LinkedIn 2018 Emerging Jobs Report
Introduction from Guy Berger, Chief Economist, LinkedIn
The Emerging Jobs Report is our opportunity to take a look at the jobs and skills that are growing most rapidly around the country so you, as U.S. professionals, can make more informed decisions about your career. Using data from LinkedIn’s Economic Graph, we analyzed the roles that companies are rapidly hiring for, the skills associated with them, and the roles that have emerged over the last five years.
Our biggest takeaways from this year’s Emerging Jobs Report:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) is here to stay. No, this doesn’t mean robots are coming for your job, but we are likely to see continued growth in fields and functions related to AI. This year, six out of the 15 emerging jobs are related in some way to AI, and our research shows that skills related to AI are starting to infiltrate every industry, not just tech. In fact, AI skills are among the fastest-growing skills on LinkedIn, and globally saw a 190% increase from 2015 to 2017.
- Basic business functions are surging. AI may be on the rise, but it can’t replace the power of humans. Basic operational functions like Administrative Assistant, Assurance Staff and Sales Development Representative also landed spots on the Emerging Jobs list. And when looking at the fastest-growing roles in the country, nearly all of them are roles that have been steadily growing for years, including Software Engineer, Account Executive, and Recruiter.
- The largest skills gaps are soft skills. Despite technical roles making a strong showing on this year’s Emerging Jobs list, soft skills - like oral communication, leadership and time management - make up nearly half the list of skills with the largest skills gaps. While hard skills are important, it remains imperative for professionals to maintain their arsenal of soft skills in this rapidly changing jobs landscape because those that have them, have a leg up.
This year’s Emerging Jobs are nearly all in incredibly high demand across the country in cities from San Francisco to Des Moines, and in industries from healthcare to government services. These are the roles we’ve seen the most relative growth in based on members who’ve added these roles to their profile.
It’s no surprise that we’re seeing an explosion of machine learning roles and continuing growth of data science roles. In fact, we started to see glimmers of this in last year’s report, however both fields are starting to see more specialized roles emerge. It also may not shock you that Blockchain Developer is topping the list following this year’s surge in interest around blockchain and cryptocurrency.
Only time will tell if blockchain will be a long-standing trend in the job market, but take note of the jobs that are on both this year’s and last year’s Emerging Jobs lists: Machine Learning Engineer, Assurance Staff, and Sales Development Representative. These roles cover a variety of business functions and skills, and are here to stay.
1. Blockchain Developer (33X growth)
- Top Skills: Solidity, Blockchain, Ethereum, Cryptocurrency, Node.js
- Where They Work: IBM, ConsenSys, Chainyard
- Top Industries: Information Technology & Services, Computer Software, Internet
- Cities Where Demand is High: San Francisco, New York City, Atlanta
2. Machine Learning Engineer (12X growth)
- Top Skills: Deep Learning, Machine Learning, Tensorflow, Apache Spark, Natural Language Processing
- Where They Work: Apple, Intel, NVIDIA
- Top Industries: Computer Software, Internet, Information Technology & Services
- Cities Where Demand is High: San Francisco, Denver, Austin
3. Application Sales Executive (8X growth)
- Top Skills: Software as a Service, Cloud Applications, Human Capital Management, Enterprise Resource Planning, Solution Selling
- Where They Work: Oracle, AT&T, Avaya
- Top Industries: Information Technology & Services, Telecommunications, Computer Software
- Cities Where Demand is High: Boston, Austin, Minneapolis-St. Paul
4. Machine Learning Specialist (6X growth)
- Top Skills: Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Tensorflow, Python, Artificial Intelligence
- Where They Work: Google, Amazon, Apple
- Top Industries: Computer Software, Higher Education, Internet
- Cities Where Demand is High: San Francisco, New York City, Madison
5. Professional Medical Representative (6X growth)
- Top Skills: Pharmaceutical Sales, Sales Effectiveness, Product Launches, Medical Devices, Gastroenterology
- Where They Work: Exact Sciences, Taro Pharmaceuticals, Abbott
- Top Industries: Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, Hospital & Healthcare
- Cities Where Demand is High: Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas/Fort Worth
6. Relationship Consultant (5.5X growth)
- Top Skills: Banking, Retail Banking, Loans, Consumer Lending, Credit
- Where They Work: Regions Bank, Merrill Edge, Vanguard
- Top Industries: Banking, Financial Services, Insurance
- Cities Where Demand is High: Jacksonville, New York City, St. Louis
7. Data Science Specialist (5X growth)
- Top Skills: Machine Learning, Data Science, Python, R, Apache Spark
- Where They Work: IBM, Facebook, McKinsey & Company
- Top Industries: Higher Education, Information Technology & Services, Computer Software
- Cities Where Demand is High: New York City, San Francisco, Chicago
8. Assurance Staff (5X growth)
