A Whole New World

When you were a kid perhaps you wanted to be a fireman or an astronaut. Well today's generation is on a whole new path, a path that ten years ago didn't even exist.

From the latest gadgets to living green, economic changes over the past decade have brought us many new industries. And job titles that would once have made you skeptical are becoming the norm. Career Builder has put together a list of the ten careers that didn't exist ten years ago. For example number ten on the list is the Virtual Business Service Provider. These people offer public relations service, concerige service or customer service from the comfort of their homes. Thanks to telecommuting, the internet and video conferencing all the work in an office can be done from your couch of kitchen table.

Also on the list are Social Media Strategists. Since Facebook and Twitter have taken the mainstream world by storm these people have been hired to use social networks to connect with customers, advertise and stir up some free publicity. To see what else made the list keep reading. There may even be a business you can run.

10 Careers That Didn't Exist 10 Years Ago
By Rachel Zupek, CareerBuilder.com writer

1. Bloggers
What they do: Bloggers research and write blog posts in a conversational style to engage readers online. They work for themselves or for corporations, but their goal is the same: to develop and maintain blogs to promote a brand, mission or objective. Jimmy Moore, owner of "Livin La Vida Low-Carb," started his blog in April 2005 after losing 180 pounds. He wrote about it while still employed in a customer service position. He began blogging full time in October 2006.

2. Community managers or content managers
What they do: Community or content managers are an extension of a typical marketing role, but on a more personal level. They serve as a liaison between the company and the public, managing a Web site that allows them to engage with community members and spread the word about the company.
Erin Bury has been the community manager at Sprouter, a Toronto company that enables collaboration and networking among entrepreneurs, for almost one year. She says, "A community manager is a nontraditional role, so it requires some unique traits: the ability to adapt quickly, the ability to juggle a multitude of tasks while still keeping a smile on their face, and an innate passion for what they do. This isn't a 9-to-5 job; it's one that involves being an extension of the brand almost 24/7, which is why loving the company and the job is a prerequisite."

3. Green funeral directors
What they do: Green funeral directors incorporate environmentally friendly options to meet the needs of families who want a green service.

4. Interior redesigners
What they do: Instead of spending $500 on a new couch, why not use that money to hire an interior redesigner who will find new ways to decorate with items you already own? Interior redesigners remodel your home using the things you already have, either repurposing them for other uses or putting them in other rooms, etc.

Jennifer Schweikert, owner of Just My Style by JMS, says, "In a time of 'less is more,' people streamlining possessions, baby boomers and seniors downsizing, and the green movement of reduce, reuse and recycle, interior redesign is an up-and-coming field of work that addresses these needs in today's lifestyle and economy."

5. Patient advocates
What they do: There are several types of patient advocates, and although their services vary, all of them want to make sure that the patient and family are informed and to make things easier on everyone. Advocates can go with patients to appointments; ensure they're visiting with the right specialists and taking the right medicines; sort through medical bills and negotiate fees with health-care providers and insurance companies; they can even educate family members on proper care for their sick loved one.

6. Senior move management
What they do: Senior move management companies help older adults and families with the physical and emotional demands of downsizing, relocating or modifying their homes.

7. Social media strategists
What they do: Social media strategists use social media tools to help companies interact with customers, increase brand awareness, create buzz, increase traffic and provide information.

8. User experience analyst
What they do: User experience analysts look for ways to make using a Web site easier, more pleasant and more engaging for consumers. They want to figure out how to keep you on their site and how to make your experience while you're there memorable and useful.

9. Video journalists
What they do: In the 1960s, reporters had to shoot and edit their own stories because of lack of manpower and resources. Now, almost 50 years later, this role is back, but now it's called video journalism. To save money, large-market news groups hire small-market reporters as video journalists at a fraction of the cost. They are usually assigned stories to produce for the station Web site, finding content to drive Web traffic.

10. Virtual business service providers
What they do: Many people are forming their own companies by way of telecommuting, offering such virtual services as customer service, concierge services or even public relations from their homes.
"Thanks to the birth of the Internet and the rise of new industries because of it, my company was born. The rise of virtual companies like ours has provided jobs for lots of people," says Deborah Sittig, owner of Green Room Public Relations.