The following is my career advice for high schoolers and college students. It is based on my own experiences, conversations I’ve had, and ideas from the blog 80,000 Hours. It is primarily geared towards the average middle class individual who has a moderate level of conscientiousness and intelligence. I don’t examine the questions of whether it is worth it to go to college or whether it is worth it to go to an expensive college because I am unsure about those topics. As with all advice, be critical of my suggestions and consider whether they really apply to your own life.

Be risk-averse.
- Why:
  1. If someone offered you a 5% chance of getting two million dollars and a 95% chance of becoming $20,000 in debt, you should not take the offer because, on average, accumulating debt makes your life much worse than gaining the same amount of money.
- How:
  1. Measure a career by its expected value and worst-case outcome rather than focusing on the best outcome.
    1. For example, if there’s a 30% chance that you will be unable to secure a job with a degree, consider instead pursuing a degree that gives you a much higher chance of getting a job.
  2. If a career has many steps to go through, examine what career you would have to do if you only completed some of its steps.
    1. For example, if you are interested in becoming a doctor, consider what career you would do if you only got a bachelor’s degree.
  3. As a corollary, pursue a bachelor’s degree that is desirable by itself whenever possible.
    1. Why:
      1. If one’s bachelor’s degree is unnecessarily specialized for one field, that can substantially reduce one’s career options.
        For example, to become an actuary, one does not need to get a bachelor’s in actuarial science, but a bachelor’s in actuarial science does reduce one’s career options. As such, a more general bachelor’s degree such as one in mathematics or finance should be considered more desirable.
        Similarly, to become a therapist, one does not need a bachelor’s in psychology, but a bachelor’s in psychology does reduce one’s career options. As such, a more general bachelor’s degree in biology should be considered more desirable.
    2. How:
      1. Determine which bachelor’s degrees a career allows you to pursue and then choose the one that is most desirable by itself.
Be conscientious about money.
- Why:
  1. The more savings you have, the more financially independent you will be.
    1. This will

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