Job titles that will disappear in 2025
The world of work is changing faster than ever before. Technology, artificial intelligence, and automation are reshaping industries and making some jobs obsolete. While we're already past 2025, many of these predicted job disappearances have either happened or are actively happening right now. Understanding which careers are at risk can help you prepare for the future and make smart decisions about your professional path.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the job titles that have disappeared or are disappearing, why they're vanishing, and what you can do to stay relevant in today's rapidly evolving job market.
Why Are Jobs Disappearing?
Before we dive into specific job titles, it's important to understand the forces driving these changes:
Automation and Robotics: Machines can now perform repetitive tasks faster, more accurately, and at lower costs than humans. From manufacturing to data entry, automation is replacing human workers in roles that don't require complex decision-making or emotional intelligence.
Artificial Intelligence: AI systems can analyze data, recognize patterns, and even make predictions better than humans in many situations. This technology is particularly effective at replacing jobs that involve processing information and following established rules.
Digital Transformation: As businesses move online, many traditional roles become unnecessary. Digital platforms can handle tasks that once required multiple employees, from customer service to financial transactions.
Economic Pressures: Companies constantly look for ways to reduce costs and increase efficiency. When technology can do the same job for less money, businesses often make the switch.
Changing Consumer Behavior: How people shop, communicate, and access services has changed dramatically. This shift in behavior makes some traditional service roles obsolete.
Jobs That Are Disappearing
1. Travel Agents
Travel agents were once essential for booking vacations, flights, and hotels. However, online booking platforms like Expedia, Booking.com, and airline websites have made it easy for consumers to plan their trips independently. With just a few clicks, travelers can compare prices, read reviews, and make reservations without human assistance.
The role hasn't completely vanished, but the number of travel agents has dropped significantly. Those who remain typically specialize in luxury travel, complex international trips, or corporate travel management – areas where personalized service still adds value.
What to do if you're a travel agent: Consider specializing in niche markets or transitioning into hospitality management. Having a strong online presence through a professional resume can help you pivot to related customer service roles.
2. Bank Tellers
ATMs, mobile banking apps, and online banking have dramatically reduced the need for bank tellers. Customers can deposit checks, transfer money, pay bills, and check balances without ever stepping into a bank branch. Many banks are closing physical locations or reducing staff as more transactions move online.
The tellers who remain often take on expanded roles, helping with more complex transactions and selling financial products. However, entry-level teller positions are becoming increasingly rare.
Career pivot options: Former bank tellers can leverage their customer service experience and financial knowledge to move into roles like financial advisor assistants, loan processors, or customer success managers. When crafting your resume, emphasize your attention to detail and customer service skills.
3. Data Entry Clerks
Data entry was once a common entry-level job, but automation has made this role nearly obsolete. Optical character recognition (OCR) software can scan and digitize documents automatically. Machine learning algorithms can extract information from forms, invoices, and other documents without human intervention.
While some data entry work remains, particularly for complex or unusual documents, the volume of available positions has decreased dramatically. Companies now need only a fraction of the data entry staff they required just a decade ago.
Reskilling advice: Data entry clerks can transition into roles like data analysts, quality assurance specialists, or administrative coordinators. Focus on developing analytical skills and learning to work with data management systems.
4. Telemarketers
Cold calling was never a popular job, but it was once a common way for companies to generate sales leads and promote products. Today, automated calling systems, email marketing, and social media advertising have largely replaced human telemarketers. Additionally, do-not-call registries and spam filters have made telemarketing less effective and more regulated.
The few telemarketing positions that remain are increasingly automated or focused on high-value B2B sales where personalized communication matters.
Transition opportunities: Former telemarketers can move into digital marketing, sales development, or customer relationship management roles where their communication skills are valuable. Understanding how to highlight transferable skills is crucial for this career transition.
5. Print Newspaper Reporters and Journalists
The decline of print media has been devastating for traditional journalism jobs. Newspapers have closed or drastically reduced staff as advertising revenue shifted to digital platforms. While journalism itself hasn't disappeared, the number of positions at traditional print newspapers has plummeted.
Many journalists have transitioned to digital media, but these platforms typically operate with smaller staffs. The role has evolved significantly, with modern journalists expected to write, shoot video, manage social media, and analyze web traffic.
Adaptation strategies: Journalists need to become multimedia content creators. Learn video editing, social media management, SEO writing, and data journalism. Build a strong portfolio and personal brand online.
6. Switchboard Operators
Switchboard operators, who manually connected phone calls, have almost completely disappeared. Automated phone systems and direct-dial technology eliminated the need for this role decades ago. While some large organizations still have receptionists who handle calls, the dedicated switchboard operator position is essentially extinct.
