Game guide:Deciding the best career
Template:Tutorial-nav This tutorial is to help players determine which career will be best to suit the Sims. Essentially, what job suits with a Sim depends on their traits, which simply determine their Lifetime Wish, and their current Wish.
Profit
If profit and earnings is what the players are really looking for, the simple answer is the Medical career. The top of Medical career (World Renowned Surgeon) has the highest earnings per week, while Military (Astronaut) has the lowest earnings per week, as Sims only work once per week.
Lifetime Wish
Almost all careers in all branches as well as professions have Lifetime Wishes, with the exception of Education, Daycare, and Band. If the players are willing to fulfill Sims' Lifetime Wish, following it will be the best option for them.
Some other Lifetime Wishes can also determine the job for Sims as self-employed:
- Angler: Presenting the Perfect Private Aquarium
- Band: Golden Tongue / Golden Fingers, Master of the Arts, One Sim Band
- Gardener: The Perfect Garden
- Horseman: Jockey
- Inventor: Descendant of da Vinci, Monster Maker
- Nectar Maker: Bottomless Nectar Cellar
- Painter: Illustrious Author, Master of the Arts, Visionary, Descendant of da Vinci
- Photographer: World-Class Gallery, Visionary
- Sculptor: Descendant of da Vinci
- Writer: Illustrious Author, Professional Author
Thus, when a Sim doesn't have a Lifetime Wish for a particular career or even skill career, consider employing them in the preceding careers. Of course, players are free to do one's will.
Traits
Other than Lifetime Wish, traits will also help determine the suitable jobs. Here are the traits that will be helpful for certain careers:
- Business: Schmoozer
- Criminal: Evil, Kleptomaniac
- Culinary: Natural Cook
- Journalism: (None)
- Law Enforcement: Brave
- Medical: Genius
- Military: Brave, Handy
- Music: Virtuoso
- Political: Charismatic
- Professional Sports: Athletic
- Science: Green Thumb, Angler, Handy
- Education: (None)
- Film: Charismatic, Star Quality
Professions:
- Architectural Designer: Artistic
- Firefighter: Brave, Daredevil
- Ghost Hunter: Genius
- Investigator: Perceptive
- Stylist: Artistic
- Daycare: Family-Oriented, Nurturing
- Acrobat: Natural Born Performer
- Magician: Natural Born Performer
- Singer: Natural Born Performer, Virtuoso
Self-employment careers:
- Angler: Angler
- Band: Virtuoso
- Gardener: Green Thumb
- Horseman: Equestrian
- Inventor: Eccentric
- Nectar Maker: (None)
- Painter: Artistic
- Photographer: Photographer's Eye
- Sculptor: Savvy Sculptor
- Writer: (None)
Lifetime Rewards
Some Lifetime Rewards are very helpful with Sims' jobs, depending on what they do for their living. Most of these rewards have impact to some careers, while no benefits in other careers.
- Basic careers
All base-game careers as well as Film from Late Night are quite simple and straightforward. Professional Slacker enables Sims to slack off without reducing their performance as well as the risk of being demoted. Office Hero makes Sims build their relationship with coworkers while at work twice as fast. Multi-Tasker will also be helpful, and Vacationer enables Sims to take any day-offs as they please.
- Professions
All professions or active careers from Ambitions, Generations, as well as Showtime can earn bigger weekly stipends with Professional Simoleon Booster. Entrepreneurial Mindsetenables Sims to earn performance / experience faster.
- Self-Employment
Different Lifetime Rewards give different impacts and benefits for different self-employment careers, but some also have global benefits. Suave Seller is useful for Sims who work as Angler, Gardener, Inventor, Nectar Maker, Painter, Photographer, and Sculptor, because this reward has direct impact from crafted objects sold in consignment store.
Meanwhile, these rewards are only useful for the following careers.
- Super Green Thumb: Gardener
- Acclaimed Author: Writer
- Extra Creative: Painter
- Efficient Inventor: Inventor
- Artisan Crafter: Sculptor
- Super Nanny: Daycare
- Engaging, That Was Deliberate: Singer, Acrobat, and Magician
- Better Mixologist: Mixologist (While this is technically not a self-employment career, this reward is useful for Sims who mix drinks for living)
- Band
The Next Big Thing is the only specific reward that is useful for Sims who form a band, which is to earn more cash from gigs.