For many people, choosing a career is about more than a long list of benefits and a high salary. Some individuals seek out personal fulfillment and a career that allows them to change the world, even in the smallest of ways. 80,000 Hours is a student-run organization that helps people do just that by guiding them into ethical careers.
The organization was co-founded by William MacAskill, a Ph.D. student in philosophy. He says that finding an ethical career doesn’t necessarily mean finding a job in an ethical organization. 80,000 Hours’ philosophy is that a person is only doing good in their job if they are better at said job than any other person who is qualified to fill that position.
“This is the replaceability factor,” MacAskill told Fast Company. “The difference between you and the person who would have been in your shoes.”
Basically, if what you do can be replaced by another person, then you aren’t actually making a difference at all.
To help people find the right ethical careers for them, 80,000 Hours will ask a series of questions, like if you care about animals, your vision of the world, and how willing you are to take risks. Then, they go through your job skills. At the end, they will consider five categories that may fit your personality, such as innovation, research and campaigning.
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