The Sims 4 offers an extensive array of career options, from the base game’s foundation to numerous additions through downloadable content over more than a decade. Whether you’re planning your sim’s professional journey or looking to climb the corporate ladder faster, understanding the mechanics behind each career path is essential for success.
Career performance in The Sims 4 depends on various factors, including your sim’s skill levels, educational background, and how well they match the job requirements. Success requires strategic planning and consistent effort, much like real-world employment scenarios.
While each career has unique requirements and challenges, certain universal strategies can help any sim excel in their chosen profession and advance through the ranks more efficiently.
Universal Career Success Strategies
Choose Your Career Type Wisely
The Sims 4 features three distinct career categories. Traditional rabbit hole careers send your sim off-screen to work without player interaction. Active careers allow you to follow your sim to work and control their daily tasks, though you can still play these passively if preferred. Self-employment and freelance options let sims complete projects from home, such as writing novels, creating artwork, or crafting furniture.
Excel in Education for Career Advantages
Academic performance during the teenage years provides lasting career benefits. High school students who maintain a B average will automatically start at level 2 in any career they pursue throughout their lives. Those achieving an A grade begin at level 3. Specific university degrees also provide starting level bonuses and improved job performance, which we’ll detail for each career below.
Invest in Career-boosting Reward Perks
The lifetime aspiration reward system offers valuable perks for career advancement. Professional Slacker costs 4,000 reward points and prevents job loss or demotion due to poor performance. The Connections trait allows sims to start careers three levels higher than normal, stacking with educational bonuses. The Savant perk increases all skill development by 25%, helping meet the skill requirements most jobs demand for promotion.
Follow Job Requirements Carefully
Each career clearly outlines promotion requirements in the career tab located in the bottom right corner of the screen. Most positions require completing specific tasks during off-hours or developing particular skills. Active careers present random daily objectives that must be completed to maintain good performance and earnings.
Take Advantage of Overtime Opportunities
Many careers offer the option to work two additional hours beyond the regular shift, improving job performance while earning overtime pay. Using this feature whenever available significantly accelerates career progression.
Success also depends on developing relevant skills and maintaining optimal moods for your sim’s profession. The following comprehensive career guide includes skill requirements, ideal emotional states, and beneficial college degrees for each available job path.
Traditional Career Paths
Astronaut
DLC Required: Base Game
Essential Skills: Fitness, Logic
Optimal Mood: Focused
Career Branches: Space Ranger and Interstellar Smuggler
Recommended Degrees: Physics for Space Ranger branch, Villainy for Interstellar Smuggler branch
Athlete
DLC Required: Base Game
Essential Skills: Fitness, Charisma, Mischief
Optimal Mood: Energized
Career Branches: Professional Athlete and Bodybuilder
Recommended Degrees: Biology for Bodybuilder branch, Communications for Professional Athlete branch
Business
DLC Required: Base Game
Essential Skills: Charisma, Logic
Optimal Mood: Confident
Career Branches: Management and Investor
Recommended Degrees: Economics for Investor branch, Communications for Management branch
Criminal
DLC Required: Base Game
Essential Skills: Mischief, Logic, Charisma
Optimal Mood: Playful or Angry
Career Branches: Boss and Oracle
Recommended Degrees: Computer Science for Oracle branch, Villainy for Boss branch
Culinary
DLC Required: Base Game
Essential Skills: Cooking, Gourmet Cooking, Charisma
Optimal Mood: Inspired
Career Branches: Chef and Mixologist
Recommended Degrees: Culinary Arts for Chef branch, Communications for Mixologist branch
Entertainer
DLC Required: Base Game
Essential Skills: Guitar, Piano, Violin, Comedy
Optimal Mood: Inspired
Career Branches: Musician and Comedian
Recommended Degrees: Fine Art for Musician branch, Drama for Comedian branch
Painter
DLC Required: Base Game
Essential Skills: Painting
Optimal Mood: Inspired
Career Branches: Master of the Real and Art Patron
Recommended Degrees: Fine Art for Master of the Real branch, Art History for Art Patron branch
Secret Agent
DLC Required: Base Game
Essential Skills: Logic, Charisma, Fitness, Mischief
Optimal Mood: Focused
Career Branches: Diamond Agent and Villain
Recommended Degrees: Psychology for Diamond Agent branch, Villainy for Villain branch
Tech Guru
DLC Required: Base Game
Essential Skills: Programming, Gaming, Logic
Optimal Mood: Focused
Career Branches: eSport Gamer and Start-up Entrepreneur
Recommended Degrees: Computer Science for both branches
Writer
