The tech industry is vast and covers hundreds, if not thousands of different job titles, each with its own set of tech skills. However, the most common tech job listings, such as software engineer, software developer, graphic designer, and web developer, are often the only ones known to most people.
However, there are many more careers in tech. Some of these job titles may sound odd or surprising, but they are real career paths you can find today.
1. Data Detective
You may have heard about data engineers, data analysts, or data scientists, but did you know about data detectives?
At first glance, the job of a data detective may seem very similar to that of a data analyst. Both occupations require a college degree (at minimum, a bachelor’s degree in computer systems) and a specific set of hard skills, most notably, finding, extracting, cleaning, and modeling data to produce useful information.
A data detective differs from a regular analyst in their soft skills and the purpose behind their work. An analyst simply finds and cleans data, but a data detective knows how to interpret the data and read between the lines to solve specific problems and obtain valuable insights.
In essence, they are the information technology equivalent of a police detective: They excel at data visualization to follow leads, test hypotheses, connect the dots, interpret the data, and draw conclusions.
Data detectives typically assist a company’s data analytics team, using their skills to analyze specific cases, conduct risk assessments, or detect anomalies. For example, a data detective’s skills may be necessary to find discrepancies in insurance claims and determine potentially fraudulent behavior.
2. Chief Listening Officer
In the last two decades, companies with a fledgling online presence may have employed individuals under the job title of social media managers. These people are tasked with managing the brand’s social media profiles.
Today, social media is so critical to a company’s success; it’s no longer uncommon for companies to have a dedicated, full-time social media team. A Chief Listening Officer (CLO) is essentially the senior officer or corporate executive equivalent of a social media manager.
A CLO must possess a master’s degree in human resources or business administration and have extensive experience with information systems, social media, and online communication methods. Many CLOs also have prior work experience as social media managers.
The most critical soft skill of a CLO is their communication skills, which they use to listen to both employees and customers. They perform jobs such as analyzing a brand’s public image, evaluating employee wellbeing, and using the feedback to improve customer service and the company’s internal environment.
3. Drone Operator
Once an occupation exclusively found in the military, drone operator (or drone pilot) became a legitimate civilian occupation shortly after commercial and recreational drones exploded in popularity in the mid-2010s.
Drones are regulated under the Federal Aviation Administration, and becoming a commercial or private drone operator requires a drone pilot’s license. Outside of these requirements, most professional drone operators started as hobbyists and private enthusiasts looking to make a career out of their passion, often detailing their experience with privately-owned hobby drones in their cover letters.
Expertise with drones and other unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) opens opportunities in a multitude of industries and sectors, such as the movie and TV industries (drone-assisted photography and filmmaking), agriculture (drone-assisted crop surveyor), technology (drone 3D modeling), real estate (drone-assisted rooftop inspection), and even emergency services (unmanned search and rescue).
If you’re looking for a tech job without experience or prior education, becoming a drone operator may be one of the most exciting opportunities available. JobsFuel can help find and get in touch with employers in need of your unique skill sets.
4. Blockchain Analyst
One of the fastest-growing technologies today is blockchain technology. Blockchains are essentially decentralized, peer-to-peer transaction ledgers that can store information and confirm transactions securely.
The underlying technology behind the blockchain requires specialists who can review and analyze the data and the ledger systems, create blockchain-based solutions for companies and organizations, evaluate their effectiveness, and improve them as necessary.
In essence, a blockchain analyst is a developer with highly specialized skills but with a broad array of potential applications. By far, the most well-known application of blockchain technology is in the creation and management of cryptocurrencies.
However, there are many other legitimate applications for blockchain technology and analysis, such as smart contracts, blockchain-based video games, decentralized voting systems, anti-counterfeiting technologies, or intermediary-less money transfer systems.
The number of potential applications for blockchain technology is rising every year, and blockchain analysts will be at the forefront of these new developments.
5. Privacy Engineer
Rising concerns over privacy and personal data control have led governments worldwide to enforce data protection laws, such as the United States’ Fair Information Practice Principles (FIPPs) or the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
In response, a new tech job started emerging in the mid-2010s: Privacy engineering. A privacy engineer’s job is partly about process management (integrating ethics, policies, and privacy ethos into a company’s products and services) and partly about hard skills (creating and developing products with privacy in mind).
A privacy engineer may be tasked with creating a company’s privacy policy and personal data management methodology and tools, systems, and frameworks to put these policies into practice.
For example, a privacy engineer working for a news outlet may be tasked with finding out how their website collects visitor data, how much of it is retained, whether the site has a privacy policy. If it does, the privacy engineer must then determine whether it is legally compliant in geographic areas with strong data protection laws, such as the European Union.
They may then work with web developers and other IT staff to develop systems and propose changes to the website so visitors from such geographic areas can view them.
Find a Job Technology Sector That Suits Your Talents
The technology sector offers a vast array of opportunities for people of all backgrounds and education levels. Not all tech jobs are general-purpose software engineering or data science positions requiring years of experience or an advanced degree.
Many of these occupations don’t even have corresponding degrees or diplomas, making it possible for passionate individuals with no degrees or formal education to find a fulfilling and high-paying career.
