Gone are the days of travel agents, movie rental clerks, and meter readers. In their place a host of new careers are generated every year, and job seekers must come prepared to fill fresh opportunities.
While these new positions are cropping up in a variety of industries, they share a common component—the need for specialized skills. Here are seven occupations created in the last decade that warrant a closer look.
1. Online Ad Manager
Successfully marrying creativity and analytics, ad managers are producing something their predecessors never thought possible—real-time indicators of effectiveness. Online advertising allows these specialists, who make around $61,000 annually, to track clicks, page views, and shares to determine what works with customers. Serving up the right message requires a mix of audience segmentation and creative rhetoric.
Source: indeed.com
2. corporate Blogger
Print media might be losing its luster, but the influence of blogs keeps rising—think Mashable and The Huffington Post. It’s bloggers’ job to engage readers and build a brand’s online reputation. Depending on if you’re freelancing or working on staff, salaries can range from $24,000 to $33,000.
Source: payscale.com
3. Sports Statistician
If you’ve seen Moneyball, you know the Oakland A’s pioneered the use of advanced stats in the dugout. Today specialists utilize data to develop in-game strategy and evaluate a player’s worth. Salaries start at $35,000 for university-level analysts and go up to six figures in the big leagues.
Source: American Statistical Association
4. SEO Specialist
On the information superhighway, search engine optimization (seo) specialists provide the exit signs. Although it has been around for more than ten years, SEO is just hitting its stride as a sophisticated career. SEO specialists earn on average $55,000 and ramp up revenue by ensuring their company pops up first in search results.
source: indeed.com
5. Mobile App Developer
With half of all Americans swiping away on smartphones, the mobile app market is exploding. Developers are the innovators behind the app store’s offerings, pulling in an average salary of $93,000. With more openings than applicants, this position was recently named the future’s best computer job.
Source: Pew, forbes.com, ITCareerFinder
6. Zumba Instructor
Not all new jobs are high tech. Zumba instructors can earn $40,000 and burn thousands of calories by leading hour-long, salsa-inspired workouts. Since Zumba began licensing instructors in 2005, the program has grown exponentially, with 140,000 locations in more than 150 countries.
Source: indeed.com, zumba.com
7. Social Media Guru
Tweet this—Twitter currently has more than 5.5 million users. Add that to Facebook’s one billion members, and it’s clear companies need someone to cut through the clutter. Social media managers work in real time to track brand sentiment—proving they’re worth every penny of their $65,000 salary.
Source: techcrunch.com, forbes.com
