Technology has been the vehicle of change in the digital age, with advances in technology forcing industries all over the world to adapt to new ways of doing business. With this adaptation comes a need for specialists in roles that didn’t exist ten years ago, which has opened the doors for newcomers to the job market, as well as existing workers looking for a new career, to a slew of new jobs. In this article, we will explore five different career paths that exist now that couldn’t have existed 10 years ago, as well as what qualifications a person would need to pursue to make headway in each respective role.
Search Engine Optimization Specialist
Most people have heard about Search Engine Optimization (or SEO), but not many understand the importance of having an SEO specialist on their staff. SEO can be described as a strategy that can help a business’s website appear more often when people use a search engine to find information or services online. This kind of traffic is generated organically, meaning that the business is not paying to appear on the front page of a search engine such as Google or Bing. More organic traffic means more conversions, and more conversions mean more business coming through a website, which makes SEO a crucial part of running a successful online business.
The role of an SEO specialist is to improve the overall search-ability of content so that it shows up regularly in keyword searches. SEO specialists are often in charge of website analysis, keyword optimization, content generation, client management, as well as analytical processing. While it is possible to learn SEO through free courses, many businesses that are looking to employ an SEO specialist are looking for someone with at least some kind of formal training in the field.
Employers looking to employ an SEO specialist often give preference to applicants with a bachelor’s degree in fields such as business, marketing, information technologies, or communications. Experience in online marketing and programming is also useful.
For people who already hold a general degree in one of these fields, there are several free and paid SEO courses online that could help them get noticed in the crowd. SEMrush is one of the biggest players in the SEO field and its training company, SEMrush Academy, provides free access to over 20 different courses that specifically focus on SEO.
Big Data Analyst
When it comes to data, there is a reason many business analysts have started to refer to it as one of the world’s most valuable resources, comparable to oil and gold. This is because data can help businesses make informed decisions based on information that is already available online to get the results they want. Big data, which can be described as collections of data that can potentially be mined for information, is a hot commodity that businesses can use to give themselves an edge over their competition. By using information mined from big data, a lot of guesswork is taken out of making business decisions, which is why data analysts, who can turn big data into a usable resource, are so in-demand in the digital age.
Data analysts are trained to find patterns in data so that they can help businesses streamline their processes and make informed decisions about various aspects of their business. For example, a business may use the services of an analyst to make an informed decision about the amount of stock they should order and carry in their warehouse. By analyzing past sales records, seasonal trends, and other data, a data analyst should be able to advise on how much stock a business should order at a time so that the business does not need to worry about stock running out prematurely or too much stock being ordered.
One of the best qualifications for a data analyst would be a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a focus on Business Intelligence. This kind of qualification focuses on managing and analyzing data as well as database design and it allows professionals in this field the ability to apply their skills in visualizing data to real-world scenarios. This type of qualification also extends to other types of jobs in this field, including Application Developers, Project Managers, Business Analysts, and more. To find out more about the best MBA concentrations and the other avenues this qualification can open up, click here.
Virtual Reality Consultant
A relatively new player in the market, virtual reality has the potential to drive huge growth in a range of industries. This is because virtual reality, or VR, is a powerful tool that allows businesses to connect with their audiences in brand new ways. Due to the field being so new, it is even more important for businesses to have a virtual reality consultant on their payroll to take advantage of this new medium.
As the industry is still in its early stages, the role of a virtual reality consultant can vary based on who their client is and the industry they are in. For example, a virtual reality consultant working for a big brand can help that brand create compelling marketing campaigns and other forms of content that could better help to sell their message to consumers. A virtual reality consultant in the medical field, on the other hand, could help conceptualize and create virtual reality software that could help connect specialist doctors to patients around the world to provide services that would not be available to that patient otherwise.
Due to the immense diversity in this emerging field, choosing the right qualification can be difficult; however, any course or certificate that encompasses emerging technologies, programming, and computer science can offer a great place to start.
Social Media Manager
Gone are the days where social media was just a tool to share pictures and messages with people around the world. In 2020, social media is used as a tool for businesses to connect with their audiences on a level never before possible. In terms of brand recognition and customer engagement, few tools can offer as much benefit as social media. For this reason, social media managers are an essential component of businesses with a digital footprint.
The role of a social media manager is to represent a company across social media channels with the overall goal of growing the digital presence of the company. Social media managers are most commonly in charge of conceptualizing and implementing social media-focused marketing campaigns and content designed to improve a company’s digital image, responding to comments on social media platforms, and measuring, testing, and reporting on the efficacy of social campaigns and strategies to offer guidance on future projects.
Several qualifications exist that can help a person enter the social media manager career path. The most common qualifications include a bachelor’s degree in digital marketing, journalism, public relations, advertising, and other similar fields. Although none of these qualifications are essential for the task, many businesses are more likely to hire a candidate with some experience in one of these fields as well as previous experience in managing aspects of social media for businesses.
Cloud Services Specialist
Just like virtual reality, cloud computing is a relatively new technology that is still experiencing several growing pains. Cloud computing can be described as the delivery of various computing services over the Internet (called “the cloud”). Some of the services that are currently available include storage, servers, databases, software, analytics, networking, and more. Most of these services are offered on a pay-as-you-go basis which allows businesses to save on certain aspects of their IT infrastructure – for example, setting up and managing their server or database. Instead of having to employ multiple IT experts, a company can employ a single cloud computing specialist to migrate their information and services into the cloud without interruption to the business.
Some of the responsibilities of a cloud computing specialist include the planning and engineering of a business’s cloud computing infrastructure, designing and implementing hardware and software systems, monitoring and maintaining cloud systems, and a host of other IT-related responsibilities.
There are several education routes a person could follow to become a cloud computing specialist; however, the most popular route is a bachelor’s degree in information systems, computer engineering, or computer science. Other relevant skills and certifications would include software development, programming, and database management. Several courses allow a person to specialize in particular aspects of cloud computing. AWS Certification, Azure Certification, and Google Cloud Certification can help complement a job candidate’s practical experience when applying for these kinds of jobs.
The business world is changing, and job seekers looking to be successful need to learn to adapt to new roles and jobs that they may have no previous experience with. Candidates who can learn new skills in emerging technologies will have the upper hand when applying for jobs, so whether you are a newcomer to the job market or are looking for a change of career, having an inquiring mind and being willing to learn are vital tools to succeed.
