Content

The guide begins with a chapter on what we mean by doing good and how to think in order to maximize your impact. Next, the four areas that are central to making a big difference with one’s career are presented: choosing a role that effectively tackles an important problem and that you are good at and enjoy .

Introduction

Here you are now! Here is information about the guide and what content you can expect.

Maximize your impact

Many believe that it is difficult to contribute to a better world as an individual. But with a Swedish median income, you can save several dozen lives during your career if you think strategically about doing good.

Select problem

Which societal problem you choose to work with will have a big impact on the difference you can make. But how do you prioritize when many questions feel so important? You are expected to make the biggest difference by working on problems that are big, solvable and overlooked by others.

Priority areas

In this chapter, an overview is presented of the areas in which we believe it is most urgent that more people work.

Career choice

Four career categories are particularly promising for those who want to do a lot of good: 1) research, 2) advocacy, 3) direct work as an entrepreneur or in effective non-profit organizations, and 4) high-paying jobs that enable large donations.

Choose what suits you best

If you want to make a big difference, you need to work with something you are good at. This part will help you figure out what it is.

Job satisfaction

Of course, it is also important that you feel well during your career. To thrive, you should 1) have engaging tasks, 2) work with something that helps others, 3) be good at what you do, 4) have supportive colleagues, 5) avoid major negative factors and 6) have a job that fits with the rest of your life.

Termination

Time to boil down what you learned into concrete options for your career! In this chapter there are tools to help.

A significant part of the guide is devoted to the ideas behind the conclusions. The concrete advice on problems and roles are our best estimates given the knowledge we have at the moment, but they will likely need to be updated as the world changes and we receive new information. However, the principles and tools are likely to be useful even in new circumstances. They can also help you identify brand new options that we’ve missed.

80,000 Hours

The guide is based on about ten years of work by a British organization called 80,000 Hours. They do analysis and compile research to guide people who want to make a big difference in their careers. We have translated and rewritten selected parts of their material to make it accessible to more people. Unless otherwise noted, the factual information comes from their articles, which we link to at the end of each section for those who want to read more and see sources.