The Sims 4 Get to Work Expansion

Features, Active Careers, and Open for Business

My guides to Get to Work are available: Baking, Aliens, Doctor, Detective, Photography, Sixam, the Alien World, Scientist, and Opening a Business! The next Pack releases December 8, 2015 - Get Together Expansion.
The Sims 4 Get to Work Expansion Pack
The Sims 4 Get to Work Expansion Splash Screen

Overview and Release Date

The Sims 4 Get to Work Expansion Pack was released March 31, 2015. It is a hybrid of two very popular Expansions from The Sims history - The Sims 3 Ambitions and -- finally -- The Sims 2 Open for Business! Here are the gameplay features brought with Get to Work that a player new to the Expansion or seeking to buy it needs to know.

Open for Business!

The Sims 4 Get to Work Expansion Pack has features from The Sims 2 Open for Business
Click to Enlarge. The Sims 2's Open for Business features are back in Sims 4!

Get to Work lets you turn a lot into a retail store, which can then be boosted with signs and other decorations to increase curb appeal from Sims out shopping. You can make nearly any kind of store you like, from selling foods to clothing and almost anything from Buy Mode. We have a Full Guide to Retail that can help you explore this feature and provide tips on how to manage a business. Here is an overview of features:

  • Customize through build mode and make any type of business you like: an art gallery, bakery, grocer (sort of), clothing boutique, or bookstore. You can sell nearly anything!
  • Dozens of new build mode objects to make your shop your own. Truly beautiful stores can be created by those with skill in building.
  • Hire and fire employees, manage their uniforms, and promote them when they're dissatisfied with pay.
  • Employees level in retail skills - from their ability to drive sales to their work ethic and ability to clean
  • Gain perk points that let you boost aspects of your business and your own Sim's ability to drive sales.
  • Synergizes well with crafting Skills like Painting, Handiness' Woodworking, and the new Skills in the Get to Work Expansion Pack
  • View profit reports for the day, and gradually evolve your store with more expensive products
  • Vending machines let Sims buy food without interacting with your staff. This can let you cook while they buy it up!
  • Adjust your markup to either sell many products at a low price, or few products at a very high price
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Three New Active Careers

Doctor, Detective, and Scientist are all featured in the EP. Players get to choose whether they follow their Sim to work and take control or not. This offers you some flexibility in play. However, to really get promotions effectively, you'll need to assume control. Players can extend the work day by up to 2 hours by clicking the meter at top left, which is also used to leave work early.

Doctor

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The Sims 4 Get to Work - The Hospital for the Doctor Career
Click to Enlarge. Hospital for the Doctor Career

The Sims 4 Get to Work Doctor works with a Sick Patient
Click to Enlarge. Healing and Diagnosing Sick Patients will be part of the Doctor Career

Doctor Career Features
The Doctor Career requires the most work out of a player of all three Active Careers. You will need to determine which disease a patient has, based on their visual symptoms and the tests you perform. You can read a full Guide to the Doctor Career here.

  • Use treadmill tests and X-rays to help diagnose patients
  • Analyze swabs to figure out their illness
  • Perform body scans, take temperatures, and discuss patient health
  • Deliver babies and perform surgeries on patients that require it
  • Make house calls and sometimes treat multiple Sims
  • See your Doctor grow in skill at diagnosing and treating patients as they advance

Detective

Police Station in the Sims 4 - this is where Detectives will Work
Click to Enlarge. A shot inside the Sims 'Get to Work' Police Station

Detective is one of the New Active Careers
Click to Enlarge. A shot of the Detective Career in The Sims 4 Get to Work.