This serves as a reminder that even once-essential jobs can become obsolete as technology advances.
7. Assembly Line Workers in Manufacturing
While manufacturing jobs haven't disappeared entirely, automation has dramatically reduced the number of workers needed on assembly lines. Robots can work 24/7 without breaks, don't require benefits, and can perform repetitive tasks with perfect consistency.
Industries like automotive manufacturing, electronics production, and food processing have particularly embraced automation. The workers who remain often operate or maintain the robots rather than performing manual assembly work.
Future-proofing advice: Manufacturing workers should learn robotics maintenance, quality control, or process engineering. Technical certifications and hands-on training with automated systems are valuable.
8. Retail Cashiers
Self-checkout kiosks and mobile payment systems are reducing the need for cashiers in retail stores. Amazon Go stores and similar concepts have demonstrated that shopping can be completely checkout-free, with sensors automatically detecting what customers take and charging them as they leave.
While cashiers haven't disappeared completely, the trend is clear. Many retail chains are reducing checkout staff and investing in self-service technology.
Career alternatives: Cashiers can move into inventory management, visual merchandising, or customer service specialist roles. Building a skills-focused resume that highlights reliability, accuracy, and customer interaction can open new opportunities.
9. Postal Service Workers
Email, digital documents, and electronic billing have reduced the volume of mail significantly. While package delivery has increased due to e-commerce, the need for letter carriers and mail sorters has declined. Postal services worldwide have been closing facilities and reducing staff.
The shift toward digital communication and automated sorting technology means fewer postal workers are needed to handle the remaining mail volume.
Transition paths: Postal workers can leverage their logistics knowledge to move into supply chain management, courier services, or warehouse operations. The e-commerce boom has created demand for delivery drivers and logistics coordinators.
10. Librarians and Library Technicians
Public libraries remain important community resources, but employment in this field has declined. Digital books, online research databases, and search engines have reduced the need for traditional library services. Many libraries have closed or reduced hours due to budget constraints.
The librarians who remain have evolved their roles, focusing on community programming, digital literacy instruction, and serving as social service access points. However, the overall number of positions has decreased.
Evolution strategy: Librarians can transition into information management, digital asset management, or knowledge management roles in corporate settings. Their research and organizational skills are valuable in many industries.
11. Insurance Underwriters
Artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms can now assess risk and approve insurance policies faster and more accurately than human underwriters. These systems analyze vast amounts of data to make decisions that once required years of experience and intuition.
While complex or unusual cases still require human judgment, routine underwriting is increasingly automated. The number of entry-level underwriting positions has declined significantly.
Career progression: Underwriters can specialize in complex or high-value cases, move into risk management consulting, or transition to data science roles where they use their analytical skills with more advanced tools.
12. Bookkeepers and Accounting Clerks
Cloud-based accounting software like QuickBooks, Xero, and FreshBooks has automated much of the work traditionally done by bookkeepers. These systems can automatically categorize transactions, reconcile accounts, and generate financial reports with minimal human intervention.
Small businesses that once hired part-time bookkeepers can now manage their finances with software and occasional accountant consultations. The demand for entry-level bookkeeping positions has decreased substantially.
Upskilling options: Bookkeepers should learn accounting software platforms, develop advisory skills, or pursue accounting credentials. Moving from transactional bookkeeping to financial analysis and advisory services adds value that software cannot replicate.
13. Photo Processors and Film Developers
Digital photography killed the photo processing industry. Film development labs and photo finishing counters that were once common in drugstores and shopping centers have virtually disappeared. With digital cameras and smartphones, people can take unlimited photos, view them instantly, and share them online without ever printing them.
While some specialty photo printing still exists, it's a tiny fraction of what the industry once was.
14. Word Processors and Typists
Dedicated word processing and typing jobs have largely disappeared as computer literacy has become universal. Everyone now types their own documents, emails, and reports. The specialized role of typing up handwritten notes or dictation has become rare outside of specific legal or medical transcription contexts.
Even those specialized transcription roles are threatened by voice recognition software that can convert speech to text automatically.
Alternative careers: Former typists can move into administrative roles, executive assistance, or document management where organizational and communication skills matter more than typing speed.
15. Video Rental Store Clerks
Blockbuster Video and similar rental stores were once ubiquitous, but streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ made them obsolete. The convenience of watching movies on demand at home eliminated the need to visit physical rental stores.
This is a classic example of how digital transformation can completely eliminate an entire category of jobs in just a few years.
Why This Matters for Your Career
Understanding job market trends isn't just academic – it has real implications for your career planning:
Choose growth fields: When selecting a career or considering a job change, research which industries are growing and which are declining. Technology, healthcare, renewable energy, and data science are expanding, while traditional manufacturing, print media, and administrative support are contracting.