DLC Required: Base Game
Essential Skills: Writing, Charisma
Optimal Mood: Inspired
Career Branches: Author and Journalist
Recommended Degrees: Language and Literature for Author branch, Communications for Journalist branch
Expansion Pack Careers
Critic
DLC Required: City Living
Essential Skills: Writing, Charisma, Gourmet Cooking
Optimal Mood: Inspired
Career Branches: Art Critic and Food Critic
Recommended Degrees: Art History for Art Critic branch, Culinary Arts for Food Critic branch
Politician
DLC Required: City Living
Essential Skills: Charisma, Logic
Optimal Mood: Confident
Career Branches: Politician and Charity Organizer
Recommended Degrees: History for Politician branch, Communications for Charity Organizer branch
Social Media
DLC Required: City Living
Essential Skills: Charisma, Gaming, Comedy
Optimal Mood: Confident
Career Branches: Internet Personality and Public Relations
Recommended Degrees: Drama for Internet Personality branch, Communications for Public Relations branch
Conservationist
DLC Required: Island Living
Essential Skills: Logic, Fitness, Charisma
Optimal Mood: Focused
Career Branches: Environmental Manager and Marine Biologist
Recommended Degrees: Economics for Environmental Manager branch, Biology for Marine Biologist branch
Gardener
DLC Required: Seasons
Essential Skills: Gardening, Logic, Painting
Optimal Mood: Inspired
Career Branches: Botanist and Floral Designer
Recommended Degrees: Biology for Botanist branch, Fine Art for Floral Designer branch
Freelancer
DLC Required: Base Game
Essential Skills: Varies by specialization
Optimal Mood: Inspired for creative work, Focused for programming
Career Branches: Freelance Writer, Freelance Artist, Freelance Programmer, Freelance Photographer, Paranormal Investigator
Recommended Degrees: Language and Literature for Writer, Fine Art for Artist/Photographer, Computer Science for Programmer
Military
DLC Required: Strangerville
Essential Skills: Fitness, Logic, Charisma for Officer, Mischief for Covert Operator
Optimal Mood: Focused
Career Branches: Officer and Covert Operator
Recommended Degrees: History for Officer branch, Psychology for Covert Operator branch
Education
DLC Required: Discover University
Essential Skills: Logic, Charisma
Optimal Mood: Focused
Career Branches: Administrator and Professor
Recommended Degrees: Economics for Administrator branch, Psychology for Professor branch
Engineer
DLC Required: Discover University
Essential Skills: Logic, Robotics, Handiness, Programming
Optimal Mood: Focused
Career Branches: Mechanical Engineer and Computer Engineer
Recommended Degrees: Physics for Mechanical Engineer branch, Computer Science for Computer Engineer branch
Law
DLC Required: Discover University
Essential Skills: Logic, Charisma, Research and Debate
Optimal Mood: Focused
Career Branches: Private Attorney and Judge
Recommended Degrees: Language and Literature for Private Attorney branch, History for Judge branch
Style Influencer
DLC Required: Get Famous
Essential Skills: Charisma, Photography, Painting
Optimal Mood: Inspired
Career Branches: Stylist and Trend Setter
Recommended Degrees: Fine Art for Stylist branch, Art History for Trend Setter branch
Salaryperson
DLC Required: Snowy Escape
Essential Skills: Logic, Writing, Programming, Charisma
Optimal Mood: Focused
Career Branches: Expert and Supervisor
Recommended Degrees: None
Civil Designer
DLC Required: Eco Lifestyle
Essential Skills: Logic, Handiness, Fabrication
Optimal Mood: Focused
Career Branches: Green Technician and Urban Planner
Recommended Degrees: Mechanical Engineering for Green Technician, Computer Engineering and Economics for Urban Planner
Romance Consultant
DLC Required: Lovestruck
Essential Skills: Charisma, Romance, Logic
Optimal Mood: Focused
Career Branches: Matchmaker and Relationship Counselor
Recommended Degrees: None
Undertaker
DLC Required: Life and Death
Essential Skills: Fitness, Charisma, Gardening, Thanatology, Painting
Optimal Mood: None specified
Career Branches: Funeral Director and Mortician
Recommended Degrees: None
Interactive Career Options
Doctor
DLC Required: Get to Work
Essential Skills: Logic, Charisma, Handiness
Optimal Mood: Focused
Career Branches: None (Active Career)
Recommended Degrees: Biology
Detective
DLC Required: Get to Work
Essential Skills: Logic, Charisma, Fitness, Mischief
Optimal Mood: Focused
Career Branches: None (Active Career)
Recommended Degrees: Psychology
Scientist
DLC Required: Get to Work
Essential Skills: Logic, Handiness, Rocket Science
Optimal Mood: Focused
Career Branches: None (Active Career)
Recommended Degrees: Physics
Retail
DLC Required: Get to Work (Self-employed business ownership)
Essential Skills: Charisma, Handiness for building and stocking, Logic for pricing strategies
Optimal Mood: Confident
Career Branches: None
Recommended Degrees: Economics, Business
Interior Decorator
DLC Required: Dream Home Decorator
Essential Skills: Charisma
Optimal Mood: None specified
Career Branches: None
Recommended Degrees: None
Reaper
DLC Required: Life and Death
Essential Skills: Thanatology, Fitness, Charisma
Optimal Mood: Focused
Career Branches: None
Recommended Degrees: None
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