Investigate Crime Scenes as a Detective
Click to Enlarge. Investigate Crime Scenes

Detective Career Features
The Detective Career starts with some low level work but grows to allow your Sim to fully pursue criminals and solve their crimes. You will eventually take on your own cases and get to interrogate suspects in order to get confessions. Here's a full guide to the Detective Career

  • Will work out of the new police station venue, but travel to crime scenes to gather clues
  • Search suspects, fingerprint them, and take mug shots
  • Gradually piece together information via photographing/gathering clues and interviewing witnesses
  • The notebook serves to give you a list of physical features and traits of your suspect
  • With enough evidence, issue an APB on your suspect and apprehend them
  • Interrogate the suspect, with hilarious interactions under the good/bad cop menus and eventually get them to confess

Scientist Career

The Sims 4 Get to Work - The Scientist Career makes Inventions
Click to Enlarge. A Scientist tests out a Freeze Ray they Invented

The Sims 4 Get to Work Expansion Pack - The Scientist's Invention Constructor
Click to Enlarge. Using the Invention Constructor

Scientist Career Features
The Scientist Career is the easiest of the three, but offers the biggest rewards! You will have Eureka! moments when your Sim has had a breakthrough, then get to build a new design using the invention constructor. This one offers a good deal of freedom when at work, but if you're pushing for promotions you must follow objectives. Learn more in the guide to the Scientist Career.

  • Unlock simple, helpful inventions like the Hover Lamp and Momentum Conserver, but many more powerful creations await you!
  • Unlock the SimRay and gradually upgrade it with the ability to Transform objects (and make LOTS of money!) and mind control Sims.
  • The Cloning Machine will let you duplicate many smaller objects, and can be upgraded to clone a copy of your Sim.
  • The Satellite Dish can prevent Alien abductions, which is VERY helpful to those players who don't want to be whisked off and impregnated by an extraterrestrial.
  • Concoct Serums that will allow a Sim to influence emotion, stave off death, and even turn into a ghost for a time.
  • Enjoy one of the most productive collecting lots in existence, with many opportunities to pick up metals and fossils.

Aliens!

The Sims 4 Get to Work - A Portal to Meet Aliens in the Expansion
Click to Enlarge. A Dimensional Portal leads to the alien world of Sixam

The Sims 4 Get to Work - A female Alien
Click to Enlarge. A female Alien on Sixam. Males wear similar high-tech clothing

Aliens are in the Expansion, and may abduct Sims at random times. Male Sims may be impregnated by Aliens, and will have babies. You can choose to keep the baby or send it back to its homeworld, permanently. Aliens are also walking around town in disguise. The Scientist Career and Rocket Science can both lead Sims to the planet Sixam, where you can meet Aliens and even befriend them to add them to your household.

Playing as an Alien, you can disguise yourself at any time and even alter the way your Alien appears while in disguise. Aliens have the power to discover other Sims' traits, as well as empathize with them to experience the same Emotion as that Sim. Click here for a full guide to Aliens.

New Skills

Photography

The Sims 4 Get to Work - Photography Skill
Click to Enlarge. Level up your Photography Skill.

Using a Camera in Get to Work
Click to Enlarge. Take Pictures of the Game World.

Photography Features
The Photography Skill lets Sims take pictures of the game world, while also being able to sell the photographs. You can take up to five pictures when you use the camera, and choose a size for the picture and apply filter effects. These can be framed and hung on a wall to display in your Sim's home. This Skill features only 5 levels, but they avoided unnecessary skilling to master it.

  • Capture Pictures of anything in-game
  • Sell Photographs and improve your Sim's Skill level to get more options

Baking

Get to Work will feature a Bakery Skill
Click to Enlarge. A Picture of a Bakery in The Sims 4 Get to Work.

Baking Features
The Baking Skill is largely like cooking and gourmet cooking, but focusing on baked goods made via the oven and cupcake factory. The baking skill, along with the other two cooking Skills will allow your Sim to make a retail food shop, where Sims can buy dishes. A restaurant is not possible, but you can make loads of dough (heh) on selling high-quality baked goods.

Other Features

New Collectibles
There are Geodes that can be found on Sixam. You may also collect three new plant types there, two metals, two crystals, and a new element for your collections. These are largely exclusive to the alien planet.

