10 Jobs in IT you have probably never considered

Here’s the bad news. Oxford researchers recently predicted that in the next 20 years around 10 million UK jobs could be taken by robots or automatic processes. This is not some Blade Runner/Terminator dystopian nightmare of man being overthrown by cyborgs, these are jobs such as teachers, salesmen and administrators.

Life changes, workplaces changes, and technology changes. It is the reason why libraries are closing and newspapers are dying and shedding jobs. It’s why album sales are falling and why sending letters has become obsolete. It’s why we order food and taxis online and so on.

So when you’re thinking about career choices in technology there may be a plethora of roles and jobs which you’d never even thought of, let alone considered and you might not even have to leave the home to do so.

Online teacher

If you’ve got a little time and a little knowledge that others will want, then this can be a way of cleaning up. Websites such as Udemy have given aspiring lecturers and tutors a platform to make money in their own time. For example, Forbes reports here on Nick Walter, who made $100,000 in a year from a simple course recorded in just four days teaching a new coding language.

Data mining

We live in a world of omnipresent data and the people who know where to find that information and how to use it to discover more about customers, clients and competitors can sometimes name their price. Courses usually teach how to use or build algorithms for harvesting data in the real world and how to visualise the results.

Recruiting

Similarly, companies don’t want to waste time and money employing the wrong person for a role. Recruitment agencies can filter out incompatible applicants before a CV goes anywhere near the company with a vacant role and finding those applicants can be an enjoyable and challenging role.

Video game tester

Developer Bungie said last year that it was not really possible to complete its gigantic multi-world, multi-player epic Destiny, such is the expanse of the 21^st century game with levels of testing that take up literally thousands of hours of game time. Willing gamers are needed for such an enterprise and the more skilful ones can soon become a valuable asset.

Blogging

Got something to say and can combine it with an engaging writing style? If you can capture the mood of your target audience, big brands may want to hop on-board and you can not only get paid for something you love doing but also make a very good career – for example, fashion writers might want to examine these 20 blogs.

IT consultant

If you know about IT, then why not show people your skills? An IT consultant needs to harness a wide set of skills working with clients to resolve IT issues and hence streamlining a company’s communication systems, helping its clients, and making it money. There are multiple professional side lines that also might arise, such as writing and training.

Digital marketing

Tablets, mobile devices, social media, and the divergence of paid/organic advertising on search engines could all comprise components of the average digital marketer’s knowledge skillset. And interesting opportunities in marketing, programming and other disciplines at companies such as comparethemarket.com have never been more vibrant.

Social media manager

Too many careers and companies can be derailed by an errant tweet, Facebook status or Instagram picture, hence the rise of the social media manager. Those with such a role aim to regulate the flow of communication via social media, whether it’s positive or negative. Dealing with direct criticism is sometimes an easier task. It is the negative comments that are left hanging unanswered on a website that present more danger, which can at times lead to a brand crisis.

Web developer/designer

These two titles might sound intimidating, but none of the other roles on this list would exist without the input of a web developer and/or designer. The two roles should not be confused. A designer creates what the customer sees and how they interact, while the developer looks at the underlying structure of the site. There are a host of online courses that can at least get a junior web-creator started.