Develop versatile skills: The jobs least vulnerable to automation require creativity, complex problem-solving, emotional intelligence, and interpersonal skills. These human capabilities are difficult for machines to replicate.
Embrace lifelong learning: The half-life of job skills is shrinking. What you learned in school may be outdated within a few years. Successful professionals commit to continuous learning and skill development throughout their careers.
Stay adaptable: Career paths are no longer linear. Be prepared to pivot, learn new skills, and even change industries if necessary. Flexibility and adaptability are valuable assets in a changing job market.
Jobs That Are Safe
Not all jobs are at risk. Some roles are actually growing despite automation:
Healthcare professionals: Nurses, therapists, doctors, and home health aides require human judgment, empathy, and physical presence that machines cannot provide.
Skilled trades: Electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, and other skilled tradespeople perform complex work in unpredictable environments where automation is difficult and expensive.
Creative professionals: Artists, designers, writers, and musicians bring human creativity and cultural understanding that AI cannot fully replicate, though AI tools are changing how creative work is done.
Management and leadership: Leading teams, making strategic decisions, and navigating organizational politics require human judgment and interpersonal skills.
Education: Teachers and trainers help people learn and grow in ways that automated systems struggle to match, particularly for young children and specialized subjects.
How to Protect Your Career from Automation
1. Develop Skills That Complement Technology
Instead of competing with technology, learn to work alongside it. Understanding how to use AI tools, automation software, and data analytics platforms makes you more valuable, not less. The people who lose their jobs to technology are often those who refuse to learn new systems.
2. Focus on Human-Centric Skills
Emotional intelligence, creativity, complex problem-solving, negotiation, leadership, and strategic thinking are all skills that machines struggle with. These capabilities become more valuable as routine tasks are automated.
3. Build a Strong Professional Network
Who you know matters. Networking can open doors to opportunities, provide support during career transitions, and keep you informed about industry trends. Cultivate relationships both within and outside your current field.
4. Create a Personal Brand
Develop expertise in a specific area, share your knowledge through blogs or social media, and build a reputation as someone who delivers results. Having a professional online presence can significantly boost your career prospects.
5. Stay Informed About Your Industry
Read industry publications, attend conferences, and participate in professional associations. Understanding where your field is heading helps you anticipate changes and position yourself advantageously.
6. Consider Entrepreneurship
Creating your own business or freelancing gives you control over your career path. While riskier than traditional employment, entrepreneurship can be more resilient to technological disruption if you adapt your offerings to market needs.
How to Transition to a New Career
If you're in a declining field, don't panic. Many people successfully transition to new careers, even later in life. Here's how:
Step 1: Assess Your Transferable Skills
What can you do that applies to other roles? Customer service, project management, communication, problem-solving, and technical skills often transfer across industries. Make a comprehensive list of your capabilities beyond your specific job title.
When making a career transition, it's essential to identify and highlight your transferable skills effectively.
Step 2: Research Growing Fields
Identify industries and roles that are expanding. Look at job market reports, growth projections, and salary trends. Consider fields that value your transferable skills.
Step 3: Fill Knowledge Gaps
You may need additional education or certifications to transition successfully. Online courses, bootcamps, community college programs, and industry certifications can provide necessary credentials without requiring years of schooling.
Step 4: Network in Your Target Field
Connect with people working in roles you're interested in. Informational interviews can provide insights into what the work is really like and what employers value. Join professional groups and attend industry events.
Step 5: Update Your Resume and Online Profiles
Your resume should emphasize transferable skills and relevant experience while downplaying aspects specific to your old career. Creating an effective resume that showcases your value proposition is crucial for career changers.
Understanding how to use resume keywords from your target industry will help your application get past automated screening systems.
Step 6: Consider Starting at a Lower Level
You may need to take a step back in title or salary to break into a new field. View this as an investment in your future rather than a setback. Once you gain experience in the new field, advancement opportunities will open up.
Step 7: Be Patient and Persistent
Career transitions take time. You'll face rejections and setbacks. Stay focused on your goal, keep learning and improving, and don't give up. Many successful professionals had to try multiple times before making a successful career pivot.
The Role of Education in a Changing Job Market
Traditional four-year college degrees are no longer the only path to career success. Consider these alternatives:
Vocational and technical programs: These provide practical, job-ready skills in fields like healthcare, technology, and skilled trades.
Coding bootcamps: Intensive programs can teach programming skills in just a few months, preparing students for entry-level tech roles.
Online learning platforms: Coursera, Udemy, LinkedIn Learning, and similar platforms offer courses on virtually any subject. Many employers now recognize certificates from these platforms.
Industry certifications: Professional certifications in fields like project management, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and healthcare demonstrate expertise without requiring a degree.
