Five Fast-Growing Jobs You Couldn’t Find 15 Years Ago

Fifteen years ago Facebook had just been launched and the iPhone was yet to be released. Since then, technology has continued to advance at breakneck speed, and new jobs that people could only have dreamed of are now burgeoning. Here are five growing jobs that didn’t exist 15 years ago:

Mobile App Developers

Although some of the first mobile apps can be traced back to the early 90s, it was with the birth of the iPhone in 2007 that mobile apps as we know them were born. Today, over 65% of the world’s population has mobile phones and there are more than two million iOS apps available. From checking the weather to posting on Facebook, mobile apps are now a part of our everyday lives in ways unimaginable just over 10 years ago. With the emergence of apps comes the need for Mobile App Developers who create, design, and update applications. With VR and AR becoming common features in commercial apps, a CNNMoney/Payscale study predicts a 20% job-growth for developers over the next 10 years.

Virtual Assistant

Virtual Assistants are a new take on a job that has been around for centuries. While assistants are still an important asset to executives and other top-level professionals, technology now allows most tasks to be done remotely. Whether it’s maintaining a calendar, sending emails, or attending meetings, virtual assistants can do it all from the comfort of home. As more companies embrace remote work these jobs are destined to grow.

Search Engine Optimization Analysts

While Search Engine Optimization (SEO) gained traction with the popular growth of Google in the early 2000s, it is in the most recent decade that businesses have begun to considerably hire SEO Analysts. Search Engine Optimization is becoming incredibly important for businesses considering today’s immense use of technology and the continual development of SEO algorithms. Researching and analyzing trends in search engine traffic and such algorithms, SEO Analysts are increasingly being hired by companies to advise in further expanding and reporting on company web exposure and visibility.

Drone Operator

Love them or loathe them, drones are here to stay. While the recreational drone industry is in decline, the commercial industry is booming according to the FAA, outpacing their own predictions by nearly 80%. It’s not just filmmakers who use drones, they are becoming an important part of many professions, including real estate, insurance, and construction. Of course, not just anybody can become a commercial drone operator: you must be trained in usage and certified by the FAA.

Telemedicine Physician

Telemedicine, or telehealth, first began as a way to provide healthcare to those in hard-to-reach rural areas. Today, telemedicine has grown to become a matter of convenience. In our current culture people want instant medical consultation which today’s advanced technologies make possible. While some physicians add telemedicine to their practice, others are solely practicing through telemedicine with growing apps from companies like Teledoc, Doctor on Demand, and MDLive. Last year the telemedicine market was valued at over 21 million dollars and it is only expected to continue to grow.