Other Get to Work Guides

Expansion Guide
Retail Guide
Retail: Customers and Sales
Retail: Employees and Managing
Retail Perks in Get to Work
Aliens
Baking Skill Guide
Photography Skill Guide
Detective Career
Doctor Career, Diseases and Diagnosing Patients
Scientist Career
Planet Sixam (Alien World)

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Comments (71)

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New
SimsRedHairsays...
Hi! So, I've got the Sims4 Get to Work and sometimes my sims get sick and i dont know how to give them medicine and things like that for them to heal.
Thank You for Everything. You're amazing :D
Admin: Use order medicine at the computer. Drinking orange juice also helps. This reminds me that I never made a guide to illness. I'll have to do that when I can :)
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New
Paigesays...
My GTW expansion doesn't seem to work properly! I cannot see the interactions, they are just blank E.g. when I join the Detective career, it says " *Sim Name* has joined the career________. *Sim Name* will start at 9:00am at________." Does anyone know what i can do? Is it just me that has this problem? :(
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Admin
Playalotsays...
This is an old bug. I'll link you to a forum thread that has solutions. Smile
Codes instead of Text
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New
Dannysays...
It says I own the expansion pack, but why isn't anything different? Not even the jobs are different. There is no detective, doctor, or scientist
Admin: Did you click the game in origin, then the little i in order to install it? It doesn't automatically put those in so that people can elect to omit expansions should too many cause performance issues.
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New
aldosays...
why the sims 4 expansion pack must in pc 64 bit? can in 32 bit?
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New
Iansays...
Because 32bit operating systems can only use 4GB of RAM, which isn't enough to run your OS + the game.
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New
Kingsays...
Question? Do you have to build the police station, hospital, etc? In order to go to work with them, or is it automatic in any world o.o? I just barely bought Get to Work and I haven't even played because im nervous of disappointment Unsure either know the videos I've seen so far seem super interesting Grin
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Admin
Carlsays...
They're automatically included but limited use. You cannot visit the lots unless you're going to work. So there's no need to place them, they just become available whenever you have that career.
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New
Kingsays...
Oh yesh, I'll surely being playing today ^.^
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Regular
Alexsays...
What happens if you leave work early on accident, like by accepting a call to come hang out?
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Senior
Playalotsays...
Your sim will take a performance hit and quite a large one so try not to do that.
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New
Matthewsays...

quick question: if I download the expansion pack, will I be able to use worlds that I created before the download and continue them with the expansion pack? first time using expansion packs. thanks!

Admin:

Yes.

