Back To Career News

5 New Career Paths That Didn’t Exist 10 Years Ago

Topics: Current Events

The workplace is changing, thanks to new technologies and new ways of thinking about work. If you’re looking to venture into semi-uncharted territory in hopes of a brighter career trajectory, then you may want to consider one of these five new careers.

jobs that didn't exist 10 years ago

(Photo Credit: Flazingo Photos/Flickr)

1. Registered Dietitian-Advanced Practitioner – Charles Mueller, clinical assistant professor of clinical nutrition at NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, indicates that, “Nurse practitioners often take the place of physicians on the front lines. We want to create a pathway for dietitians to practice autonomously, too.” Now, that’s a possibility.

Do You Know What You're Worth?

The Commission of Dietetic Registration announced that, beginning fall of 2015, advanced registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) will be able to take a new credential exam and don a newly recognized title: RD-AP (registered dietitian-advanced practitioner) or RDN-AP (registered dietitian nutritionist-advanced practitioner), as reported on New York University’s site. A typical registered/licensed dietitian earns a median salary of $49,834, but the new credential is likely to bump up the earning potential and open up more opportunities for RD-APs/RDN-APs. Read more about the eligibility requirements for said certification, here.

2. Chief Listening Officer (CLO) – According to Forbes, the first CLO was Beth LaPierre of Kodak. LaPierre’s main function is to keep an ear to the ground and monitor how Kodak is being talked about in the general public, especially what’s being said by customers. Suffice it to say, a CLO’s predominant job responsibilities mirror that of a social media manager, a non-C-level job that earns a median salary of $45,717, with top-performers pulling in around $70,000 per year, according to PayScale data. This would be a wise career move for someone who is already in a social media-related field and looking to advance his/her career to the next level.

3. App Designer and App Developer – Statista reports that Apple’s App Store download number was 85 billion as of October 2014, and that number continues to grow. With the growing popularity of apps, thanks to their functionality and solutions for everyday life, app design and development will only increase for years to come. Once an app designer finishes the job of designing the inner workings of what the app looks like, feels like, and the usability, the app developer takes over and brings the app from paper to reality via coding. According to PayScale, app designers can expect to earn anywhere from $43,317 to $112,032 per year, based on experience and skill level. App developers can anticipate a similar earning potential as their fellow app designers, with a salary range of $43,575 to $100,160. Read this post to see why even President Obama wants you to learn how to code.

4. Telework Coordinator – With more and more companies seeing the many benefits of adopting flex-schedules for certain employees, there’s been a rise in telecommuters in today’s workforce. However, with that comes a plethora of technical, scheduling, and accountability issues that need to be managed on a daily basis, hence the invention of the Telework Coordinator. According to TeleworkTookKit, “The primary functions for the coordinator are to provide support for managers and monitor the program for management,” and additionally, “the coordinator may provide training, write reports, and essentially be the organization’s resident telework expert.” These careers come with a nice earning potential, too. According to a job posting on LinkedIn, the Federal Government is offering a salary of $76,378 to $99,296 for a Telework Program Specialist. Not too bad for a job that, we’re assuming, is a telecommute job itself.

5. Sustainability Manager – Corporations are starting to focus on becoming more sustainable in their day-to-day operations as to maximize their resources and ensure that there will be enough resources to go around in the future. Therefore, sustainability managers are being brought on to run programs to reduce waste, maximize resources, recycle, and become more eco-friendly. A sustainability manager oversees an organization’s “resources to ensure that systems can support and sustain themselves with little or no interference,” while also “oversee[ing] the development of environmentally friendly procedures in the company’s operation and in dealings with outside vendors and partners,” according to PayScale’s Career Research Center. Professionals in this field can expect a median salary of around $74,000, with max earning potential in the six-figure range. With this profession, you do a great deed for the environment, for your employer, and, most importantly, for your career.

Tell Us What You Think

Have another career to add to the list? Share your thoughts on Twitter and join the conversation.

Leah Arnold-Smeets
Read more from Leah

Leave a Reply

avatar
  Subscribe  
Notify of
What Am I Worth?

What your skills are worth in the job market is constantly changing.