The Jobs On The Rise And What It Means For Alabama

Mike has a unique take on things happening all around us these days.

It's a brave, big, new, scary (at times) world we have to navigate through, and we might as well be kind to each other.

Let's try to help each other because we are all feeling the same thing.

Mike's next great topic to tackle is the jobs that are on the rise and how that could impact our future in Alabama.

What say you, Mike?

I had a framed poster hanging in my office for years.

It was of the 3 Stooges, each clad in the graduation cap and gown. Beneath them was the caption “Well, What Do We Do Now?” After having spent six figures and at least the last four years of your life, you might be asking the same question. And – most important – how do we see a return on that investment? Alright, if you’re wondering where the future actually is, meaning not just the college degree you picked because it sounded cool during COVID,  LinkedIn just dropped its annual “Jobs on the Rise” list. And it reads like a mash-up of The Terminator script and a career counselor with a crystal ball.

Let’s break it down without the corporate buzzword bingo:

AI Everywhere — Seriously

At the very top of the list are jobs tied to artificial intelligence; engineers, consultants, machine-learning researchers, and data annotators (that’s right, humans teaching machines to learn). These roles are booming because companies don’t just want smart machines; they want smart people. They want people who can tell those machines what to do and why.

AI isn’t some sci-fi buzzword anymore. It’s the job market’s new engine. And if you’ve ever said, “I don’t need computers. I can just think,” the real world would like a word with you.

Not All Growth Is Robo-Nerd Stuff

Surprise! Some of the fastest-growing posts include roles you’d actually recognize outside a Zoom icon, like:

• New home sales specialists riding the post-pandemic housing wave
• Healthcare reimbursement specialists are making sure hospitals get paid
• Advertising and sales pros matching brands with eyeballs
• Founders and independent consultants — aka people who said “I’ll figure it out myself.”

So yes, not everything exploding is purely technical. People still buy houses. Doctors still file bills. And companies still need someone to make sense of selling stuff.

A Mixed Bag — Tech, Service, Strategy

From background investigators and travel advisers to quantitative analysts and benefits advisors, the list shows that growth isn’t one-dimensional. It’s a blend of technical know-how plus real-world, boots-on-the-ground roles that keep America moving, whether that’s through data or daily life.

What Does This All Mean

Here’s the big takeaway:

• AI is the engine, and it’s only just warmed up
• Human skills still matter — guiding, interpreting, advising
• Flexibility is king — hybrid and remote work still play a big role
• And yes, you can build a career in this future — even if your last boss called PowerPoint “a waste of time.”

So back to that poster of the Three Stooges in caps and gowns, staring into the great unknown, asking, “Well, What Do We Do Now?”

Turns out, the answer in 2026 isn’t panic. It isn’t cynicism. And it sure isn’t “guess I’ll just scroll TikTok until retirement.”

It’s this: you aim yourself where the world is growing, not where it used to be comfortable.

The Stooges were funny because they stumbled forward without a plan. Today, at least, we’ve got a map.

And for once, it doesn’t lead to a punch card machine.

It leads to opportunity.