It’s no secret that the internet has dramatically changed the way the world works; as such, the fact that there are a wide variety of jobs that didn’t exist 30 years ago doesn’t come as a surprise to pretty much anyone. I mean, heck, my job didn’t exist 30 years ago; in 1986, the idea of going onto some intangible thing called the "World Wide Web" to get your day-to-day news, information, and entertainment was almost laughable. But just in case you were curious about the details of what some of these incredibly recent jobs are, this infographic from insurance company Colonial Life’s Living Business blog sheds more than a little light on the subject. It features 15 professions that, in the mid-'80s, no one would have dreamed would eventually exist. Isn’t technology grand?
While some of them aren’t exactly surprising — SEO specialist, for example; in 1986, having internet access practically in every home was a long ways of — some of them are. It’s interesting to me, for example, that the title of nutritionist is so new; apparently the internet and the rise of social media were just as much of a factor in this one was they are for some of the more tech-based jobs on the graphic. The thing to bear in mind about nutritionists is that they do not require formal education or licensing — they’re not regulated in the same way that registered dietitians (RD) or certified nutritionists (CN) are. Pretty much anyone can call themselves a nutritionist — and with the internet allowing for so much more visibility, it might explain the explosion of wellness bloggers and Instagram fitness stars. Food (haha) for thought.
Also, not going to lie: I kind of get a kick out of the fact that Zumba instructor is on there. For the curious, Zumba saw its origins during the ‘90s thanks to a happy accident; in Colombia, dancer and choreographer Alberto Perez dealt with forgetting the tape he regularly used while teaching an aerobics class by substituting salsa and merengue instead. It was licensed in 2001.
For more, check out the full infographic below. Who knew, right?
Images: Fotolia; Colonial Life/Visualistan
