All Careers In The Sims 4: Jobs, Tips, And How To Get Promoted

There are numerous career options available in The Sims 4, featuring a quite extensive array of occupations included with the basic game and many more introduced through DLC over the years since The Sims 4 launched. Which careers you opt for your sims is entirely your decision, but there are several elements that can influence your success, such as whether your sim’s abilities align with the career choice. If you aspire for your sims to thrive, a bit of knowledge and effort is needed—similar to a real-life job.

While there are particular aspects you need to understand about each specific profession that can aid in your progress, there are also some general recommendations that can assist your sims in ascending their career ladders.

General recommendations for any Sims 4 profession

Select an active, self-employed, or rabbit hole position

There are three primary categories of careers in The Sims 4. The majority are rabbit hole-type positions, where your sims venture off-screen and perform their tasks without any significant participation from the player. However, there are “active” careers that require you to accompany your sim to their workplace and engage them in various responsibilities (although you can also treat these as rabbit hole jobs if that’s your preference), and self-employment and freelance careers where your sim will take on individual tasks from their own home, such as authoring a book, creating artwork, or crafting furniture.

Excel in school

Teenagers who achieve high marks in high school will automatically advance one or two levels in any job they undertake—a B GPA grants you level 2 in every career your sim enters throughout their life, while an A allows them to begin at level 3. Similarly, there are specific college degrees that will benefit both your beginning level and job performance—we will mention those below.

Within your lifetime aspiration rewards, there are certain advantages you can acquire that will greatly assist in any profession you pursue. Professional Slacker (4000 reward points) ensures that you will never lose your position or be demoted due to poor performance, while the Connections trait will enable you to commence any career three levels higher than you would normally start—this accumulates with any bonuses you achieved in high school or college as well. The Savant perk (4000 points), which boosts all skill progress by 25%, will also be beneficial, as most careers require specific skills for advancement.

Truly perform the tasks of the job

Generally, the job will clearly outline what your sim needs to accomplish to progress. Most careers will necessitate completing particular tasks while you’re off the clock (basically homework) or improving specific skills to earn a promotion—the requirements are listed in the career tab at the bottom right of the screen. Additionally, active careers will present random assignments for your sims while they are at work, and neglecting to complete at least a few of these each day will lead to minimal earnings.

Put in overtime

Certain jobs permit your sim to work two hours beyond the standard end of their shift, enhancing their job performance and providing additional pay. Utilizing that option whenever possible can accelerate your career progression significantly.

Moreover, you should focus on enhancing each career’s applicable skills and ensuring your sim maintains the best possible mood for the job at every opportunity. To assist you with this, you’ll find below an inventory of every normal and active career in The Sims 4, along with a summary of the pertinent skills, optimum moods, and which college degrees are most relevant. Adhere to this guide, and regardless of the career you select for your sim, they’ll quickly amass wealth and time off.

All Sims 4 standard careers

Astronaut

• DLC: Base Game
• Relevant skills: Fitness, Logic
• Ideal mood: Focused
• Branches: Space Ranger and Interstellar Smuggler
• Relevant degree(s): Physics (Space Ranger branch), Villainy (Interstellar Smuggler branch)

Athlete

• DLC: Base Game
• Relevant skills: Fitness, Charisma, Mischief
• Ideal mood: Energized
• Branches: Professional Athlete and Bodybuilder
• Relevant degree(s): Biology (Bodybuilder branch), Communications (Professional Athlete branch)

Business

• DLC: Base Game
• Relevant skills: Charisma, Logic
• Ideal mood: Confident
• Branches: Management and Investor
• Relevant degree(s): Economics (Investor branch), Communications (Management branch)

Criminal

• DLC: Base Game
• Relevant skills: Mischief, Logic, Charisma
• Ideal mood: Playful, Angry
• Branches: Boss and Oracle
• Relevant degree(s): Computer Science (Oracle branch), Villainy (Boss branch)

Culinary

• DLC: Base Game
• Relevant skills: Cooking, Gourmet Cooking, Charisma
• Ideal mood: Inspired
• Branches: Chef and Mixologist
• Relevant degree(s): Culinary Arts (Chef branch), Communications (Mixologist branch)

Entertainer

• DLC: Base Game
• Relevant skills: Guitar, Piano, Violin, Comedy
• Ideal mood: Inspired
• Branches: Musician and Comedian
• Relevant degree(s): Fine Art (Musician branch), Drama (Comedian branch)

Painter

• DLC: Base Game
• Relevant skills: Painting
• Ideal mood: Inspired
• Branches: Master of the Real and Art Patron
• Relevant degree(s): Fine Art (Master of the Real branch), Art History (Art Patron branch)

Secret Agent

• DLC: Base Game
• Relevant skills: Logic, Charisma, Fitness, Mischief
• Ideal mood: Focused
• Branches: Diamond Agent and Villain
• Relevant degree(s): Psychology (Diamond Agent branch), Villainy (Villain branch)

Tech Guru

• DLC: Base Game
• Relevant skills: Programming, Gaming, Logic
• Ideal mood: Focused
• Branches: eSport Gamer and Start-up Entrepreneur
• Relevant degree(s): Computer Science (both branches)

