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Paths / Path 18

Find Your Work

What jobs are actually like from the inside, how to choose one, and how to build something of your own.

For: students choosing what to study, and anyone thinking about changing careers.

23readings
2.8 hoursof reading
3stages
4 quick reads · 19 reads
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Stage 1

Start

3 readings · 15 min
  1. 01ReadInteractiveQuiz7 min

    Choosing a Career Without Guessing

    A method for choosing a career instead of drifting into one.
  2. 02Quick readQuiz3 min

    How to Read a Payslip

    What your work is worth once tax is taken out.
  3. 03ReadQuiz5 min

    Negotiation for Normal People

    Negotiating your salary is the highest-paid hour of your career.
Stage 2

Understand (pick the jobs that tempt you)

13 readings · 2 hours
  1. 04ReadQuiz9 min

    What It's Like to Be a Mechanical Engineer: Making Things Move, and Making Sure They Don't Break

    Mechanical engineer: making things move.
  2. 05ReadQuiz9 min

    What It's Like to Be a Software Engineer: Mostly Thinking, Some Typing

    Software engineer: mostly thinking, some typing.
  3. 06ReadQuiz9 min

    What It's Like to Be a Historian: Evidence, Argument, and a Lot of Boxes

    Historian: evidence, argument and a lot of boxes.
  4. 07ReadQuiz9 min

    What It's Like to Be a Teacher: The Job Everyone Thinks They Already Understand

    Teacher: the job everyone thinks they already understand.
  5. 08ReadQuiz10 min

    What It's Like to Be a Nurse: Science at the Bedside, Around the Clock

    Nurse: science at the bedside.
  6. 09ReadQuiz10 min

    What It's Like to Be a Doctor (Physician): The Longest Road in the Building

    Doctor: the longest road in the building.
  7. 10ReadQuiz9 min

    What It's Like to Be an Electrician: Paid to Learn, Trusted With the Power

    Electrician: paid to learn.
  8. 11ReadQuiz9 min

    What It's Like to Be a Lawyer: Less Courtroom, More Careful Reading

    Lawyer: less courtroom, more careful reading.
  9. 12ReadQuiz9 min

    What It's Like to Be an Accountant: The People Who Know Where the Money Really Went

    Accountant: the people who know where the money goes.
  10. 13ReadQuiz9 min

    What It's Like to Be an Architect: Big Ideas, Small Details, Long Road

    Architect: big ideas, small details.
  11. 14ReadQuiz8 min

    What It's Like to Be a Graphic Designer: Solving Problems You Can See

    Graphic designer: problems you can see.
  12. 15ReadQuiz10 min

    What It's Like to Be a Psychologist: Science, Listening, and a Very Long Apprenticeship

    Psychologist: science and listening.
  13. 16ReadQuiz8 min

    What It's Like to Be a Data Scientist: Mostly Cleaning, Sometimes Magic

    Data scientist: mostly cleaning, sometimes magic.
Stage 3

Go deep

7 readings · 32 min
  1. 17Quick readQuiz4 min

    How to Talk to Customers (Before You Build Anything)

    Talk to customers before you build anything.
  2. 18Quick readQuiz4 min

    Pricing Without Fear

    Pricing without fear.
  3. 19ReadQuiz5 min

    The Legal Bare Minimum

    The legal bare minimum for starting.
  4. 20ReadQuiz5 min

    Co-Founders: Choosing, Splitting, and Not Breaking Up

    Co-founders: choosing, splitting, not breaking up.
  5. 21ReadQuiz5 min

    Starting Something Inside a Company

    Starting something inside a company.
  6. 22ReadQuiz5 min

    Judging a Proposal: The Outside View

    Judging a proposal with the outside view.
  7. 23Quick readInteractiveQuiz4 min

    Where Money Actually Comes From

    Where a business's money actually comes from.
When you finish

talk to two people who do the job you're considering; ask them what a bad week looks like.

Next path →

Run Your Life

Cook, clean, fix, move, train and recover: the practical skills that make every day easier.