Game Guide · Career Perks
Career Perks
every unlockable, exact effects
All 182 career perks straight from the game data: what each one does, the exact percentages and amounts, and which company vibe offers it.
182 PERKS
Every Career Perk
from the game filesPerks appear in your job's upgrade menu as you earn upgrade points at work. Which ones show up depends on the company: its vibe (Laidback, Serious, Hardcore) and facilities (breakroom, good space) gate different perk pools. Effects below are the game's own descriptions with real numbers.
| Perk | Effect | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|
| A Great Place to Learn | 25% chance to level up cooking skill after each work day | |
| A Guitar in the Classroom | Guitar skill slowly improves while at work | |
| A Piano at the Workplace | Piano skill slowly improves while at work | Breakroom |
| A True Natural at Mathematics | Math grade improves after each school day | |
| Accepting Music Requests | Music knowledge slowly improves while at work | HardcoreSerious |
| Accounting Responsibilities | Gain $400 by mail each week but +2 Stressed and +2 Sad for 2 hours after each work day | Hardcore |
| Accumulating Vacation | Gain $30/day per vacation day accrued | Serious |
| Acknowledging Hard Work | If job performance is 100%, 50% chance to get an additional upgrade point after each work day | Serious |
| All Expenses Paid | Gain $200 by mail each week | Expensive Perks |
| Always Thinking About Work | Chance to gain work-related skill experience at random times when not at work | HardcoreSerious |
| Another Sad Day at Work | Gain 1 random want at the end of the workday if Sad is main emotion | |
| Arrive Early | Arrive 1 hour early and get proportionally more pay | Serious |
| Art Teacher Protégé | Art knowledge slowly improves while at school | |
| Asked to Solve a Problem in Front of the Class | 50% chance to succeed and get +3 Happy for 5 hours, or else get +3 Embarrassed for 5 hours | |
| Assistant Pastry Maker (and Eater) | Baking skill slowly improves while at work | |
| Assisting Overwhelmed Coworkers | +1 coworker level with a random coworker after each work day but shift ends 1 hour later | Overtime |
| At Last, Some Time Off | +4 Happy during vacation days | HardcoreSerious |
| Benevolent Leader | Pay $5000 to increase friend level by 1 with all coworkers | |
| Benevolent Leader II | Pay $20000 to increase friend level by 2 with all coworkers | |
| Best Job Ever | +3 Happy for 3 hours after each work day | Good Space |
| Bonus Investment | Pay $5000 to get perk that gives $500 each day | |
| Bonus per Patient | Get $5 for each patient seen at work | |
| Bonus Program | Receive a random bonus right now | Expensive PerksGood Space |
| Calm Neighbor | +15% job performance | Office Job |
| Coffee Break | Learn something about a random coworker after each work day | Breakroom |
| Completely Legal Transaction | Pay $5000 to get +100% job performance for 5 days | Hardcore |
| Computer Club | Programming skill slowly improves while at school | |
| Computer Pro | +6 learning speed for technology knowledge | |
| Computer Whiz | +3 learning speed for programming skill while at school | |
| Considerably Low On Staff | Gain $100/day but shift starts 2 hours early (overtime) | Overtime |
| Continuous Training | Programming skill slowly improves while at work | Serious |
| Corporate Conferences | 50% to get +3 Inspired after each work day | Expensive Perks |
| Creative Worker | Gain $20/day per Creativity point | |
| Crunch | Finish 1 hour later with no extra pay | Hardcore |
| Dancing Teen | +3 learning speed for dance skill while at school | |
| Dead But Rich | Gain $0/day. Increases by the amount of vacation days accrued after each work day | Hardcore |
| Delayed Pay | Gain $1000 by mail each week but -$100 to daily salary | HardcoreShady |
| Done, Done, and Done | Finish 1 hour early (no impact on salary) | |
| Doodling in Class | Painting skill slowly improves while at school | |
| Draw During Recess | Painting skill slowly improves while at school and +1 learning speed for painting skill | |
| Effective Teacher | +1 learning speed for all skills | |
| Efficient Doctor | See twice as many patients each day | |
| Empty-Handed | Gain $100/day per empty perk slot | Expensive PerksGood Space |
