It is time to admit that ‘content creator’ is a real career pathway that didn’t exist just a few years ago. I was asking chatgpt about this – it generated a nice starting point. My thoughts are below the chat.

what career types have come into existance only in the last decade?

Several career types have emerged in the last decade due to advances in technology, changing social and economic conditions, and evolving consumer preferences. Here are some examples:

Social Media Manager: As social media platforms have become increasingly important for businesses and individuals, the role of the social media manager has emerged to oversee a company’s social media strategy and content creation.

App Developer: With the growth of smartphones and mobile apps, the demand for app developers has increased, with new types of apps being developed to serve various industries and purposes.

Cybersecurity Analyst: As technology has become more central to our lives, the need for cybersecurity analysts to protect against cyberattacks has grown in importance.

Virtual Reality Developer: With the increasing popularity of virtual reality technology, the role of the virtual reality developer has emerged to create immersive experiences in various fields, such as entertainment, education, and healthcare.

User Experience (UX) Designer: As companies strive to create more user-friendly products and services, the role of the UX designer has emerged to create intuitive and enjoyable experiences for users.

Influencer: With the rise of social media, influencers have emerged as individuals with large online followings who can monetize their influence through brand partnerships and sponsorships.

What ways are people making money that are new to the internet age?
The internet age has opened up many new opportunities for people to make money in innovative ways. Here are some examples:

E-commerce: With the rise of online marketplaces like Amazon and Etsy, people can now sell products directly to consumers from anywhere in the world. This has enabled entrepreneurs to start their own businesses with low overhead costs and reach a global customer base.

Online tutoring: Online platforms like Zoom and Skype have made it easier for people to offer tutoring services to students around the world. This has enabled educators to reach a wider audience and offer personalized services to students.

Digital products: People can now sell digital products like ebooks, courses, and software directly to consumers online. This has enabled creators to monetize their expertise and share their knowledge with a wider audience.

Affiliate marketing: Affiliate marketing involves promoting other people’s products and earning a commission on any resulting sales. The internet has made it easier for people to find products to promote and reach a wider audience through social media and other digital channels.

There are many new options that were simply not possible when I was young. A person can find a niche, drill down into their tiny part of it, and become known or sell products directly. This idea fits the closest to my entrepreneur creator type, but any of the creator types can try this route.

Plenty of youtube videos have been made on the topic of ‘how much money I made with X,XXX subscribers… I’ve seen a few and they all have many streams of income. They’ll be selling digital files, courses, memberships, or promoting a patreon page. They make money from all sorts of places.

This includes traditional jobs. Plumbers can have a niche following, information channel, and all the options above. These communities and followings have created lots of new opportunities within those careers.

People take years to build these channels and income streams, so it is unclear how that might work with someone starting out. But giving students a larger view of their options is never a bad idea… even if I didn’t consider it a real job up until now.