In case you were thinking of pursuing a career as a civil servant, here’s one you should avoid: mail carrier. According to CareerCast, a national job search portal, it is the “most endangered” career based on the hiring outlook and changing economic landscape.
Your backup plan shouldn’t include newspaper reporter or flight attendant —those jobs are disappearing, too.
Every year, CareerCast takes a look at the jobs that are vanishing, and this year, the list clearly shows the steady march of technology, as professions have been shedding jobs at a fast clip. Since 1989, there are one third fewer newspaper reporters. If you are in any of the 10 following fields, you may want to explore a career switch. If you’re a new college grad, you might want to consider healthcare and STEM jobs, which aren’t being eliminated due to our robot overlords.
Mail Carrier
Annual Median Salary: $53,100
Projected Growth Outlook by 2022: -28%
Why the job is vanishing: Texts, emails, online chatting, and social media. Oh, and don’t forget paying bills with electronic payments and online portals. Mobile capabilities are only going to accelerate this trend. No wonder the United States Postal Service recently cut one third of its workforce.
Meter Reader
Annual Median Salary: $37,580
Projected Growth Outlook by 2022: -19%
Why the job is vanishing: Machines check meters and send the readings to an online portal where it can be checked by businesses and consumers.
Farmer
Annual Median Salary: $69,300
Projected Growth Outlook by 2022: -19%
Why the job is vanishing: Farm consolidation and bigger farms with the same amount of land actually being cultivated mean a sad outlook for farmers across the country.
Newspaper Reporter
Annual Median Salary: $37,090
Projected Growth Outlook by 2022: -13%
Why the job is vanishing: By the end of 2014, there were just over 1,000 newspapers in the U.S. When you think of our population, the amount of viewpoints, the different subject areas, and varying metropolises, this number seems jarringly small. Print revenue has fallen more than a third since 2005. This sad number also extends to the decrease in newspaper employees as well, compared to the peak in 1989.
Jeweler
Annual Median Salary: $35,350
Projected Growth Outlook by 2022: -10%
Why the job is vanishing: A major factor is outsourcing; most jewelry work is now done outside of the U.S.
Logging Worker
Annual Median Salary: $33,360
Projected Growth Outlook by 2022: -9%
Why the job is vanishing: Thanks to increased mechanization and improvements in logging equipment, lumberjacks may become obsolete. Soon you’ll just be seeing those beards and plaid on hipsters.
7
Flight Attendant
Annual Median Salary: $37,240
Projected Growth Outlook by 2022: -7%
Why the job is vanishing: Employment of flight attendants is expected to drop 7% from 2012 to 2022. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says union contracts requires furloughed attendants to be rehired first.
Drill-Press Operator
Annual Median Salary: $32,950
Projected Growth Outlook by 2022: -6%
Why the job is vanishing: Automated drilling machines now take the place of many operators. Manufacturing hiring has also been stalling in general.
Insurance Underwriter
Annual Median Salary: $62,870
Projected Growth Outlook by 2022: -6%
Why the job is vanishing: Computer automation is fast eliminating these jobs.
Seamstress/Tailor
Annual Median Salary: $26,460
Projected Growth Outlook by 2022: -4%
Why the job is vanishing: Not only is a lot of sewing done overseas, but local alterations shops now have to compete with retailers that offer fixes with a purchase (think Uniqlo).