| Essential Worker with Lots of Responsibilities | Pay $5000 to get 1 additional perk slot | |
| Excellence Grant | Gain $20/day for each subject with grade A | |
| Extra Vacation Day | 33% chance to gain +1 vacation day after each work day | Expensive PerksGood Space |
| Fashionably Late | Arrive 1 hour late (no impact on salary) | Laidback |
| Finish Late | Finish 1 hour late and get proportionally more pay | Serious |
| Free Advertisement | Gain $5/day each time you talk to someone about the restaurant where you work | |
| Free Buffet Pass | Hunger need is relieved when working | Expensive Perks |
| Free Gym Pass | 25% chance to level up fitness knowledge after each work day | Expensive Perks |
| Free Hour | Leave 1 hour early (no impact on salary) | Laidback |
| Free Money | Gain $100/day and +1 perk slot | Expensive PerksGood Space |
| Free Therapy Pass | 50% chance to get a positive emotion after each work day | Expensive Perks |
| Friends with the Lunch Lady | Food knowledge slowly improves while at work | |
| Fruitful Rest | Increases by $25 per day while on vacation | Hardcore |
| Full-Time Hobby | Perks that make you learn skills while at work do so at an increased speed | HardcoreLaidbackSerious |
| Get Better | Work Task: Level up programming skill | HardcoreSerious |
| Give it Your All | 50% chance to get an extra upgrade point after each work day but easier to get a strike | HardcoreSerious |
| Gloomy Empathy | Chance to gain +1 Sad for 4 hours after seeing a patient | |
| Good Advice from a Patient Teacher | +50% academic performance for 24 hours | |
| Good at Working Under Pressure | Gain $75/day per strike | Hardcore |
| Good Communicator | Gain $20/day per Charisma point | |
| Guitar in the Break Room | Guitar skill slowly improves while at work | Breakroom |
| Happy Worker | Gain $20/day for each day you enter work with a Happy emotion of 3. Resets on the first day of the work week | Good Space |
| Headphones On All Day | Music knowledge slowly improves while at work and +15% job performance | Good SpaceOffice JobSerious |
| Hobby Programmer | Programming skill improves while at work by an amount equal to vacation days accrued | HardcoreLaidback |
| How big should my bonus be today? | Receive a random bonus between $400 and $400 | |
| I Am Performance | +50% job performance | |
| I Belong in a Museum | Art knowledge slowly improves while at work | |
| I Miss Work | +4 Sad during vacation days | Serious |
| Idea Person | +2% job performance per Creativity point | Good Space |
| If You Find a Job You Like | After each work day, gain Happy emotions by an amount equal to vacation days accrued | Good Space |
| Inside Professor Jacob's Elite Club of Top Students | +1 learning speed for all skills, +3 Happy while at school and +2 Happy for 3 hours after each school day | |
| Job Fan | Unlock together card “Praise Workplace” that gives one upgrade point (24 hour cooldown) | Good Space |
| Key to the Dance Room | Dance skill slowly improves while at school | |
| Ladies and Gentlemen, the Weekend | From Thursday-Sunday, get an extra upgrade point if job performance is 100% | Good Space |
| Learned Something Today | Gain 20 skill experience points in a random skill required for this position | Serious |
| Learning a Lot From Work | +1 learning speed for all skills | Good SpaceSerious |
| Leftover Fries | Hunger need is relieved and gain +4 Happy for 3 hours after each work day | |
| Listen to Music While Working | Music knowledge slowly improves while at work | Laidback |
| Long Leash | Right to 1 more strikes before getting fired | Hardcore |
| Lunch Money | Gain $800 | |
| Machine in the Break Room | Exercise skill slowly improves while at work | Breakroom |
| Masterclass Training | Pay $5000 to get +15 learning speed for 24 hours | |
| Masterclass Training II | Pay $20000 to get +25 learning speed for 48 hours | |
| Math Teacher Protégé | +3 learning speed for 3 hours after each school day | |
| Medical Field Work | Biology skill slowly improves while at work | |
| Miss You When You're Gone | Increases by $10 per day while on vacation | Overtime |
| More Frequent Homework | +30% chance to get a homework assignment | School |
| More Homework per Day | +30% chance to get a 2nd homework assignment | School |
| Muscles Pay | Gain $20/day per physique point | |
| Music Grant | Gain $100/day | |
| Music Grant II | Gain $25/day for each music knowledge level | |