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New
Lizzysays...
I'm pretty sure because when I did it, all my worlds were saved. xx
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New
Lizzysays...
Is there a way to automatically spawn cupcakes, and bakery things? I'm making a bakery and I dont want my sim to spend forever making stuff.
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New
WILLAMsays...
hey carl im having trouble ..i dont see my net profit going to my household acct or store acct
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Admin
Playalotsays...
Not sure what might be going wrong for you but try saving, quitting and reloading your game. If you're still having problems feel welcome to post on the forum where we can hopefully get some more info about what is happening in your game and so therefore help you solve it.
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New
Sonshinesays...
I'm not sure if you've discovered this yet or not, but you have to click on the cash register and add the funds to the household. It's the same as adding funds to the store, but in reverse.
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New
adamsays...
will the expansion be added to the original sims 4 or isit seperate?
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New
Lylie Mantellsays...
It will be just like any sims 3 expansion packs, you will still have the original objects but with new content! So 2x as better really! Tongue
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New
Lylie Mantellsays...
These cheats have really helped me do alot of things that I thought you had to install a mod to do! For example, Have more than tripplets, give birth super quick! I just wanted to say thank you for putting up these cheats! Grin Tongue Laugh
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New
Mallorrryyysays...
Hi! I play my game differently...I'm in love with CAS so I am currently making all of the sims in the worlds of my game made by me. So, if (for example) I make some doctors and I go to work with one of them, will doctors from other households be there?....I'm pretty sure they will, but people were saying they'd get stuck on the screen that asks you if you'd like to go to work with your sims.
Thanks
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Admin
Playalotsays...
I played a household that had two doctors in it. I could follow one to work and the other would go to work 'rabbit hole' style. The two sims, although both at work, were never seen on the same hospital lot.
So basically, only one sim can be actively at work at one time.
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New
jacksays...
to expansion packs work with mods? ive got outdoor retreat, spa date, get to work and all the others but i want to have the inteen mod. so i downloaded it and it came up on the main menu but didnt work, is it because of the expansion pack?
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Admin
Playalotsays...
Each update to the game and/or pack may cause the mods you have to need updating.
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New
Jasminsays...
carl u didnt say anything about male pregnancy or stuff like thatGrin
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Admin
Playalotsays...
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New
Pancakessays...
If a human female and a male sim Try For Baby, can the female sim get pregnant?
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New
Lexisays...
Uh yessssssss!!
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New
Ranasays...
I don't have photography skill :'(
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Senior
Playalotsays...
Just start taking photos on with your sims phone and the skill will unlock. Smile
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New
Lizzysays...
Is there a way to make your sims get abducted? Thanks :) Smile
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Admin
Playalotsays...
Carl's written a great guide with all the info you'll need.
Aliens
Using the telescope at night, being in the active scientist or doctor careers, logic skill, having a rocket ship... all these things help.
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New
Robertsays...
sixam is maxis backwards :D
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New
Louisesays...
My sim won't change her career outfit, she can now diagnose patients but she is still in her 1st career outfit.
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Senior
Playalotsays...
The career outfit doesn't change with every promotion in the Doctor career but your sim will get different outfits as she progresses through the levels. Smile
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New
Lucysays...
Just wondering, is there a cheat to make it possible to live in a retail store? Like have an art !studio selling paintings and living in an apartment above? I made a building for that (on a retail lot) and my sims stay there overnight, but they can't have their babies live there. Unsure thank you so much, I'm a big fan
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Admin
Playalotsays...
No but you can live full time on the retail lot except for paying the bills and having a baby... like you've said.
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Regular
Ambersays...
In the get to work expansion pack I know that it comes with a new world. In this new world are there houses that you can live in? Or does it just have the different work places in it? If you could just explain what is in this new world that would be very helpful. Thank you.
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Senior
Playalotsays...
The new world is Magnolia Promenade where there are three pre-made retail lots and one empty retail lot for you to build on. If you choose you could bulldoze and rebuild making the lots residential, it's up to you as the player. Smile
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Regular
Maddiesays...
Hi. I got the Get To Work pack a few hours ago and I've bought a retail store and have everything for sale. When costumers come in, they just chat and look at the items. But never buy? All there is is a notification from them saying, "What choice! What value! I'm ready to buy when you get the chance to ring me up". I don't know what that means, but then they leave.

I haven't sold one item yet, and I don't know what to do. Help?
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New
Lexisays...
If you have filled their bar once you have socialised with them it will send a notification up and I think a telephone symbol or something appears above their heads, when you click on them their should be an option to "ring them up" if not you could always try getting your workers to do it?
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New
Emilie Newcombsays...
Which is better get to work pack or outdoor reteat pack plz help
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Senior
Playalotsays...
It really is personal opinion and about how you like to play. Have a read through Carl's guides and that may help you decide once you have a better idea of what each pack contains. Smile
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New
Laylasays...
But I don't know which Sims 4 Expansion Pack I should get...It's hard to choose since they are both $40 in Canada, I only have $70
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Admin
Playalotsays...
Hopefully Carl's guides are giving you some ideas. It really comes down to which you think you would get the most enjoyment out of. Also some really good sales do happen, maybe you could wait and then afford both of them in a sale?
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New
Kitty Ksays...
I wish I had read through this before I started play this expansion pack..... [trudges off to make cupcakes with the cupcake factory]
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New
Kiarasays...
hello my name kiara fowler i love this game so much and i really want it please
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Admin
Playalotsays...
Hopefully there will be a sale soon and you can afford it that way. Smile


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