Finding work and building a career

Choose Your Life on the Life Compass, open Work & School, then choose the Job Centre. Each vacancy tells you the employer, role, workplace, pay and requirements.

Read the whole vacancy before applying. Some jobs need a City ID and bank account; others ask for a skill, qualification or minimum age. A closed button should name the missing requirement. If it requires an unavailable qualification, choose a vacancy you already meet.

If a long-term role does not fit yet, odd jobs can provide money and a first piece of experience. Townsfolk employers, which are clearly labelled computer-controlled residents or organisations, keep basic work available when few human owners are online.

A shift is a larger action, so your character cannot usually begin another large action until it ends. You may still read the phone, browse the map and plan what comes next.

When the finish time passes, open Now or return to Your Job. Do not start a second copy of the shift because the result seems slow. Refresh once, then use Help in your Pocket if the result remains missing.

1. 1

   Check the work

   Read the pay, workplace, length, energy cost and any condition that could affect your result.

2. 2

   Commit to the shift

   Your character becomes busy for the stated time. The page tells you when the work should finish.

3. 3

   Read the result

   See the pay, skill progress and any new opportunity before deciding what to do next. Wages appear in your bank account rather than as an item to collect.

A career grows through experience, skills and completed projects. Better roles ask more from you but can offer higher pay, responsibility or greater recognition around the city.

The beta includes everyday work as well as public service, law, medicine, business and music. Film, television and theatre careers are not available.

Open the career path attached to your job to see what the next role expects. Do not assume that repeating the same beginner shift opens every promotion; a later role may need a project, good work results or experience in a related post.

Compare the wage with the time, travel and condition your character needs. A slightly lower-paying shift near home may leave more room for food, friendships or study than a demanding job across the city.

After payment, open Wallet for the new balance and Bank for the detailed statement. If the wage is lower than expected, read the result for a fee, missed requirement or partial outcome before filing a support notice.

If the job disappeared, it may have been filled or closed. Return to the Job Centre and choose another vacancy rather than using an old browser page.

If you left a job, read the new vacancy's rules before assuming you can return immediately. Your next useful step should be specific: earn one wage, complete one project or build experience in one related role.

• Check whether your character is already busy.
• Check that City ID, bank account and debit card set-up is complete.
• Read any age, skill or qualification requirement.
• Check whether health, energy, prison or hospital care is blocking the choice.
• Use odd jobs or study if the role is not open to you yet.