| Music Teacher Protégé | Music knowledge slowly improves while at school | |
| Nap Room Pass | Sleep need is relieved when working | Expensive Perks |
| Negotiated Vacation | +1 vacation day on the first work day of the week | Expensive PerksGood Space |
| New IT System at the Hospital | Technology knowledge slowly improves while at work | |
| No Mistakes Made | Gain $30/day for each consecutive work day at 100% job performance. Resets if ending a work day at less than 100% job performance | HardcoreSerious |
| No Time to Rest | +3% job performance per vacation day accrued | Serious |
| Observant Janitor | Biology skill slowly improves while at work | |
| Office Cheerleader | Gain $20/day per Happy emotion you have when at work | Good Space |
| Office Repairer | +2 learning speed for repair knowledge | |
| Old Timer | Gain $5/day per day of occupying this position | |
| Out of Office | Earn upgrade points even when on vacation | Expensive PerksGood Space |
| Overtime Bug Fixer | Work Task: Fix a bug at home | HardcoreSerious |
| Paid Time Off | Pay $100 and gain 1 vacation day | Hardcore |
| Party Planning Committee | +1 coworker level with a random coworker after each work day | Good Space |
| PE Teacher Protégé | Fitness knowledge slowly improves while at school | |
| Person of Many Trades | Gain $20/day per skill above level 10 | Serious |
| Personal Learning | 50% chance to level up a random skill after each work day | Laidback |
| Personal Project | Work Task: Program at home for 2 hours | |
| Planned Burnout | 50% chance to get +3 Stressed after each work day | Hardcore |
| Play Hard in the School Yard | Exercise skill slowly improves while at school | |
| Play Piano During Recess | Piano skill slowly improves while at school and +1 learning speed for piano skill | |
| Played Tag Today and Didn't Get Caught | +3 Happy for 5 hours | |
| Practice Cooking at Home | Gain $30/day per meal cooked in the last 48 hours | Serious |
| Practice Makes Perfect | +3 learning speed for 4 hours | |
| Productivity Boost | Get an extra upgrade point after each work day when job performance is 90% or greater | Good SpaceHardcoreSerious |
| Professional Tourist | Gain $150/day when on vacation | Expensive Perks |
| Promised Bonus | Gain $100/day, but only activates after 10 work days | HardcoreSerious |
| Quick Learner | +30% chance to get 2 upgrade points | |
| Quick Learner Training | +1 skill learning speed while at work but $200 invoiced by mail each week | Serious |
| Reading: The Painters of Yesterday | Painting skill slowly improves while at work | |
| Recognition | Increase job performance by amount equal to current job rank | Serious |
| Remote Work | Finish 3 hours early but must complete remote work on the computer at home after each work day, or else get a strike at midnight | Expensive Perks |
| Remote Work on Edge | Finish 4 hours early but have -1 max strikes and must complete remote work on the computer at home after each work day, or else get a strike at midnight | Hardcore |
| Retirement Fund | Gain $10/day for each $1000 that your household has | Expensive PerksSerious |
| Sad Doctor | Gain $20/day per Sad emotion | |
| Sad Worker | +5% job performance per Sad emotion | HardcoreSerious |
| Saved Someone Today | Randomly gain +1, +3, or +5 Happy after each work day | |
| Science Magazines | Science knowledge slowly improves while at work | |
| Second Monitor | +15% job performance | Office Job |
| Seniority Privilege | Gain $10/day per job rank in current position | Hardcore |
| Serious Training | +30% job performance but $200 invoiced by mail each week | Serious |
| Seriously Promising New Hire | You're such a promising hire, you get a $50 raise! | |
| Short-Staffed | Gain $50/day but shift ends 1 hour later (overtime) | Overtime |
| Smart Person | Gain $20/day per Mind point | |
| Sneak In Extra Work | Gain $125/day but shift starts 2 hours early (overtime) | Overtime |
| Spare no Expense | Gain $60/day and $100 by mail each week | Expensive Perks |
| Sports Grant | Gain $100/day | |
| Sports Grant II | Gain $25/day for each fitness knowledge level | |
| Spread Bonus | Gain $200/day. Decreases by $50 after each work day | Hardcore |
| Stay Inside During Recess | Because of low physique | |
| Stockholm Syndrome | Right to 3 more strikes before getting fired | Hardcore |
