Think you’ve got it all figured out? Know what you want to do with your life? Hold up. There are jobs out there that didn’t even exist a decade ago. So how do you know what’s in store for you?
You don’t. In fact, what’s here today could change in just a few short months. What’s the catalyst? Technology, the flow of information, our growing screen-dependency, and a desire to do the things we’ve always done in new ways.
The fields remain the same: marketing, finance, transportation, communication, programming, health, fitness, and education are at the forefront of the economy. What folks do is essentially the same, too. It’s how they do it that’s different.
Here are eight jobs that didn’t exist ten years ago.
1. Social Media Manager
While social media existed 10 years ago, there was no need for anyone to manage it except for individuals. A decade ago, Facebook and LinkedIn were babies, and there was no Twitter.
Today, nearly 75 percent of adults are on social media — it’s used in advertising, sales, marketing, brand awareness, and nearly all aspects of business.
Social media managers often work across several social media platforms promoting products, blog posts, photographs, and other media. They also gauge audience interaction and user experience, monetize their results, and make marketing decisions based on social media use.
2. SEO Specialist
SEO, or search engine optimization, is becoming a household name. Not so ten years ago. Now, some of the most important jobs of the digital landscape are in SEO.
SEO Specialists focus on improving a website’s searchability, getting it to the first page of search results. How? Curated content based on keywords, longtails, alt-text, and other things that also didn’t exist ten years ago.
3. App Developer
Mobile apps have taken off in the past five years. The iOS App store and Google Play have brought apps to the forefront of the digital economy. App designers design the creative end of new apps. The developer works with the designer to produce the actual app that you use on your phone or tablet.
App Developers translate app design into code and give the user a phenomenal experience. Ever wonder what app developers will do in ten years? So do we. Who knows…
4. Uber Driver
In the old days, folks took cabs. Or the bus. Or the train. Or they walked. Now? There’s Uber. Even more? There are Uber drivers. And it’s a job — one based exclusively on an app. But technology is moving so quickly that, although it’s been a job only for the past few years, it may be soon phased out by driverless cars…
5. Driverless Car Engineer
While driverless cars don’t require drivers, they do require folks to design, engineer, produce, and maintain them. Driverless car engineering is a new player on the scene. What will the position look like even next year?
6. Podcast Producer
Ten years ago, the only pods were those storage units that you use when moving. Today? Some can’t imagine life without podcasts. They bring in hundreds of millions of dollars and have evolved from basements to real companies.
7. Telemedicine Physician
Think virtual. Ten years ago, the word “telemedicine” didn’t exist. Now you can be a telemedicine physician. Telemedicine Physicians consult with patients over video conferencing and advise from there. It’s a multi-billion dollar industry. Get in before it changes!
8. Zumba Instructor
Only in the past decade or say has this Latino and Afrodance fusion of aerobic fitness emerged.
In this international fitness franchise, instructors are trained and can then start up their own classes. It’s taken the aerobics world by storm, with children, teens, adults, and retirees taking classes!
Do you have experience of a modern job? If so, please share in the comments!
Alyssa Walker is a freelance writer, educator, and nonprofit consultant. She lives in the White Mountains of New Hampshire with her family.