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Understand what makes for a high-impact career.
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This could be the most important century
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Fit is more important than you think
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Aim higher: a rational case for dreaming big
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Sometimes-recommended paths
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2017 career guide
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Read the full guide →
Introduction
Your most important decision
Summary
Foundations
A definition of impact
Future generations & their moral significance
Effective altruism
Global priorities
Why problem selection is crucial
The case for reducing existential risks
This could be the most important century
Our current list of pressing problems
Contribution
Which careers let you contribute most?
Some solutions are far more effective than others
Our list of high-impact careers
Personal fit
Fit is more important than you think
Strategy
What is career capital?
How much to explore?
Coordination and impact
Balancing impact and doing what you love
Aim higher: a rational case for dreaming big
Three career stages
Conclusion
How much do careers differ in impact?
Read the full guide →
Go to problems hub →
Top areas to work on
Preventing an AI-related catastrophe
Catastrophic pandemics
Building effective altruism
Global priorities research
Nuclear war
Epistemics and institutional decision making
Climate change
Great power conflict
Other promising areas
Promoting positive values
Space governance
See more →
Go to problems hub →
See all our career reviews →
Key categories of impactful careers
Government and policy
Organisation-building at effective nonprofits
Research
Applying an unusual strength to a needed niche
Communication
Earning to give
List of top-recommended career paths
AI safety technical research
Long-term AI policy
Founder of new projects
Helping build the effective altruism community
Grantmaker
Operations management in high-impact organisations
Research into global priorities
Biorisk research, strategy, and policy
China-related AI safety and governance
Forecasting research and implementation
Sometimes-recommended paths
High-impact but especially competitive
Promising but under-researched
Impactful if you're an especially good fit
Recommended career capital
Steps to build your skills and network
Making the most of your current job
Doing good in any career
How to invest in yourself
See all our career reviews →
See all planning resources →
Create a high-impact career plan
8-week career planning course
Summary
Career plan template
Annual career check-up
Make good career decisions
Make an immediate decision
Improve your decision-making skills
See all planning resources →
Selected topics
Moral philosophy
Career capital
Job satisfaction
Anonymous advice
Unconventional advice
Advice for undergraduates
Advocacy
Existential risk
Top-recommended careers
See all topics →
Top articles from outside our guides
What makes for a dream job?
Best charities to donate to
Misconceptions about effective altruism
High-impact research questions
What are your chances of getting elected to Congress, if you try?
How many lives does a doctor save?
What's the impact of voting?
Advice for undergraduates
All articles →
2017 career guide
All career guide pages →
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Sebastian Farquhar
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Author archive:
Sebastian Farquhar
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14
Blog posts
14
2013
January
How to choose a degree – putting it all together
Blog post
10 steps to choosing your degree
Blog post
How to choose a degree – what do employers want?
Blog post
How to choose a degree for Earning to Give and Research
Blog post
2012
December
Christmas gifts, goats and cash-transfer charities
Blog post
November
80,000 Hours is Recruiting!
Blog post
The Best News You’ll Hear All Year
Blog post
October
How to be a high impact volunteer
Blog post
September
Is there such thing as a ‘bad’ charity?
Blog post
August
How much malaria is biodiversity worth?
Blog post
July
Universalisability – Immoral Industries Part 3
Blog post
Collective Action: working in unethical industries part 2
Blog post
March
The replaceability effect: working in unethical industries part 1
Blog post
What is an effective altruist?
Blog post
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14
Blog posts
14
