CNBC Make It

Nearly 7 million people are currently looking for work, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And while there are about 8 million jobs open, not all may be of immediate interest to those trying to find their next role. If you’re currently in that position, don’t overlook every job that seems out of line with your current pursuits. Sometimes even an opportunity that seems a bit off your path “is a bridge” to where you want to be in the future, says Jasmine Escalera, career expert at My Perfect Resume. Here’s how to identify opportunities you hadn’t considered or see beyond the obvious in a job listing.

Liuan Huska says an unspoken question lingers on people’s faces when they hear her family of five took a gap year to travel around South America. “What an unforgettable education for your kids!” they exclaim. But she can see them wonder silently: How did you afford it? Their year abroad cost about $56,000. That includes flights, rental cars, buses, lodging, travel insurance, tours, food, and other living expenses. And it required pulling their kids out of public school to use the world as a homeschooling classroom. Huska says the trip was a risk, but was totally worth it. Here's why.

When Jessica Rolph had her first child in June 2010, she wanted to know everything about his developing brain. She dove into early childhood development research, seeking to understand exactly how baby toys’ flashing lights and sounds affected her young son’s neural pathways, and came up short on answers. That experience led her and her friend Roderick Morris in 2015 to co-found Lovevery, which makes developmentally-minded toys and playthings for children. The company brought in $226 million in revenue last year, and aims to reach profitability this year. Here's how they grew their business: https://cnb.cx/4dlB5zZ

Finding a new job is getting harder. Last month, the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.1%, the first time it has crossed above 4% since 2021. Fewer people are quitting their jobs, and recent college graduates are having a hard time breaking into the market. Hiring might have fallen beneath its pre-pandemic levels, but there are still dozens of jobs companies are desperate to fill, according to new research from Indeed. Here are 7 in-demand jobs that are “waiting for you to apply."

Jade Ventoniemi has been living in Finland, the world’s happiest country, for five years — and she says she believes one of the secrets to the happiness of the Finnish people is the country’s work culture. Getting work in the country as a foreigner can be tough, Ventoniemi says, but she's been fortunate to have two different corporate jobs in Finland. She quickly found that their approach to things like vacation time, parental leave and benefits differed from the U.S. In the last year, Ventoniemi took what she learned, launched her own marketing firm and started working for herself. These are a few things that stand out to her about corporate life in Finland. ⬇️

Twenty years ago, when Leslie Strazzullo was 35, she left my life in the greater Boston area to pursue a job opportunity in Milan. Prior to the move, she had earned her MBA from the University of South Carolina. During her studies, she did an exchange program with Bocconi University’s business school and had an internship with Pirelli, the tire and telecoms equipment manufacturer. After graduating, the company made Strazzullo an offer to head up marketing and communications for its telecoms business, and she jumped at the chance to return to Italy. But the reality of being there day to day does come with its own set of unique complications, she says. Here are the most important things she's learned while living there.

The best state to retire in 2024 is also one of the smallest in the U.S. At around 96 miles long and 35 miles wide, Delaware ranks as the No. 1 state to retire this year, according to Bankrate’s list of the best states to retire for 2024. Last year, it placed second behind Iowa on Bankrate’s list. One of Delaware’s biggest potential perks for retirees is its tax benefits. The state does not tax benefits from Social Security and does not have an inheritance or estate tax. Delaware is also one of the few states with no local or state sales taxes. Check out the full list of the 10 best states to retire in 2024, according to Bankrate. ⬇️

Meredith Swanson has been nannying in New York City for more than a decade. Swanson, who is an actress, singer and dancer by trade, calls nannying her “survival job” — the one that covers her bills and living expenses as she pursues a career in entertainment. She drives from her apartment in Manhattan to the Hamptons — a commute that takes about two hours — and settles into her nannying routine, which includes picking up the children she watches from tennis camp, taking them to the beach and grabbing donuts at a bakery downtown. Here's why Swanson says nannying is the best job she's ever had. 👇️

The New York borough of Manhattan is the most expensive place to live in the U.S. — and the cost of living in the No. 2 place isn’t even close. The cost of living in Manhattan is more than twice the national average. That’s according to the Council for Community and Economic Research’s Cost of Living Index, which measures regional price differences for everyday goods and services in 271 urban areas in the U.S. Check out the full list of the 10 most expensive urban areas to live in the U.S. ⬇️

Personal finance YouTuber Nischa Shah quit her six-figure investment banking job to become a full-time content creator — and it was a gamble that paid off. After working in banking for a decade, Shah became an associate director at Crédit Agricole in 2022, earning well over £200,000 ($256,000). However, the London-based banker was not satisfied with her career, she said. Shah knew she had a passion for personal finance and making complex information accessible to everyone. She started dabbling with making YouTube videos about personal finance and self-development in December 2021 — and now has over 1 million subscribers on YouTube. This success led her to quit her investment banking job in January. It was worth the risk. Shah is now earning over $1 million by monetizing her YouTube videos, selling courses and products, doing corporate talks, and partnering with brands.