www.What? 4 Technology Jobs that Didn’t Exist in 1983

A lot can change in 30 years! In 1983, just three decades ago, the internet officially began and cell phones started to be used more widely than just by the affluent elite. Technology has affected how employers advertise and hire for positions, how job seekers find and apply for employment and even what types of jobs are available. The United States Department of Commerce reports that over 60 percent of jobs require using the internet as a vital part of the work. While technology hasn’t yet influenced how your cheeseburger gets delivered to you at the drive-thru, or made it possible to send a jacket for dry cleaning without the buttons being torn off, it has opened up a whole new section of the job market by creating jobs that didn’t previously exist.

Developing Apps

Back in 1983, with few people using personal computers and no smart phones insight, you wouldn’t have been able to even dream of making any kind of living from developing mobile applications. But a quick look at one job site — indeed.com — shows that there are over 16,000 openings listed for mobile app developers. Of course, you’d expect Apple to be leading the pack, and with the high demand for iOS-compatible apps, that assumption is correct. With BlackBerry and Android devices requiring similar software, the market for app developers is wide-open.

Identity Protection Services

Identity protection services provided by companies such as Lifelock.com weren’t necessary in 1983. It’s not that identity theft wasn’t a problem before the advent of the internet, but the swift advancements of technology have made assuming someone else’s identity easier than ever before. Previously, an ID thief would have had to dumpster dive to glean useful information. But now, even the juvenile delinquent next door has the skills and technology at his disposal to hack into your personal life and acquire whatever he needs to open credit accounts under your name . That means a booming business for identity resolution agents and ID protection companies.

Social Media Managers

In 1983 who could have known the impact that social media would have on business in the 21st century? Heck, who would have even believed that sites for posting everything from inspirational quotes to every mundane move you made last Sunday would hold millions of people enthralled for hours on end? These days though, businesses can be made or broken through postings on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. This development has spawned the need for social media managers, people who strategize and design plans to optimize companies’ presence on these social media websites, as well as manage how the company engages with fans.

Online Advertising Professionals

Advertising used to be basic: write some copy, design some graphics or a logo, and send it to the printer. Technology has changed all of that, though. Online ads are animated, computer generated and and can be used to guide existing and potential customers to specific landing pages, according to Kiplinger. Thus, the need for online advertising managers has skyrocketed in the last three decades. They’re more than just marketers or “ad-men;” these guys and gals have to understand current technology and be the types to not just follow the latest trends in ad programs, but also know about them before anyone else. Online advertising managers collaborate with clients on online ad placement, content copy, online ad campaigns and they track the performance of all their ads for future reference on what worked and what didn’t.

Melissa Lopes
Melissa is an SEO and content marketing expert with a background in journalism.