The Sims 4 Get to Work Tips for the Detective, Scientist and Doctor Careers

Learn about the ideal moods and requirements for Doctors, Detectives and Scientists.
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When The Sims 4 added the Get to Work expansion on March 31, 2015, EA flipped the idea of getting an in-game job on its head. Previously, players would send their Sims to work, then stare at the front of their property while time flew by. Now gamers can choose one of three new careers that allow them to play as their Sim throughout the workday, or even open up a business if they’d prefer to be their own boss.

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Today we’re going to focus on the three new careers that players can dive into, giving you tips on how to get promoted faster, and how to make sure your Sim is ready for work at all times. Of course, you can still go for one of the other career choices if you prefer less fuss, and we already covered how to get promoted quickly if that’s your preference.

The Sims 4 Get to Work Tips

  • You can get one of these new jobs by logging on to your computer, just as you would have found a suitable career before. We suggest the P.R.I.M.A. 3000 for all your online needs.
  • Click on the Career icon in the bottom right of your HUD to see your work schedule, your overall performance, ideal mood and what you need to do to get promoted.
  • Your phone can be found in the bottom left of your HUD, and it’s here where you can take a vacation day if you need a little more rest and relaxation away from work.
  • If you need to work late to complete some additional daily tasks, look above your tasks list, clicking on the timer to spend a few extra hours impressing the boss.
  • Your Sim’s needs will decay even while you’re at work, so it’s important to wake up early and make sure they’re in good shape before sending them off for the day.
  • The workplace is often filled with many different Sims, which is a great opportunity for you to build your Social need should you become a bachelor or bachelorette in The Sims 4.

Detective Career Track Tips

Oddly enough, the Detective career doesn’t require your Sim to maintain any type of skills outside of work, so no worries if you don’t want to spend hours on the treadmill. That’s because you are in control of your Sim (if you want to be) while they’re on the job. What benefits your Sim, however, are some of the traits that you can purchase from the Rewards Store at the bottom right of your HUD. For starters, try and pick up Observant (2,000 Satisfaction Points) and Entrepreneurial (2,000 Satisfaction Points). The former will allow your Sim to determine another Sim’s traits just by meeting them, and the latter will help you quickly get promoted.

Once you’re ready to go to work, try to make sure your Sim is Focused, something that can be done easier if you have the Genius trait, or if you Ponder Moves at a chess table. Second, pay very close attention to your daily tasks. Completing several of these (about 10 to 15) will usually put your work performance for the day as high as it will go. Do these things and you’ll be the Chief in no time.

Doctor Career Track Tips

Being a Doctor in The Sims 4 is fairly difficult, which makes sense given that it’s likely not an easy career for actual doctors. Once again you want to be Focused while at work, so you should use the Genius trait, or choose the Ponder Moves option on a chess table. This mood isn’t just to help your Sim get promoted, but being Focused will allow you to diagnose patients correctly. If you mess this up you can expect to lose some job performance.

Speaking of diagnosing patients, this is the most difficult part of the job, and it’s advised that you take your time and get to know the symptoms. For example, if your patient has the Llama Flu they are likely to shiver, have gas and even cough. The Burnin’ Belly, on the other hand, will manifest itself in the form of visible stomach pain, and requires surgery if you hope to treat it.

Doctors can also work long hours, but this usually balances out by giving them three days off, instead of the standard two. For us, this is a fantastic trade, as most players will find they don’t have much time for anything beyond their Sims’s basic needs on days they’re scheduled to work. Oh, and as you might expect, Doctors have more earning potential than police officers.

Scientist Career Track Tips

If you’re looking for consistency in your schedule and lots of cash, the Scientist is the way to go. For starters you’ll work from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM from Monday to Friday, through all 10 levels of the career track. On the money side, your standard pay ($2, 223 per day at level 10) will come in below a Doctor, but one of the inventions you’re required to create can end up earning you boat loads of extra cash.

Before we get to that, being Focused is once again the goal while at work, so just as we advised in the previous two careers, think about giving your Sim the Genius trait. Beyond that, buy yourself a chess board for the home and use it prior to going to work. We typically find that our Sim needs about four hours before work (food, toilet, shower, activity) if they want to leave the house in an ideal state, so try to get your Scientist up at about 6:00 AM. If you have a good bed you should be able to sleep less and still be fully energized in the morning.

On to the money making tip. At level two of the Scientist career track you’ll need to invent the SimRay, and at level three you will upgrade it to Transform Objects. If you want to make lots of money (in addition to your standard pay), transform cheap objects that will commonly convert into some more expensive ones. It’s at this point that you can sell them in Buy Mode and keep the difference. It’s not really the most honorable way of earning a living, but we’re willing to look the other way if you are.


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Prima Games Staff

The staff at Prima Games.