Apprenticeships: Learn while earning in fields like construction, manufacturing, and healthcare. Apprenticeships combine on-the-job training with classroom instruction.
Preparing the Next Generation
If you have children or mentor young people, help them prepare for the changing job market:
Encourage STEM education: Science, technology, engineering, and math skills will be increasingly valuable. Even if they don't pursue STEM careers, basic technological literacy is essential.
Develop soft skills: Communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking are harder to automate. These skills should be cultivated alongside technical knowledge.
Promote adaptability: Teach young people to embrace change and be comfortable with uncertainty. The ability to learn new things quickly will be more important than any specific skill.
Explore various interests: Encourage experimentation with different fields and activities. Diverse experiences help people discover their passions and develop well-rounded skill sets.
Emphasize entrepreneurship: Even if they ultimately work for others, entrepreneurial thinking – identifying problems, creating solutions, managing resources – is valuable in any career.
The Psychological Impact of Job Displacement
Losing a job to automation or industry decline can be emotionally challenging. Here's how to cope:
Acknowledge your feelings: It's normal to feel anxious, angry, or sad about career disruption. Don't suppress these emotions, but also don't let them paralyze you.
Avoid taking it personally: Job displacement due to technology isn't a reflection of your worth or abilities. Economic forces beyond your control are at work.
Focus on what you can control: You can't stop technological progress, but you can control how you respond. Channel energy into learning new skills and exploring opportunities.
Seek support: Talk to family, friends, career counselors, or support groups. Others have gone through similar transitions and can offer perspective and encouragement.
Maintain routines: When unemployed or in career transition, establish daily routines that include job searching, skill development, exercise, and social activities. Structure helps maintain psychological wellbeing.
Celebrate small wins: Every application submitted, skill learned, or connection made is progress. Acknowledge these achievements rather than focusing only on the end goal.
What Employers Should Do
Organizations also have responsibilities in this changing landscape:
Invest in reskilling programs: Rather than simply laying off workers whose jobs are automated, companies should offer training programs that help employees transition to new roles within the organization.
Communicate transparently: Be honest with employees about technological changes and how they'll impact jobs. Transparency allows people to prepare rather than being blindsided.
Support career transitions: Provide career counseling, resume assistance, and job placement support for displaced workers. Professional resume writing services can help job seekers prepare for new opportunities.
Consider social responsibilities: Companies that profit from automation have some obligation to the communities and workers affected by their decisions. This might include funding retraining programs or supporting local economic development.
Looking Beyond 2025
Job displacement isn't stopping in 2025. Looking ahead to 2030 and beyond, additional roles may become obsolete:
Truck and taxi drivers: Autonomous vehicles may eventually replace human drivers, though regulatory and technical challenges mean this transition will take longer than initially predicted.
Radiologists and pathologists: AI systems are becoming increasingly accurate at reading medical images and identifying diseases, potentially reducing demand for these specialists.
Lawyers (in certain areas): AI can review legal documents, perform research, and predict case outcomes. Routine legal work may be automated, though complex litigation and client relationships will still require human attorneys.
Financial advisors: Robo-advisors can create and manage investment portfolios based on algorithms and client preferences, reducing the need for human financial planners for straightforward situations.
Translators and interpreters: Real-time translation technology is improving rapidly, which may reduce demand for human translators except in situations requiring cultural nuance or live human presence.
However, predictions about technological unemployment have been wrong before. New jobs are created as old ones disappear. The challenge is ensuring that displaced workers can transition to these new roles.
Conclusion
The disappearance of certain job titles by 2025 and beyond is inevitable as technology continues to advance. Rather than fearing this change, we need to adapt to it. The jobs most at risk are those involving routine, predictable tasks that can be performed by machines. The roles that remain – and the new ones being created – require uniquely human capabilities: creativity, emotional intelligence, complex problem-solving, and adaptability.
If you're in a declining field, start planning your transition now. Assess your skills, research growing industries, invest in education and training, and build your professional network. The sooner you start, the more options you'll have.
Remember that career changes are normal in today's economy. Few people spend their entire working lives in one field anymore. Embrace lifelong learning, stay curious, and remain flexible. These qualities will serve you well regardless of how the job market evolves.
The future of work is uncertain, but it's not hopeless. By understanding trends, developing valuable skills, and maintaining a growth mindset, you can build a resilient career that thrives even as the job market transforms. The key is taking action now rather than waiting until change is forced upon you.
Start building your professional resume to position yourself for success in the evolving job market. Whether you're making a career transition or strengthening your position in your current field, having a strong, up-to-date resume is essential.
The jobs may be disappearing, but opportunities remain for those who are prepared, adaptable, and willing to grow. Your career is in your hands – make the most of it.
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