# What professions are dead or dying? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 13, 2010, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-professions-are-dead-or-dying/564038 "2010-12-13T21:51:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-professions-are-dead-or-dying/564038/61 "2010-12-14T18:57:43Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > My first thought was telephone answering services. Before answering machines and cell phones, people use to hire companies to answer their phones and take their messages while they were out. > > Googling reveals there are still some out there, which really surprises me. As **Zsofia** indicated, they are still in wide use by physicians. That’s because a human can screen calls and figure out which ones are emergencies and which ones aren’t. So the serviceperson can either tell the caller to call back later, he can connect to the physician on call, or if it’s really a major emergency he can get the main doctor out of bed. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-professions-are-dead-or-dying/564038/62 "2010-12-14T19:57:36Z")
I’m going on my first international trip next year (to a place with a language I don’t speak), and I’m going with a travel agent. Lemme see, they help me with travel insurance, converting currencies, exact details about my flights, and give me a contact in case everything goes to hell. Plus baby boomers just want to, say, go on a flight to Cuba and don’t care to book everything themselves. A travel agent compiles everything for you in a nice package. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-professions-are-dead-or-dying/564038/63 "2010-12-14T20:09:32Z")
[QUOTE=StusBlues] Actually, secretaries are becoming increasingly rare, at least in my work milieu. We used to have several once upon a time, but as they’ve retired or posted to other positions, they simply haven’t been replaced. We’ll need to remodel their area soon–our one surviving executive secretary (who is about 5’1, 100 lbs.) looks like she is drowning in the desk space that used to accomodate four women. [/QUOTE] They’ve been repackaged into Admin-Assistants who have some of the same duties but largely different. Rarely do they type the boss’s correspondence anymore but they still keep things organized (ideally) and his schedule and the like and other duties that a conventional secretary probably wouldn’t have had. I’m surprised that according to the gubmint site the outlook for court reporters is [excellent](http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos152.htm#outlook). I assumed that this was a dying occupation due to video and audio being used in courtrooms which can be transcribed by any relatively fast typist (or even a slow one given enough pauses and replays) but apparently it’s a lot more skilled than that. ---
**Author:** ![TheFifthYear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@TheFifthYear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFifthYear)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-professions-are-dead-or-dying/564038/64 "2010-12-14T22:20:25Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I’m surprised that according to the gubmint site the outlook for court reporters is [excellent](http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos152.htm#outlook). I assumed that this was a dying occupation due to video and audio being used in courtrooms which can be transcribed by any relatively fast typist (or even a slow one given enough pauses and replays) but apparently it’s a lot more skilled than that. About 90% of the time I use a court reporter, it’s outside of a courtroom. In fact, it’s probably 98% of the time. Most of my court appearances don’t have a reporter at all. But depositions all have one, and those are usually just in some conference room, or someone’s office, or even someone’s house. Plus, if I’m going to impeach someone’s testimony using their deposition, I need the transcript to be transcribed by someone who swore an oath to accurately reproduce what the witness said. Dragon Dictation won’t do that. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-professions-are-dead-or-dying/564038/65 "2010-12-14T22:33:56Z")
Arthur Murray Dance Instructor Taxi Dancer Gas Station Attendant (except in Oregon) Telephone Installer Bank Teller Grocery Store Cashier ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-professions-are-dead-or-dying/564038/66 "2010-12-14T22:42:24Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > Arthur Murray Dance Instructor > > \ > > Grocery Store Cashier Maybe Arthur Murray has gone the way of all flesh, but I’ve seen an uptick in people taking dance lessons recently. That’s purely subjective, though. And whither the grocery store cashier? If you’re talking about self-checkout, I’ve seen those begin to migrate OUT of stores recently. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-professions-are-dead-or-dying/564038/67 "2010-12-14T23:28:35Z")
I’ll bet very few people under 30 have never had their gas pumped by an attendant. [QUOTE=TheFifthYear] About 90% of the time I use a court reporter, it’s outside of a courtroom. In fact, it’s probably 98% of the time. Most of my court appearances don’t have a reporter at all. But depositions all have one, and those are usually just in some conference room, or someone’s office, or even someone’s house. Plus, if I’m going to impeach someone’s testimony using their deposition, I need the transcript to be transcribed by someone who swore an oath to accurately reproduce what the witness said. Dragon Dictation won’t do that. [/QUOTE] Good to know. Do you usually hire somebody freelance or does your firm employ one? ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-professions-are-dead-or-dying/564038/68 "2010-12-14T23:41:24Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > Arthur Murray Dance Instructor > > **Taxi Dancer** > > Gas Station Attendant (except in Oregon) > > Telephone Installer > > Bank Teller > > Grocery Store Cashier Bolding mine. What’s a taxi dancer? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-professions-are-dead-or-dying/564038/69 "2010-12-14T23:47:33Z")
