NEW JOBS FOR 2020

In my book BALLSY, I warn up front that the world is constantly changing - so don’t forget to change with it!

If you want to enjoy a career of extreme success, you must always be asking yourself: Due to all the technological and social change out there, are there now new materials, new fears, new problems, new needs, new desires -- all of which are creating new demands for new widgets and new services?

In summary: Your widget or service might be good… but in this speedily shifting world, good has a very, very short expiration date.

But there's some good news behind all this speedy change. Soon the world will be offering up some very exciting career options.

For example, here are 10 new job options for 2020, predicted by futurist Josh Calder, leader of the Global Lifestyles program at Social Technologies LLC, a research and consulting firm.

1. E-scrubber--Works to undo or minimize the indiscretions that people accumulate on the Web.
2. Deceptionist--Provides tech-enabled deception services for those wishing to disguise their activities.
3. Unrealtor--Creates virtual tourism, adventure, and retail destinations.
4. Realizer--Creates real versions of virtual objects for people, from grog tankards to sports cars.
5. Nano-decontaminator--Cleans up nanomaterials now being spread through the environment.
6. Genetic dietician--Creates diets tailored to people's individual genetic makeup.
7. Geoscaper--Makes corporate and private properties look attractive in Google Earth-style aerial views.
8. Eye pilot--Operates small, remotely piloted, camera-equipped aerial vehicles over war zones, disasters, and other locations of interest on behalf of news services, nongovernmental organizations, and private companies.
9. Sexbot controller--Many things can be done remotely. Not for the squeamish.
10. Unplugger--Counselor/mental health professional who helps wean people from excessive technology use.

I find some of what Calder lists to sound a wee bit like science fiction. And some of it to sound like job necessities for 2007. But what all these positions share in common are larger trends for transparency, virtualization, and outsourcing. And if you study his list further, you'll see that most of Calder's job listings involve new ways to manage information -- which is becoming more and more central to more and more careers.