16 Jobs That Didn’t Exist 20 Years Ago

Two decades ago and beyond, the world was a very different place. Some of the industries that flourished 20 years ago are no longer available, and jobs that didn’t exist then are flourishing now. If you’re looking to get into a growing career field, you may want to consider taking a role in one of the new jobs that technology paved the way for. Here’s a closer look at the jobs that didn’t exist 20 years ago but are now rapidly growing fields.

1. Data Scientist

Successful businesses rely on data to make decisions. For this reason, most companies see data analysis as a highly valuable skill and tool. Data scientists are able to collect and analyze data in a way that helps companies succeed. And because this field has a heavy focus on computer science, it didn’t exist until recent times.

Over the past few years, this career has really taken off. The role of social media manager didn’t exist until about 2004 when Facebook came to fruition. Thanks to the multiple venues for marketing products online, business owners can’t keep up with their online presence. With the help of a social media manager, a company can maintain a great online presence and use that to drive traffic or sell products.

3. AI Engineer

Although most people have a slight fear of artificial intelligence, there’s no way to stop the technology from revolutionizing the workplace. AI is taking over our world in ways we never even imagined, and this has resulted in job openings for AI engineers.

If this field interests you, then you should have a strong background in software engineering, data science, and programming. According to predictions, there were an expected 58 million AI jobs by the end of 2022. The engineers are the ones responsible for building, testing, and creating new technology with artificial technology.

4. Developer Evangelist

When a developer creates a new technology or product, they need a developer evangelist to help them promote the product. Using marketing and technology skills, a developer evangelist finds investors for the company and buyers for the product.

5. Cloud Architect

Don’t let the term “architect” confuse you. Although architect isn’t a new job, cloud architect is a term that some people have never heard of. Cloud architects play a role in the storing and sharing of data, which is essential to many businesses. In addition to developing computing methodologies, cloud architects also need to keep data secure from breaches.

6. Driverless Car Engineer

The first driverless cars left people confused and questioning the technology. However, there’s now a push towards more driverless vehicles. In an effort to take transportation to new levels, there’s a demand for driverless car engineers. Using math, robotics, and physics, driverless car engineers try to safely create self-driving vehicles.

Of course, this job didn’t exist 20 years ago. People only dreamed about cars driving themselves, and many individuals didn’t think the technology was possible. Currently, there aren’t enough college graduates with the right background to fill these positions.

7. Automation Engineer

An automation engineer falls under the quality assurance umbrella. Usually, these engineers work closely with other employees to make processes easier or to resolve problems with processes. When an automation engineer gets to work, they focus on efficiency and use technology to simplify things.

8. User Experience (UE) Designer

When you use an app that you love, you should thank a user experience designer. Likewise, when you use an app that just doesn’t work or flow well, it probably wasn’t designed by a UE designer. They have the responsibility of creating software that is as easy as possible to use. On a daily basis, UE designers solve problems and analyze trends.

9. Digital Strategist

Similar to a social media manager, a digital strategist uses virtual methods of marketing to boost sales or traffic. However, a digital strategist doesn’t limit themselves to social media. They use emails, ads, and blogs to get the word out about a company.

10. SEO Analyst

Before Google and other search engines, SEO didn’t exist and neither did the role of SEO analyst. But today, SEO analysts are much-needed. They help companies boost traffic to their websites by using search engine optimization to improve a webpage’s ranking. For an SEO analyst to succeed, they need research skills, HTML knowledge, and creativity.

11. Community Manager

In an effort to maintain a uniform voice and tone, companies hire community managers. A community manager promotes the company by running social media campaigns, planning events, and much more. Essentially, community managers are marketing professionals.

12. Head of Culture

It’s taken a while, but people are finally recognizing the importance of company culture. Maintaining a culture is easier said than done, so some companies hire someone to fulfill the head of culture position. The individual is usually in the HR department and handles recruitment, team-building activities, and more to improve or maintain the company culture.

13. Podcast Producer

Before 2004, there was no such thing as a podcast. And today, there are over one million podcasts out there. The industry is so popular that there’s a significant demand for podcast producers. Typically, podcast producers come up with ideas for guests, handle the editing, and more.

14. Telemedicine Physician or Psychologist

Since Covid, telemedicine has become incredibly popular. In fact, telemedicine makes up approximately 20% of all medical appointments in 2020. Physicians and psychologists meet with their clients virtually and use their skills to help them without ever meeting in person.

15. Genetic Counselor

There’s a lot someone can learn from their genetic history. With the popularity of genetic testing, there also came a high demand for genetic counselors. These individuals use knowledge of genetic markers to help their clients understand health risks and get diagnoses.

16. Sustainability Manager

As the world is experiencing issues with climate change and depleted resources, sustainability managers are becoming essential. They create and implement environmentally-friendly policies, which often comply with new industry regulations.