> [@norinew](#): > > Bolding mine. > > What’s a taxi dancer? 😕 [[Stefon](http://eater.com/uploads/stefon-snl-2.jpg)]“It’s that thing where two midgets on a tandem pull people in a bikeshaw then they stop and do a tango…”[/Stefon] ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-professions-are-dead-or-dying/564038/70 "2010-12-14T23:52:48Z")
I read in an article recently that movie projectionists are a dying field, because their jobs are increasingly computer-controlled. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-professions-are-dead-or-dying/564038/71 "2010-12-14T23:54:51Z")
> [@norinew](#): > > Bolding mine. > > What’s a taxi dancer? 😕 [Probably this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxi_dancer). A taxi dancer is a hired dance partner. ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-professions-are-dead-or-dying/564038/72 "2010-12-15T00:09:27Z")
> [@Lightlystarched](#): > > Reference librarians. Hell, all librarians. We have a librarian at the huge company that I work for. People are doing research and see an article in the bibliography but have no idea how to get it. Send message to librarian and have said article either emailed or a hard copy delivered. The librarian also keeps up subscriptions to many info sites. The librarian also has very good searching skills on patent sites. Very valuable person. ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-professions-are-dead-or-dying/564038/73 "2010-12-15T00:11:07Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > Gas Station Attendant (except in Oregon) Unfortunately also New Jersey, where I live. When I am visiting family out of state, I offer to pump the gas for their car, because I rarely get to do it. ---
**Author:** ![TheFifthYear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@TheFifthYear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFifthYear)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-professions-are-dead-or-dying/564038/74 "2010-12-15T00:18:38Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I’ll bet very few people under 30 have never had their gas pumped by an attendant. > > Good to know. Do you usually hire somebody freelance or does your firm employ one? Always from outside the firm. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-professions-are-dead-or-dying/564038/75 "2010-12-15T00:23:06Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > My first thought was telephone answering services. Before answering machines and cell phones, people use to hire companies to answer their phones and take their messages while they were out. > > Googling reveals there are still some out there, which really surprises me. Not just some… lots. Here in the US even. I was recently involved in a RFQ involving four call centers regarding an upcoming project, but I could have just as easily received quotes from 20 of the places. Hell, even _Goodwill_ has a number of call centers that employs 10-50 people. They’re not going anywhere, just like your local printer (or Kinko’s) isn’t going anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-professions-are-dead-or-dying/564038/76 "2010-12-15T00:27:57Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > Arthur Murray Dance Instructor > > Taxi Dancer > > Gas Station Attendant (except in Oregon) > > Telephone Installer > > Bank Teller > > Grocery Store Cashier 😕 People will always want to learn to dance People will always take cabs. That one I can see… Phone installer will just morph their job to phone/cable/internet installer. Plus all those wires require maintenance… Bank teller… don’t see it happening. The job may morph ala phone installers, but there will always be people at the bank to assist in transactions. Grocery Store Cashier… as long as the do-it-yourself kiosks are limited in size, there always exists a need for someone to ring up large amounts of groceries. And even if the kiosks grow, people will still gravitate towards the cashier because they prefer the human touch. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-professions-are-dead-or-dying/564038/77 "2010-12-15T00:29:01Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > [Probably this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxi_dancer). A taxi dancer is a hired dance partner. Ah. Ignorance fought. Your job is done here; you are dismissed. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Kiwi\_Fruit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kiwi_fruit/32/12_2.png) [@Kiwi\_Fruit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiwi_Fruit)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-professions-are-dead-or-dying/564038/78 "2010-12-15T02:13:00Z")
> [@kushiel](#): > > I’m going on my first international trip next year (to a place with a language I don’t speak), and I’m going with a travel agent. Lemme see, they help me with travel insurance, converting currencies, exact details about my flights, and give me a contact in case everything goes to hell. > > Plus baby boomers just want to, say, go on a flight to Cuba and don’t care to book everything themselves. A travel agent compiles everything for you in a nice package. All this, and in NZ at least, the agencies are bonded. If the company providing the travel or accommodation goes tits up, then the travel agency is responsible for refunding your money or arranging alternative transport and accommodation. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-professions-are-dead-or-dying/564038/79 "2010-12-15T03:37:13Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > 😕 > > People will always take cabs. A taxi dancer has nothing to do with cabs. As others have said, it’s a woman who dances for a fee. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-professions-are-dead-or-dying/564038/80 "2010-12-15T03:45:08Z")
Carburetor rebuilder. Has gone from big business, to small business to niche, soon to super niche. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-professions-are-dead-or-dying/564038.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-professions-are-dead-or-dying/564038.md?page=5)