Have you ever imagined your life without internet? Have you ever wondered how your life would be without a smartphone? When was the last time you looked up a word in the dictionary? Do you remember going to the library to rent your favorite novel? It hasn’t been long enough since technology inundated our daily lives. So, here comes a fundamental question: How will our lives change in the future? What will be the best jobs for the future? And how to prepare for them? Change is constantly happening, and no one is definite about the future, but we can make educated guesses based on the past and current trends.
It is expected that by 2025 we will lose over five million jobs to automation where machines will be handling physical production. Future careers will involve innovation and knowledge creation. So, here is a list of future jobs, based on current trends, for which you can start preparing from today. We have also included their mid-point salaries from Robert Salary guide.
1. Mobile Application Developer
Mobile Application development is the process by which an application is developed for mobile devices like personal device assistant, cell phones, etc. The application is written specifically for an operating system initially and tested for performance. App developers must take into account multiple factors like an array of screen sizes, hardware specifications, etc. and ensure the app runs on multiple devices because of the intense competition in the mobile industry.
The Mobile Application Development industry is steadily growing because more businesses interact through smartphones with their customers and the demand for apps keep on increasing. Mobile app developers with skills in Objective C (for IOS) or Java (for Android), graphic design and User Interface (UI) design are especially in high demand. Regarding salary, the future of software developers is bright. The midpoint salary range for an app developer is $143,300 annually. The United States’ Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS) reports a 24 percent increase in the hiring of software developers by 2026 – a growth rate higher than the average growth rate across all professions.
2. Data Architect
A data architect is responsible for creating, designing, arranging and managing an organization’s data. Data architects define how data will be stored, consumed, integrated and managed by different data units and IT systems as well as any applications processing or using that data anyway. As the internet of things grows through interconnection, the volume of available data expands, and businesses require skilled data architects to handle data. The responsibilities of data architect include managing the data at the macro level and micro level, including data models for new applications.
Data architects need to be creative and innovative. They should be experts in data systems and database methodology to convert business requirements into database solutions effectively. Expertise in Microsoft SQL, Oracle, and hands on experience in operating systems like UNIX, LINUX, Solaris and Microsoft Windows is a pre-requisite of this job. According to roberthalf.com, data architects are in high demand in Tech hubs in cities like Austin, New York, Texas, San Francisco and Seattle. As far as salary is concerned, the midpoint salary of data architects is $133,500.
3. Business Intelligence Analyst
Business intelligence is a process by which technology is used to analyze data and helps in the decision making process. A business intelligence analyst is a professional who is responsible for analyzing data that is utilized by a business or organization. They convert raw data into business intelligence solutions. They are required to define, report and provide new data structures for business intelligence for specific purposes.
Prerequisites of this job include solid problem-solving, troubleshooting and analytical skills as well as proficiency in business intelligence, data mining, and tools to analyze data. Background education in business, finance and information systems is also required along with high level communication skills to communicate the recommendations after data analysis to senior management.
The current mid-point salary of a business intelligence analyst is $93,750, but employers may be willing to recruit at higher wages owing to the greater demand of business intelligence analysts in the market given additional certifications or experience in the field.
4. UX Designer
User experience (UX) design is the process of enhancing user satisfaction with a product by aggregating its accessibility, usability, and pleasure provided by the interaction with the product. UX designers are professionals who are responsible for how a website or product feels to the user. They interact with the clients to understand their goals and intentions to ensure a pleasurable digital experience.
The rapid growth in the mobile and digital industry has boomed the demand of UX designers. The mid-point salary of UX designers is $93,500 with their active markets in cities like Austin, San Francisco, New York, and Seattle according to roberthalf.com.
5. System Analyst
A system analyst is a professional who solves business problems by employing data analysis and design techniques into the information systems. System analysts identify the improvements needed in an organization, design systems to solve problems and train and encourage others to use those systems. The responsibilities of this profession include resolving hardware and software issues, maintaining documentation for systems and coding user and system requirements into technical specifications.
They are also familiar with a variety of programming languages and hardware platforms but usually don’t involve themselves deep into hardware or software development. System analysts work in conjunction with business analysts. According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, the recruitments of system analysts are likely to increase by 9 percent by 2026. The mid-point salary of system analysts is $92,750 at present.
6. Digital Marketing Manager
To promote their products or services, companies often hire digital marketing managers. Digital marketing managers play a crucial role in boosting brand awareness in the digital space and drive website traffic and acquire customers — professionals in this field measure site traffic by using web analytic tools to augment marketing campaigns, social media, display and search advertising. The mid-point salary is $79,500, and they are in high demand in North America especially in Cleveland, Houston, Charlotte, San Francisco, and Philadelphia.
Justin Emig, who owes digital marketing agency Web Talent marketing in Lancaster, Pennsylvania considers Digital marketing manager to be responsible for driving the customers with the aim of enhancing the brand popularity and ultimately drive purchase intent of the customers.
The communication skills are paramount of this job. The digital marketing manager must be able to communicate at all levels of the organization, should possess strong writing skills to communicate brand’s message to the customers effectively and should have expertise in data analysis tools to extract information from reported data. They must not be afraid to try on new things, take chances, fail and try again.
7. Business Analyst
Business analysts act as a bridge between business problems and Information Technology (IT) solutions. The key role of a business analyst is to help business in executing technology solutions in a cost effective way by considering the requirements of a project and communicating them to the partners, facilitators, and stakeholders. Companies hire them when they want to incorporate business intelligence and make data driven decisions.
Potential candidates for this job include people with experience in finance and data flow analysis and project management. According to roberthalf.com, business analysts are in high demand in San Francisco and Minneapolis and offer a lucrative career with a starting salary of $68,500.
8. Customer Service Manager
A customer service manager heads a team of customer service professionals and helps resolve difficult issues regarding customer complaints and evaluate overall team performance by working closely with managers of other departments. A customer service manager must possess outstanding communication skills to talk, listen and help to resolve customers’ issues. They must listen with patience to find out the root cause of the problem and talk to the customer clearly and in a friendly way to keep them happy. They must also possess leadership skills to keep their team motivated toward solving customers’ problems.
According to roberthalf.com, the customer service industry is expected to grow by 5 percent by 2026. The mid-point salary of customer service managers is $45,250 at present.
9. Litigation Support Analyst
Owing to the increase in the automation of the legal processes and expanding volumes of electronic data, a new field has emerged named as Litigation support analyst. These are the professionals who combine legal knowledge with technical skills of information technology. They are responsible for identifying, collecting, managing and storing Electronically Stored Information (ESI) into litigation. Strong project management skills and ability to pay attention to details are prerequisites of this profession to communicate with the law firms and other service providers.
A litigation support analyst oversees the support provided to the organization’s litigation process through the use of technology. These professionals are in high demand as law firms, and companies need to keep pace with federal rulings and regulations, and technological advancements. Litigation support analysts have a mid-point salary of $63,250.
The list of future jobs goes long and would primarily revolve around your critical thinking and problem solving approach. Advances in technology, increasing globalization and changes in consumer behaviour are going to effect the future jobs and require you to stay updated with the changing trends and willing to learn so that your skills remain relevant and in-demand.
