading brands such as Dell, Discovery, and Fox. 
• X-Team is hiring an AI engineer, a data scientist, a blockchain developer, and more.
• Look for jobs at X-Team here.

• Eileen W. Cho is a Korean American journalist and photographer based in Paris, France.
• Paris went into a lockdown on March 17 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Cho is thankful that the government is enforcing the lockdown to protect citizens and prevent the virus' spread.
• She's been preparing for weeks, now spending time reflecting on her emotions, reading, writing, and making a food diary.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Today, March 25, is the eighth full day of living in true confinement. As of Tuesday, March 17, at noon, the whole country of France has been on lockdown.

It was nearly two weeks ago that President Emmanuel Macron earnestly asked us to stay home, and the Prime Minister Édouard Philippe ordered all non-essential businesses to close at midnight. By March 15, there were whispers on the street that the government would be locking down, with the military and all, because the people here weren't taking it seriously, and the infection and death rates were rising.

SEE ALSO: QUARANTINE DIARY: I was forced to stay home for 14 days with my fiancé. At first we had steak dinners and did yoga — but by the end we were ready to crack.

SEE ALSO: Life on lockdown: A mother in Italy's 'red zone' describes how her family is coping

I'd been preparing for weeks.

Because most of my family is located in South Korea and Seattle, Washington, two places that were hit hard by the pandemic, and being considered high-risk due to my lifelong asthma, I was quietly (or if you saw my stories on Instagram, not so quietly) preparing my food and necessities stockpile for weeks, just waiting for the other shoe to drop in France.

Not only that but I've also been trying my best to social distance ever since I read about "flattening the curve" by canceling dinner reservations and meetings and asking my French partner to work from home. I even rearranged the apartment to make it more comfortable and livable, pulling out books and magazines from our bookshelves, the ones I've been telling myself I would read for months. 

On the evening of March 16, President Emmanuel Macron addressed the nation and announced that we were at war.

We had until noon on March 17, to figure out where we wanted to hunker down for the next 15 days at least as the whole country enters a lockdown, the only way to win this war.

Under lockdown, we need an official attestation (a declaration, printed off from the government website or handwritten) to leave our homes for groceries, exercise, pharmacy, emergencies, or work (for those who cannot télétravail, "work from home"). The police and military are patrolling the streets, and those caught without an attestation are fined. This will take a few days for all of us, including law enforcement, to get used to. 

I'm not worried: It feels like my government is taking control.

Seeing pictures and videos of people out and about like business as usual before the lockdown, even with the official closures on March 15 (it's important to note that it probably didn't help that the country went forward with their municipal elections which required voting in person), was such a disappointment to me that Macron's lockdown measure helped ease my anxiety.

It feels like I can now worry less about my adopted country because the government is taking control. Despite how horrible the situation around me is, I'm feeling grateful to be living in France, where there is universal healthcare and where the president has chosen to save human lives over the economy.

But with this, I've been cycling through a wide range of emotions.

A lot has happened really fast these past few weeks, so I am weirdly relieved to have this time to slow down, reflect, and reset. As the world is going through uncharted waters with a new pandemic, I, too, am questioning everything, including my feelings. I've been cycling through sadness, gratitude, fear, guilt (from privilege), worry, and anxiety. These are all things I've felt before, but the difference now is that they are running wild all at once, making them difficult for me to deal with. 

Moreover, being a freelancer, I'm accustomed to working from home and I've been dreaming of slowing down for years, but not having the freedom to go out is a bit unsettling. It feels like I'm living in a dystopian plot.

To fill my abundance of time in lockdown, I have started a "Self Isolation Diary" on Tumblr, a platform I haven't touched since college. Here I'll share my thoughts, ask questions (like what should a post-COVID society look like?), recipes, photos from confinement, and a daily "five good things on the Internet." It's like the newsletter I've always wanted to have — with a twist.

Some people are fleeing the city.

My partner and I live on a tiny street in a busy neighborhood, lined with historic buildings that house commercial businesses and apartments. On Thursday, we saw our neighbors filling up their cars to escape Paris.

I can understand why people don't want to be in Paris during a lockdown: Apartments in Paris are much smaller than they would be elsewhere, and although there are medium-sized grocery stores and convenience stores scattered all throughout the city, most of the giant ones with normal prices are outside the city. Not to mention the lack of pantry and refrigerator space, as many Parisians have small apartments with refrigerators that are just slightly bigger than the one I had in college. It's eerie how quiet our street is now. 

Not everyone can stay confined to protect themselves and others.