Writer

• DLC: Base Game
• Relevant skills: Writing, Charisma
• Ideal mood: Inspired
• Branches: Author and Journalist
• Relevant degree(s): Language and Literature

(Author branch), Communications (Journalist branch)

Critic

• DLC: City Living
• Key skills: Writing, Charisma, Gourmet Cooking
• Optimal mood: Inspired
• Paths: Art Critic and Food Critic
• Relevant degree(s): Art History (Art Critic path), Culinary Arts (Food Critic path)

Politician

• DLC: City Living
• Key skills: Charisma, Logic
• Optimal mood: Confident
• Paths: Politician and Charity Organizer
• Relevant degree(s): History (Politician path), Communications (Charity Organizer path)

• DLC: City Living
• Key skills: Charisma, Gaming, Comedy
• Optimal mood: Confident
• Paths: Internet Personality and Public Relations
• Relevant degree(s): Drama (Internet Personality path), Communications (Public Relations path)

Conservationist

• DLC: Island Living
• Key skills: Logic, Fitness, Charisma
• Optimal mood: Focused
• Paths: Environmental Manager and Marine Biologist
• Relevant degree(s): Economics (Environmental Manager path), Biology (Marine Biologist path)

Gardener

• DLC: Seasons
• Key skills: Gardening, Logic, Painting
• Optimal mood: Inspired
• Paths: Botanist and Floral Designer
• Relevant degree(s): Biology (Botanist path), Fine Art (Floral Designer path)

Freelancer

• DLC: Base Game
• Key skills: Any you select
• Optimal mood: Inspired for creatives, and Focused for programming
• Paths: Freelance Writer, Freelance Artist, Freelance Programmer, Freelance Photographer, Paranormal Investigator
• Relevant degree(s): Language and Literature (Writer), Fine Art (Artist/Photographer), Computer Science (Programmer)

Military

• DLC: Strangerville
• Key skills: Fitness, Logic, Charisma (Officer), Mischief (Covert Operator)
• Optimal mood: Focused
• Paths: Officer and Covert Operator
• Relevant degree(s): History (Officer path), Psychology (Covert Operator path)

Education

• DLC: Discover University
• Key skills: Logic, Charisma
• Optimal mood: Focused
• Paths: Administrator and Professor
• Relevant degree(s): Economics (Administrator path), Psychology (Professor path)

Engineer

• DLC: Discover University
• Key skills: Logic, Robotics, Handiness, Programming
• Optimal mood: Focused
• Paths: Mechanical Engineer and Computer Engineer
• Relevant degree(s): Physics (Mechanical Engineer path), Computer Science (Computer Engineer path)

Law

• DLC: Discover University
• Key skills: Logic, Charisma, Research & Debate
• Optimal mood: Focused
• Paths: Private Attorney and Judge
• Relevant degree(s): Language and Literature (Private Attorney path), History (Judge path)

Style Influencer

• DLC: Get Famous
• Key skills: Charisma, Photography, Painting
• Optimal mood: Inspired
• Paths: Stylist and Trend Setter
• Relevant degree(s): Fine Art (Stylist path), Art History (Trend Setter path)

Salaryperson

• DLC: Snowy Escape
• Key skills: Logic, Writing, Programming, Charisma
• Optimal mood: Focused
• Paths: Expert and Supervisor
• Relevant degree(s): None

Civil Designer

• DLC: Eco Lifestyle
• Key skills: Logic, Handiness, Fabrication
• Optimal mood: Focused
• Paths: Green Technician and Urban Planner
• Relevant degree(s): Mechanical Engineering (Green Technician), or Computer Engineering and Economics (Urban Planner)

Romance Consultant

• DLC: Lovestruck
• Key skills: Charisma, Romance, Logic
• Optimal mood: Focused
• Paths: Matchmaker and Relationship Counselor
• Relevant degrees: none

Undertaker

• DLC: Life & Death
• Key skills: Fitness, Charisma, Gardening, Thanatology, Painting
• Optimal mood: none
• Paths: Funeral Director and Mortician
• Relevant degree(s): None

All Sims 4 active careers

Doctor

• DLC: Get to Work
• Key skills: Logic, Charisma, Handiness
• Optimal mood: Focused
• Paths: None (Active Career)
• Relevant degree(s): Biology

Detective

• DLC: Get to Work
• Key skills: Logic, Charisma, Fitness, Mischief
• Optimal mood: Focused
• Paths: None (Active Career)
• Relevant degree(s): Psychology

Scientist

• DLC: Get to Work
• Key skills: Logic, Handiness, Rocket Science
• Optimal mood: Focused
• Paths: None (Active Career)
• Relevant degree(s): Physics

Retail

• DLC: Get to Work (Self-employed, owned business)
• Key skills: Charisma, Handiness (if building/stocking), Logic (for pricing)
• Optimal mood: Confident
• Paths: None
• Relevant degree(s): Economics, Business

Interior Decorator

• DLC: Dream Home Decorator
• Key skills: Charisma
• Optimal mood: None
• Paths: None
• Relevant degree(s): none

Reaper

• DLC: Life & Death
• Key skills: Thanatology, fitness, charisma
• Optimal mood: Focused
• Paths: None
• Relevant degree(s): none

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