- Top Skills: Auditing, Accounting, Financial Reporting, Internal Controls
- Where They Work: EY, Plante Moran, Moss Adams
- Top Industries: Accounting, Higher Education, Financial Services
- Cities Where Demand is High: Detroit, Philadelphia, Boston
9. Sales Development Representative (4X growth)
- Top Skills: Salesforce, Cold Calling, Software-as-a-Service, Lead Generation, Sales Prospecting
- Where They Work: Salesforce, memoryBlue, Core-Mark International
- Top Industries: Computer Software, Internet, Information Technology & Services
- Cities Where Demand is High: Washington D.C., Denver, Atlanta
10. Business Support Consultant (4X growth)
- Top Skills: Risk Management, Credit, Banking, Business Analysis, Business Process
- Companies Employing This Talent: Wells Fargo, Consumers Energy, Roche
- Top Industries: Financial Services, Utilities, Banking
- Cities Where Demand is High: Des Moines, Phoenix, St. Louis
11. Solar Power Consultant (4X growth)
- Top Skills: Solar Energy, Renewable Energy, Sales, Business Development, Marketing
- Companies Employing This Talent: Vivint Solar, Trinity Solar, Powur
- Top Industries: Renewables & Environment, Construction, Environmental Services
- Cities Where Demand is High: Los Angeles, Houston, Tampa/St. Petersberg
12. Administrative Assistant (4X growth)
- Top Skills: Receptionist Duties, Administrative Assistant, Data Entry, Office Administration, Microsoft Office
- Companies Employing This Talent: Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America
- Top Industries: Higher Education, Hospital & Healthcare, Government Administration
- Cities Where Demand is High: Philadelphia, Dallas/Fort Worth, Boston
13. Background Investigator (4X growth)
- Top Skills: Investigation, Background Checks, Private Investigations, Law Enforcement, Criminal Justice
- Companies Employing This Talent: CACI International, KeyPoint Government Solutions, Perspecta
- Top Industries: Information Technology & Services, Security & Investigations, Law Enforcement
- Cities Where Demand is High: Washington D.C., Baltimore, Norfolk
14. Machine Learning Researcher (4X growth)
- Top Skills: Deep Learning, Machine Learning, Tensorflow, Python, Algorithms
- Companies Employing This Talent: Amazon, Apple, Microsoft
- Top Industries: Internet, Higher Education, Computer Software
- Cities Where Demand is High: Seattle, San Diego, San Francisco
15. Data Science Manager (4X growth)
- Top Skills: Data Science, Machine Learning, Apache Spark, Python, R
- Companies Employing This Talent: Facebook, Capital One, Microsoft
- Top Industries: Internet, Computer Software, Financial Services
- Cities Where Demand is High: Atlanta, New York City, Los Angeles
These are the jobs that have been seeing strong and steady demand over the last four years, seeing the largest growth in hiring rates among jobs in the U.S., meaning these roles are experiencing sustained high hiring rates and large growth year-over-year, making them potentially more stable career choices.
You may also remember a couple of these jobs from last year’s Emerging Jobs list: Realtor and Data Scientist, indicating these roles are likely to keep growing - and fast.
- Current Job Openings: 80,000+
- Top Skills: Software Development, Java, SQL, JavaScript, C++
- Companies Hiring: Red Bull, Adobe, Square
- Current Job Openings: 16,000+
- Top Skills: Sales Management, Social Media Marketing, Salesforce, Sales Operations, Customer Relationship Management
- Companies Hiring: Box, VentureBeat, Snap Inc.
3. Realtor
- Current Job Openings: 2,000+
- Top Skills: Working with First-Time Home Buyers, Sellers, Investment Properties, Buyer Representation, Single Family Homes
- Companies Hiring: Coldwell Banker, Century 21, Remax
- Current Job Openings: 17,000+
- Top Skills: Sales Management, Sales Operations, Customer Relationship Management, Direct Sales, Sales Process
- Companies Hiring: Oracle, Endeavor, Google
5. Recruiter
- Current Job Openings: 8,000+
- Top Skills: Recruiting, Human Resources, Sourcing, Applicant Tracking Systems, Technical Recruiting
- Companies Hiring: Dropbox, Lyft, Facebook
- Current Job Openings: 42,000+
- Top Skills: Construction, Construction Management, Program Management, Engineering, Business Process Improvement
- Companies Hiring: Dictionary.com, Airbnb, Pandora
- Current Job Openings: 7,000+
- Top Skills: Social Media Marketing, Digital Marketing, Adobe Photoshop, Email Marketing, Market Research
- Companies Hiring: Business Insider, Twitch, ipsy
- Current Job Openings: 6,000+
- Top Skills: Working with First-Time Home Buyers, Investment Properties, Sellers, Residential Homes, Real Estate Transactions
- Companies Hiring: Imagine Real Estate, The Alcove Group, Jovio
- Current Job Openings: 12,000+
- Top Skills: Product Management, Product Development, Cross-functional Team Leadership, Engineering, Product Marketing
- Companies Hiring: Reddit, Pinterest, OpenTable
- Current Job Openings: 6,000+
- Top Skills: Data Science, Data Mining, Data Analysis, Python, Machine Learning
- Companies Hiring: Twilio, Greylock Partners, Stripe
Oral Communication remains the skill group with the biggest shortage in nearly every city across the country. What’s more, core technical skills like social media, graphic design and web development are consistently in demand as every organization - no matter how big or small - needs a digital presence to survive.
