Your first job is something you never forget — whether it was easy, fun, or a total disaster. Mine was at a local movie theater, scooping popcorn and tearing tickets… but mostly just joking around with friends. And while that job still exists, many early-career jobs from the past two decades have completely vanished.
A Reddit thread recently asked: “What job did you have that doesn’t really exist anymore?”
The responses were nostalgic, surprising, and a little heartbreaking — especially when you realize how much technology has reshaped (or erased) entire industries.
Here are some of the most unforgettable answers:
1. Napster Crew Member
“I worked at Napster right out of college… We were supposed to become the first subscription streaming service. I even met my husband there!”
2. Beeper Salesperson
Selling pagers at a mall kiosk — nothing screams 90s more than this.
3. Miss Cleo Psychic Hotline Staff
“I transcribed 1-800 psychic calls and even packaged Miss Cleo’s ‘crystal gifts.’”
4. Photo Lab Technician
Back when people dropped off film rolls and nervously waited to see their pics.
5. Music Store Clerk (CDs & Cassettes!)
Working in a small shop with walls full of CDs and tapes — gone with the digital wave.
6. Y2K Tester
Entire teams existed just to prepare for January 1, 2000. Now? Just a fun meme.
7. Kmart Layaway Worker
Seasonal chaos, emotional customers, and a job that barely exists today.
8. Mobile Bookstore Operator
Setting up book stalls inside office buildings — a charming job wiped out by Amazon.
9. Blockbuster Employee
Renting DVDs and judging people’s movie taste. Netflix killed this one hard.
10. RadioShack Worker
Once everywhere, now nearly vanished from the retail map.
11. Paperboy
A cold, early-morning job that taught responsibility — now replaced by adults with cars.
12. Journalist with a Living Wage
The saddest entry… and painfully true.
13. Pizza Delivery Driver (Pre-smartphones)
You needed actual map-reading skills to survive this one.
14. Medical Transcriptionist
Speech-to-text AI has nearly erased this career.
15. Corn Detasseler
Brutal summer work now mostly done by machines.
16. Prodigy Dial-Up Customer Support
“Welcome to the internet!” Now a relic of the early web.
17. Printing Press Operator
Entire factories shut down once digital printing took over.
As one user said: “The whole trade was completely decimated.”
18. Long-Distance Call Plan Sales
Yes, selling phone minutes used to be a real job.
19. Film Projectionist
Switching reels, watching for cigarette burns — a beautiful skill mostly lost to digital projectors.
20. Store Locator Customer Service Rep
People used to call to ask: “Where’s the nearest store?”
Google Maps ended that instantly.
21. Magazine Fact-Checker (Pre-email)
Calling people to confirm quotes, even celebrities — now handled by online tools.
22. Arcade Attendant
Summer jobs spent watching over racing games and kids with pockets full of quarters.
23. Small Independent Shipping Store Owner
These businesses disappeared when Amazon and big carriers took over retail logistics.
24. “Grandma Paid Me for Playing Recorder” Musician
A sweet job that definitely doesn’t exist today — but what a memory!
Reader Advice
Technology will keep changing the job landscape, but one skill will always stay valuable: the ability to adapt.
Whether you’re building a career, switching fields, or learning something new, stay flexible, stay curious, and keep upgrading your skills. That’s how you stay ahead in a world where even entire industries can disappear overnight.
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