| Student Surpasses the Master | Music knowledge slowly improves while at work | |
| Sunday Worker | Gain $175 today if it's Sunday | |
| Support Program | Gain $100/day if household balance is less than $1000 | Expensive Perks |
| Supportive Teacher | Remove all negative emotional reasons that are 3 or less | |
| Surgery Training | Surgery skill slowly improves while at work | |
| Surgery Training Mentorship | +3 learning speed for surgery skill | |
| Take One for the Team | Gain $500, but 33% chance of removing a random perk | HardcoreSerious |
| Take the Stairs | Exercise skill slowly improves while at work | |
| Talent Spotlight | 30% chance to get an extra upgrade point after each work day | Good Space |
| Technological Monitoring | Gain $30 for every skill level gained in the last 24 hours | HardcoreSerious |
| Texting Friends | +1 friend level with a random friend after each work day | Laidback |
| The Most Gratifying Job | Chance to gain +1 Happy for 4 hours after seeing a patient | |
| Tidy the Supply Closet | Finish 30 minutes later with no extra pay | Hardcore |
| Time Optimizer | +30% chance to do homework at school | School |
| Too Many Ideas to Rest | +1 Inspired per vacation day accrued after each work day | |
| Totally Normal Agreement | Pay $2000 to get an extra upgrade point after each work day for the next 3 days | |
| Totally Normal Agreement II | Pay $5000 to get an extra upgrade point after each work day for the next 7 days | Hardcore |
| Tracking Celestial Bodies 24/7 | Astronomy skill improves while at work by an amount equal to vacation days accrued | |
| Unofficial IT Person | Technology knowledge slowly improves while at work | Serious |
| Use the Computer During Recess | Programming skill slowly improves while at school and +1 learning speed for programming skill | |
| Use Your Vacation Days | Gain $100/day, but -$25 for each vacation days accrued | Good Space |
| Useful Rest | +2 learning speed during vacation days | Good SpaceLaidbackSerious |
| Vacation Commissions | 20% chance to receive $20 every hour of the day during a vacation day | Serious |
| Vacation Day | +1 vacation day | Expensive PerksGood SpaceSerious |
| Vacation Days | +2 vacation days | Serious |
| Vacation Hoarder | Gain $50/day per vacation day accrued | Hardcore |
| Vacationist | Vacation days are more likely to be offered each day | Expensive Perks |
| Vacations are for Top Performers | If the last 3 work days were finished at 100% job performance, gain +1 vacation day after each work day | Hardcore |
| Very Low On Staff | Gain $250/day but shift ends 3 hours later (overtime) | Overtime |
| Waiting Room Coloring Books | Painting skill slowly improves while at work | |
| We Really Need You | Increases by $3 per work day completed without taking a vacation. Resets if one is taken. | Overtime |
| Wellness Training | +3 Happy for 3 hours after every work day but $200 invoiced by mail each week | Good Space |
| Who Needs Vacation | +1 learning speed while at work for every vacation day accrued | Serious |
| Working Dangerously | Gain $100/day per strike, but right to 1 fewer strike before getting fired | Hardcore |
| Workplace Handyperson | Repair knowledge slowly improves while at work | |
| Worst Job Ever | +3 Sad for 3 hours after each work day | Expensive PerksGood Space |
| You Come in Handy | Gain $5/day per item repaired |
Frequently asked
Career Perks FAQ
How many career perks are there in Paralives?
There are 182 career perks in Early Access build 1, ranging from salary bonuses (Delayed Pay: $1,000 by mail each week) to skill gains at work and quality-of-life upgrades like arriving an hour late with no salary impact.
How do I unlock career perks?
Working earns upgrade points, which you spend in the job panel's upgrade menu. The pool of available perks depends on your company's vibe and facilities, so a Laidback studio offers different perks than a Hardcore corporation.
Which career perks give money?
The mail-bonus perks: All Expenses Paid ($200/week), Accounting Responsibilities ($400/week), Spare no Expense ($60/day + $100/week) and Delayed Pay ($1,000/week). Training perks cost $200/week instead but boost skills or behaviour.
Related guides
Last updated:
Data extracted from Paralives Early Access game files (build 1). Stats and counts verified against the shipped catalog.