We also found that people with these skills are hired at faster rates than people without these skills, so consider taking a LinkedIn Learning class to keep yourself competitive in the job market.
- Skills include: Public Speaking, Communication, Presentation Skills
- Cities where these skills are in demand: New York City, San Francisco, Boston
- Jobs relevant to this skills group: Teacher, Administrative Assistant, Attorney
- Skills include: Teamwork, Supervisory Skills, Personnel Management
- Cities where these skills are in demand: Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Denver
- Jobs relevant to this skills group: Salesperson, Project Manager, Marketing Specialist
- Skills include: Java, C++, Linux
- Cities where these skills are in demand: Chicago, Austin, Atlanta
- Jobs relevant to this skills group: Software Engineer, Research Assistant, Data Scientist
4. Social Media
- Skills include: Social Media, Digital Media, Social Media Measurement
- Cities where these skills are in demand: Phoenix, New York City, Seattle
- Jobs relevant to this skills group: Graphic Designer, Marketing Director, Writer
- Skills include: Management, Strategic Planning, Business Process Improvement
- Cities where these skills are in demand: Dallas-Fort Worth, San Diego, Boston
- Jobs relevant to this skills group: Account Manager, Operations Manager, Realtor
- Skills include: Organization Skills, Time Management, Multitasking
- Cities where these skills are in demand: Minneapolis-St. Paul, Orange County, San Francisco
- Jobs relevant to this skills group: Recruiter, Finance Analyst, Store Manager
7. Leadership
- Skills include: Leadership, Team Leadership, Team Building
- Cities where these skills are in demand: Charlotte, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles
- Jobs relevant to this skills group: Salesperson, General Manager, Sales Manager
- Skills include: Adobe Photoshop, Web Design, Illustration
- Cities where these skills are in demand: Raleigh-Durham, Denver, Washington D.C.
- Jobs relevant to this skills group: Graphic Designer, Software Engineer, Creative Director
9. Data Science
- Skills include: Data Analysis, Forecasting, Statistics
- Cities where these skills are in demand: New York City, Charlotte, Boston
- Jobs relevant to this skills group: Software Engineer, Data Scientist, Finance Analyst
10. Web Development
- Skills include: HTML, JavaScript, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
- Cities where these skills are in demand: Chicago, Austin, San Diego
- Jobs relevant to this skills group: Graphic Designer, Frontend Developer, Data Analyst
Not a day goes by without another opinion piece or report telling us that the robots are coming and we should prepare for the worst. But are these warnings justified? A look at emerging skills on LinkedIn suggests that while the world of AI is still nascent, we are already seeing its impact on the labor market -- sometimes in unexpected places.
We define AI skills as those skills that are most essential in order to develop, and effectively use, tools and technologies powered by Artificial Intelligence.
Researchers predict that AI will have applications across nearly every industry sector -- from manufacturing to financial services and beyond. We looked across industries to figure out whether AI is still confined to the software industry, or if it has begun to spill over and impact other fields. The answer? Nearly every industry is starting to see an influx of AI-related skills.
As AI skills become increasingly relevant, we were also interested in better understanding whether typically “human” skills – e.g., those related to personal characteristics, interpersonal communication and cognitive skills – are on the rise as well. Our finding may not come as a surprise: at least for now, humanity isn’t going anywhere.
On average, more than one in four (26%) of all skills reported in 2017 by LinkedIn members based in the US can be classified as interpersonal or soft skills. Soft skills like project management and leadership are also among the fastest-growing “unique” skills. Consider positions like “System Engineer” -- in 2015, soft and interpersonal skills made up less than 1% of the skills required to succeed on the job. Now, they make up 8%. There is no doubt that AI skills are on the rise, but some typically human skills that today cannot be replicated by machines have been growing almost as fast and are here to stay.
Methodology:
This report was created by analyzing LinkedIn Economic Graph data between 2014 - 2018.
