Occupation
Before starting Project Zomboid, a character will need to be created for the player to use; giving them a name, choosing an occupation, as well as selecting certain traits (both positive and negative).
Each occupation gives different advantages to your character which will allow them to excel in certain fields more so than other characters.
It should be noted that Occupations, unlike Traits, do not have any negative impacts on the player and do not need to be balanced with other traits to start the game. It is currently possible to start a new character with an occupation only by not adding any other Traits.
Current List of Occupations
Unemployed
This occupation comes with no unique trait and appears to have no advantages. It's unwise to choose this occupation.
Fire Officer
Grants the perk Axe Man which doubles the speed when breaking down a door with an axe. It also allows for faster axe swinging. This profession is helpful for building a safehouse, as you can use an axe to cut down trees for wood much faster and more effectively.
Police Officer
Grants the perk Marksman. The perk improves the accuracy of firearms and allows for faster reloading. This profession is helpful for clearing out large groups of zombies with firearms to potentially kill off a large horde, or to clear a large area for building a safehouse.
Park Ranger
Grants the perk Outdoorsman. The perk causes cold weather to have little or no effect on the player. It also allows for "greater orienteering" (an unimplemented future feature) This profession is ideal for playing in a Custom Sandbox world with the temperature set to Cold or Very Cold.
Construction Worker
Grants the perk Thick Skinned and Handy. It is the only job to have two unique traits assigned to the occupation. Thick Skinned makes it so the player has less of a chance getting a scratch or bite injury from zombies. This can be extremely useful when combating zombies. Handy allows the player to barricade faster. This profession is great for quickly building a large fort.
Security Guard
Choosing this occupation grants the unique perk of Night Owl which means the player requires less sleep and is more alert while asleep. Helpful in the event a zed starts knocking at your door. This profession is useful for extending travel time for scavenging or other activities.
Not Implemented Occupations
There are several more occupations in the game files that are not finished yet. They are:
- Military Soldier
- Military Officer
- Salesperson
- IT Worker
- Office Worker
- Truck Driver
- Farmer
- Cashier
- Shop Clerk
- Fast Food Cook
- Cook
- Chef
- Burglar
- Drug Dealer
- Nurse
- Doctor
- Waiter
- Customer Service
- Janitor
- Secretary
- Bookkeeper
- Accountant
- Teacher
All Possible Occupation Traits
| Traits | Effects | Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Night Owl | Requires little sleep. Stays extra alert even when sleeping. | Security Guard |
| Axe Man | Double speed breaking through doors with an axe. Faster axe swing. | Fire Officer |
| Marksman | Improved gun accuracy. Quicker reload. | Police Officer |
| Outdoorsman | Not affected by harsh weather conditions. Extra orienteering ability. | Park Ranger |
| Thick Skinned | Less chance of scratches or bites breaking skin. | Construction Worker |
| Handy | Faster Barricading. | Construction Worker |