I saw our building concierge (janitor) come in a face mask to scrub the stairs, floors, and trash bins. Seeing him work made me feel powerless. I wish everyone had the security to stay safe at home.

I had two online food order deliveries made, and seeing the delivery men park their vans to wheel boxes of food to me made me realize my privilege. I tipped them the cash I had and thanked them for working tirelessly now. It's amazing what happens when we act more human, and I'm sad it had to take a pandemic for me to be more kind and gentle with others.

I started a food diary to bide time.

Because I work mostly in food, eating and cooking are huge parts of my life. I started a visual food diary for my Tumblr and I realized I would get tired really fast of the elaborate meals I was trying to prepare for every meal.

A lot of people have started recipe tutorials, including Chef Massimo Bottura, and it made me feel bad when the videos used ingredients I didn't have. I decided I would try simpler meals to make my life just a bit less stressful, and go full out when I really needed it. So, at lunch, I settled for spaghetti bolognese with pasta from a box and sauce from a jar. Sometimes it's the simple and easy meals that feel, and taste, best. 

Others are still working outside to keep Paris functioning.

Curious, I asked on Instagram and Facebook how grocery stores were looking around Paris, and was happy to hear that most of them were being well stocked. Everyone out there working outside right now, from the delivery men to garbage collectors to cashiers to hospital staff, are truly the ones keeping life going.

My partner is working from home, and our awareness is increasing.

I've noticed I'm trying to communicate better with my partner to avoid any pointless arguments, to use my resources wisely, and to show gratitude for even the smallest things.

I pulled out all my LeParfait jars from the cupboards to store food, making sure they last longer as I don't want to be running to the store, even if it is located only 50 meters away. I looked up how to properly store canned vegetables (in a sealed container, placed at the back of the fridge) and herbs, things I should probably have known. I even found myself staring at a jar of oats, amazed at how versatile and nutritious it is.

We kept the windows open all day because we wanted to hear the birds singing and around meal times; it was comforting to hear the sound of neighbors going through their cutlery. It's only the beginning of lockdown, but I feel more aware, and I hope this new sense of awareness stays with me forever.

And we're trying to stay active.

Feeling stiff from sitting all day, I attempted to do a work out using my trainer Anatole's lockdown exercise video. My partner went out to do some high intensity sprints on our street; according to his iPhone, he moved a total of 2.6 kilometers (1.61 miles). I've only moved 0.29 kilometers (0.18 miles): I'll try to do better tomorrow. If I'm going to survive this, I'll need a routine.

At 8 p.m. last Thursday, I faintly heard people clapping and cheering. It's the French people's way of thanking everyone in hospitals who are working around the clock.

Sadly, I still saw dozens of videos and photos of Parisians enjoying the warm weather outdoors today, from teens playing basketball to families near the parks, as the death count reached 460 last Friday. I hope solidarity is better in the future.

In the words of Macron: "Save lives, stay home."

Italy has been trying to warn the rest of Europe for weeks about what was to come if we didn't take the pandemic seriously. Now we're looking at the United States from France, just hoping they step up to act. We'll only get through this if we all take this seriously.

I'll be playing my part from my tiny Parisian apartment, sharing my thoughts on my Tumblr and appreciating life from my window.

• New York governor Andrew Cuomo announced the creation of a new free mental health hotline on Wednesday.
• The hotline is already live, and is staffed by 6,000 mental health professionals, all volunteers.
• Cuomo said that he doesn't know of "anyone else" operating an emotional support hotline.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

On Wednesday, New York governor Andrew Cuomo announced the creation of a free mental health hotline for New Yorkers. It will be staffed by 6,000 mental health professionals — all volunteers.

In a press conference, Cuomo said that anyone can call the hotline and schedule an appointment with a mental health professional for free — "to talk to them about what you're feeling and what stress you're feeling."

Cuomo also said that he doesn't know "that anyone else has done this."

"No one's really talking about this," Cuomo said in the press conference. "You know, we're all concerned about the immediate critical need. The life and death of the immediate situation, which is right. But don't underestimate the emotional trauma that people are feeling, and the emotional health issues."

As Business Insider's Anna Medaris Miller reported, quarantine and social isolation can come with sometimes-devastating mental health effects.

Callers to the hotline will hear an introduction to the "New York State COVID-19 Emotional Support Helpline," and then will be directed to a trained volunteer. You can reach the hotline at 1-844-863-9314.

"God bless the 6,000 mental health professionals who are doing this 100% free, on top of whatever they have to do in their normal practice," Cuomo said.

SEE ALSO: 3 steps every manager should take right now to help employees feel less lonely and isolated when working from home

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