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The Freelancer career is one of the career options available in The Sims 4. Unlike traditional careers with fixed work schedules, Freelancer allows Sims to work independently by accepting and completing various projects from clients.
This career offers a high degree of flexibility because Sims can choose which projects to work on without having to go to a workplace at a specific time. There are several specializations available: Freelancer Writer, Freelancer Programmer, and Freelancer Digital Artist.
Freelancers earn money by completing projects. Each project has different requirements, deadlines, and payment. Generally, the more difficult the project, the more Simoleons Sims receive after successfully completing it.
This guide covers various aspects of the Freelancer career in The Sims 4, including how to join, the Gig system, Skill requirements, and ways to maximize earnings and career progression.
Overview
The Freelancer career allows Sims to work independently by choosing projects and managing their own work schedules. The system is similar to freelance work in the real world, where income is earned after completing contracts from clients.
Freelancer is available in the base game and can be accessed through the Sim’s phone by selecting Business > Find Job. After joining, Sims can choose an agency that matches the field they want to pursue.
Unlike most careers in The Sims 4, Freelancer does not have a conventional promotion or career-level system. Progression is determined by the Sim’s ability to complete Gigs, which are work contracts offered by freelance agencies.
As a Sim’s relevant Skill increases, higher-value projects become available. Advanced Gigs generally offer higher payments but also have more challenging requirements and objectives.
There are three Freelancer agencies available in the base game:
- Computer Experts — Focuses on programming work for Freelance Programmer.
- Electrified Artists — Focuses on digital art and illustration projects for Freelance Artist.
- Fighting Words — Focuses on writing assignments for Freelance Writer.
Each agency offers different Gigs, with Skill requirements and objectives tailored to its respective specialization.
Recommended Traits for Freelancers
Choosing the right Traits can help Sims complete Gigs more efficiently. The recommended Traits vary depending on whether the Sim specializes as a Programmer, Artist, or Writer.
Freelance Programmer relies heavily on the Programming skill, making the Focused mood ideal for improving the skill and increasing productivity.
Genius
The most recommended Trait for Programmers. Sims with this Trait are more likely to obtain Focused moodlets, making it easier to create programs, perform hacking activities, and complete advanced Gigs.
Geek
Provides benefits when using computers and playing video games. Besides helping maintain the Fun need, this Trait fits well with a Programmer’s daily activities.
Loner
Most programming work is performed on a computer and requires very little social interaction. The Loner Trait slows the decline of the Social need, allowing Sims to work longer without having to socialize.
Freelance Artist focuses on creating digital artwork and paintings. Therefore, the Inspired mood is the most effective condition for improving artwork quality and developing the Painting skill.
Creative
The most important Trait for Artists. Sims naturally obtain Inspired moodlets more often, making it easier to produce high-quality artwork.
Art Lover
Allows Sims to gain inspiration from interacting with artwork. Sims also enjoy environments filled with paintings and artistic decorations.
Perfectionist
Artwork takes longer to complete, but generally has higher quality than work created by Sims without this Trait.
Loner
Very useful for Artists who spend long periods working alone with an Easel or Digital Sketchpad without being distracted by their Social needs.
Freelance Writers benefit greatly from the Inspired mood because it helps improve writing quality and increases the chance of producing high-quality books.
Creative
The best overall Trait for Writers. The regular Inspired moodlets help Sims produce better books and improve their Writing skill more quickly.
Bookworm
Provides various benefits related to reading and writing activities. Sims can also perform certain book-related interactions to gain additional inspiration.
Loner
Writing is a time-consuming activity that is generally performed alone. The Loner Trait allows Sims to remain productive without constantly having to fulfill their Social need.
Getting Started
After choosing a specialization, the next step is to accept Gigs and complete client contracts.
To start the Freelancer career, open the Sim’s phone and select Business > Find Job > Freelancer. You can then choose one of the following specializations:
- Writer
- Programmer
- Artist
After choosing a specialization, the Sim will join the agency corresponding to their profession.
All Freelancer branches require a Computer to complete most tasks.
For Artists, you must purchase a Digitalistic Sketchpad, which can be found under Misc Electronics in Build Mode. This item is required for many Gigs involving digital artwork.
Available Gigs or projects can be viewed through the Career Panel or the Sim’s phone. Each Gig has specific Skill requirements that must be met before it can be accepted.
Increasing the relevant Skill unlocks more challenging Gigs with higher payments. Each agency offers various contracts with different client requests, job descriptions, and difficulty levels.
Every Gig has a completion deadline. Once a contract is accepted, Sims can immediately begin working on it without waiting for a specific work schedule.
Successfully completing a Gig increases the Sim’s earnings and career performance, while missing the deadline can negatively affect career progression.
After completing a Gig, Sims can immediately accept another contract, even on the same day.
Once a project is accepted, the Career Panel displays a list of objectives that must be completed.
During the early stages, tasks usually involve communicating with clients or researching project references. Additional interactions then become available through the Freelancer menu on the computer.
This menu contains all the activities required to complete the project, from creating the finished work to submitting it to the client.
At the final stage, Sims usually need to submit their work for the client to review. If the project does not meet the client’s expectations, revisions may be requested before the contract can be officially completed.
This workflow applies to all Freelancer specializations, including Writer, Programmer, and Artist. The main differences are the Skills used and the types of tasks required for each Gig.
Freelancer Ranks and Rewards
Although the Freelancer career does not have a conventional promotion system, it still uses Rank and Performance systems to track a Sim’s progression.
All Freelancers start at Rank 0. As Sims successfully complete Gigs and improve their work performance, they advance to higher ranks. Each rank increase provides a 10% bonus to the base payment of successfully completed Gigs.
Clients may also provide additional bonuses if they are satisfied with the quality of the submitted work.
These bonuses generally range from 10% to 20% of the contract value. This means higher-quality work can directly increase a Sim’s earnings.
During the early stages of career progression, Sims also receive rewards after reaching certain milestones. The rewards vary depending on the chosen Freelancer specialization:
- Artist — Receives the Better As A Pair Of Paintings decorative item.
- Writer — Unlocks a Laptop reward.
- Programmer — Unlocks the Overclocking option on computers.
In addition to Skill level and work quality, a Sim’s Traits can also affect career progression.
The Ambitious Trait helps improve career performance more quickly, allowing Sims to reach new ranks in less time.
Conversely, the Lazy Trait tends to slow career performance progression. As a result, Sims with this Trait generally need more time and completed Gigs to reach higher ranks than other Sims.
Therefore, choosing the right Traits can have a long-term impact on a Sim’s success as a Freelancer.
