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Working in the future: how today's trends are shaping tomorrow's jobs; Globalization, aging, and trends in technology and society will create opportunities for eco-relations managers, retirement consultants, and outsourcing coordinators.

By Challenger, John A.
Publication: The Futurist
Date: Tuesday, November 1 2005

The workplace is constantly evolving. Over the last 50 years we have seen radical changes in where we work, how we work, and when we work. These changes are most readily evident in the job titles that have dramatically evolved over the years.

In just the last decade or so, the dot-com,

new economy era brought with it a plethora of new job titles, reflecting the nontraditional management style these entrepreneurial ventures tried to create. Unique titles such as envisioner (Design Continuum Inc., 2000), idea ambassador (2think Inc., 2001), and director of first impressions (Teltronics Inc., 1999) were regularly featured in the pages of Fast Company, a publication chronicling the new economy. Some of the more mainstream job titles that have surfaced in recent years include chief information officer, kernel engineer, and network security specialist.

Job titles will continue to evolve over the next 20 years as numerous trends alter the workplace landscape. Trends in technology, society, demographics, and the economy will inspire the job titles of tomorrow. The following are our top 10 candidates.

Manager of Diversity

Until recently, this executive might have been in charge of making sure the company's payroll met diversity standards and enforcing policies that ensured no group would be treated differently or affected adversely because of skin color, gender, religion, etc. Today, companies are moving beyond the idea that diversity initiatives are simply the politically correct thing to do and have come to recognize the business benefits of having a multicultural workforce.

The overall U.S. population is becoming more and more ethnically diverse. Having an equally diverse payroll means having employees who can literally and figuratively speak the language of the customers. Hispanics, in particular, accounted for about one-half of U.S. population growth between July 2003 and July 2004. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's most recent estimates, approximately 14.3 million Hispanics live in the United States.

The manager of diversity will be charged with getting the maximum benefit out of individuals' unique traits, helping employees develop a culturally informed approach to customer service, and tapping new potential markets. For example, the manager of diversity might be charged with spearheading a marketing initiative in an up-and-coming Latino neighborhood, or conducting Web-based product surveys through popular Web sites in China, Latin America, and the Middle East. This manager might also develop a visiting-worker outreach center to assist employees from other countries with translation issues, find affordable housing, obtain citizenship, or find low-cost language instruction.

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