People With One Of 11 Specific Jobs Will Probably Have To Find New Careers Sooner Than Later
Krakenimages.com | Shutterstock While tech innovations certainly bring great benefits to the workforce, many old-school industries are suffering as a result, potentially replacing 300 million jobs. Unfortunately, many people with these jobs will likely need to find a new career in the near future.
Along with using AI, these careers won’t be around much longer as companies buckle under the pressure to downsize and cut costs. For people who work in these industries, it’s possible that there may be room for growth doing something different. But for the vast majority, their looming job insecurity is something they may want to start preparing for now.
People will probably have to find a new career soon if they have these jobs
1. Travel agent
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Being a travel agent is quickly becoming an outdated career, largely due to the internet and social media. Young people today are planning vacations by going to Instagram and TikTok for recommendations, or using automated booking systems to find the best prices.
While some travel companies are using social media and AI technologies to their advantage to make their services available for travelers, the majority are less optimistic about the future of the industry given expected shifts and innovations.
2. Video store clerk
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While Blockbuster stores and other video rental locations are a thing of the past, there are still a handful of video and gaming businesses left. But with streaming services readily available and media easily found with a quick search, there’s no longer a need for video store clerks.
So much of our society is driven by convenience, so many in-person shopping stores and businesses have been hurt by internet accessibility. They can’t keep up with instant demand, especially when people prefer to stay home and do it themselves than commute to a store and buy things in person.
3. Data entry representative
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Many entry-level jobs are being replaced by AI, one of which is data entry. In fact, there’s really no such thing as a lucrative entry-level position in this industry anymore. Everything is automated with computers and taken care of by tech that doesn’t require oversight from a real person.
While there’s technically been a small amount of growth in these jobs over the last few years, most clerical and data entry positions will surely be taken out in the near future. This may mean people entering the workforce taking on more labor-intensive careers.
4. Telemarketer
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Considering that many of the telemarketing companies and jobs still present today are likely to be automated within the next decade, it’s not surprising that this job is becoming quickly outdated. And with the rise of spam calls and scammers online, telemarketing doesn’t have the same appeal anymore.
Many businesses and brands marketing products and services are almost entirely focused on social media communities today. Rather than knocking on doors or cold-calling, it's focused much more on digital communication than in-person connection.
5. Bank teller
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With more online banking options and self-service machines like ATMs, along with pressure on local banking branches to reduce costs, bank teller careers are quickly shrinking from what they were a couple of decades ago. In fact, employment in this role has declined by nearly 30% since 2010.
Of course, there will always be a need for at least a few people in an in-person bank, especially for older folks who aren't used to using technology for their banking needs. But with the emergence of online banking and the growing popularity of hands-off financial transactions, this career may not be around much longer.
6. Truck driver
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Many truck drivers are leaving the industry due to low wages and unrealistic expectations, as well as poor work-life balance and safety concerns. These aren't necessarily the only reasons having a career as a truck driver is dramatically shifting, though.
With the evolution of new self-driving technologies, some predict that any kind of career revolving around driving, including trucking and food delivery, will be extinct within the next decade. Why would you pay workers a full salary with benefits when you can pay once for self-driving technology and make your money back nearly overnight?
7. Parking enforcement officer
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Similar to many of the other jobs being replaced by technology and AI, parking enforcement jobs are quickly following the same path. Before, meter maids and officers would scour expired parking meters, but now, everything has been streamlined.
Not only is there more access to technology that automates the process, like digital parking passes and databases of license plates, but fewer people are seeking out careers in service-oriented fields on a long-term basis.
8. Cashier
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With the rise of cashier-less technology emerging and the ease of online shopping, there are concerns that this job will be eliminated altogether in the near future. Consumer desires have also changed to want less challenging social experiences in stores.
Coupled with societal stigmas around these jobs, less and less people are actively seeking out and pursuing service work like being a cashier as their full-time job. This is making it harder for stores to continue investing money into mediating high turnover rates.
9. Farm worker
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Given that there's currently a rural labor shortage thanks to strict immigration policies, along with agricultural inventions taking over jobs, the farm labor workforce has been steadily decreasing. Immigration laws are negatively affecting rural areas and the aging demographic of farm workers is dwindling.
Unfortunately, this job may not be around much longer if trends continue in a similar direction. We’ll always need farm workers to some extent, but there may soon be technology that steps up to compensate for these shrinking demographics.
10. Bookkeeper
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There are hundreds of thousands less bookkeepers and accountants today than there were five years ago, partially due to technology and shifting generational norms. Not only are Gen Z workers turned off by the education required for this career, but they're not interested in the low wages and job uncertainty.
Coupled with evolving technology and AI that has already partially taken over many requirements of an entry-level job in this field, being a bookkeeper has become a bit antiquated. Unfortunately, this job probably won't be around much longer.
11. Traditional cartographer
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With the prevalence of online GPS systems and digital mapping technology, mapmakers and cartographers are finding themselves needing to pivot into new industries and professions. They may not be producing physical maps at the same rate as a few decades ago, but their expertise can still be utilized for online programs.
Since people are easily able to access maps on their phones or computers, there's less demand for physical maps. Luckily, people who work in this field have time to move into new industries or more specialized jobs.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
