30-day action plans, market analysis, and honest assessments of career opportunities in the AI era
These four opportunities score 70+ on our assessment criteria and are positioned to thrive despite AI disruption. Each includes a detailed 30-day action plan with concrete steps, realistic timelines, and honest assessments of entry barriers.
Updated December 4, 2025 following the Salesforce/AWS/Anthropic/Bain announcements that fundamentally changed the AI deployment landscape.
Score: 85/100 | Salary: $135K-$200K
Software engineers who embed with customers on-site to deploy and maintain production AI systems. The ONE role that THRIVES in the post-platform environment.
Why #1: 1,165% YoY growth, benefits from Salesforce/AWS commoditization, combines technical + customer context that can't be automated.
Added December 4, 2025
View 30-Day Action Plan →Score: 80/100 | Salary: $45K-$95K
Coordinate patient care across providers, insurance, and services. AI creates MORE coordination complexity, not less. HIPAA protection and human relationships are key defenses.
Key Stats: 52,000+ openings (Indeed), 29% projected growth through 2033 (BLS), entry-level accessible.
Updated December 4, 2025
View 30-Day Action Plan →Score: 75/100 | Salary: $130K-$200K
Create privacy-preserving synthetic datasets for AI training. Highly technical role requiring data science expertise, but growing regulatory demand makes it increasingly critical.
Market Growth: $1.81B (2024), 31.1% CAGR. Gartner projects 60% of AI training data will be synthetic by 2025.
Holding steady December 2025
View Analysis →Score: 70/100 | Salary: $90K-$160K
Deploy and maintain voice AI systems, particularly in healthcare and enterprise settings. Platform tools help but don't eliminate need for specialists who understand both technology and human interaction patterns.
Market Growth: $2.4B → $47.5B by 2034 (34.8% CAGR). 90% of hospitals projected to use AI agents by end of 2025.
Updated December 4, 2025
View Action Plan →This opportunity doesn't meet our Top 4 threshold yet, but shows strong potential for 2027-2028. If you're in school now or have a 2-3 year positioning window, this is worth monitoring.
Emerging Role | Projected Salary: $90K-$150K
Bridge technical AI capabilities and regulatory requirements. Local governments, state agencies, and companies will need specialists who can evaluate AI system impacts and ensure compliance.
Why Watch: Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's fight against data center fast-tracking shows exactly why this role is needed. EU AI Act enforcement begins 2025-2026, creating compliance demand.
Timeline: Early adopters (2025-2026), market matures (2027-2028), established profession (2029-2030).
Analysis added December 4, 2025
View Positioning Guide →⚠️ If you need money within 30 days, read this BEFORE pursuing common "fast income" advice. Most recommendations (medical billing, virtual assistant) are oversaturated, scam-ridden, or both. This resource provides honest assessment of what actually works.
For workers who need money RIGHT NOW
Honest assessment of medical billing, virtual assistant work, and other "fast income" options. Includes competition reality, scam warnings, and better alternatives (unemployment, temp agencies, gig economy).
What's Inside:
Created December 4, 2025
Read Reality Check →Comprehensive guides for workers and communities navigating AI deployment and infrastructure projects.
Track data center projects, employment claims vs. reality, community impacts, and tax subsidies. Michigan has 17 active proposals worth billions—most getting zero national coverage.
Features: Project tracking by state/county, cost-per-job calculations, hearing preparation resources, questions to ask developers.
Live database updated weekly
Visit PivotIntel →Pre-written templates for requesting information from federal, state, and local agencies about AI infrastructure projects, employment impacts, and environmental assessments.
Includes: Federal FOIA, state public records requests, local government information requests, timeline expectations.
Updated November 2025
View Templates →Templates for contacting US Representatives and Senators about federal AI infrastructure spending, worker displacement, and accountability.
Versions: Individual constituent, coalition letter, fiscal conservative angle, personal story format.
Updated November 2025
View Templates →Calculate the actual public subsidy per job created by data center projects. Expose bad deals where communities pay millions per job that lasts 2-3 years.
Inputs: Tax abatement, infrastructure subsidy, jobs claimed vs. actual, temporary vs. permanent breakdown.
Updated November 2025
Use Calculator →These opportunities were previously recommended but market conditions have fundamentally changed. We're keeping these resources available for context, but they no longer meet our recommendation threshold. Read carefully before pursuing.
Previously #1 - Now Bifurcating
What Changed: Salesforce Agentforce 2.0, AWS, Snowflake, and Anthropic gave 24,600+ companies push-button agent deployment on December 2-3, 2025. Basic AI agent building became commoditized overnight.
Current Status: Entry-level work now automated. Senior/specialized roles (complex integrations, security) still viable but competitive.
Better Alternative: Forward Deployed Engineer (deploys agents in complex customer environments where platforms fail).
Market changed December 2-3, 2025
View Original Plan (Read Warnings) →Previously #2 - Now Collapsing
What Changed: Small businesses lost 120,000 jobs in November 2025 (ADP). Salesforce Starter Edition ($25/user/month) targets SMBs with pre-built AI agents, eliminating need for consultants.
Current Status: Market exists but shrinking rapidly. Small businesses can't afford $80K-$150K consultants when they're shedding workers.
Better Alternative: If you have consulting skills, focus on enterprise (Forward Deployed Engineer) or healthcare (Patient Care Coordinator).
Market collapsed November-December 2025
View Original Plan (Read Warnings) →One to Watch - With Major Caveats
Why Caution: Physical infrastructure jobs being created NOW, but industry surveys show 47% of operators planning to reduce hands-on staff within 5 years. This is a 3-7 year window, not a career.
Who It Works For: Displaced manufacturing workers with transferable skills (HVAC, electrical, mechanical). Use it as 3-7 year bridge while positioning for sustainable career.
Community Issue: Data centers face significant local opposition (water usage, energy demand, minimal local hiring). Working for projects your community opposes creates ethical tension.
Assessment updated December 2025
View Full Analysis →Emergency Income Option - Read Warnings
Why Caution: 10:1 applicant-to-opening ratio for entry positions. Remote work requires 3+ years in-office experience first. AI automating routine coding. Scam training programs prevalent.
Realistic Timeline: 2-6 months certification ($1,500-$4,000), then 50-100 applications for in-office position at $18-22/hour. Remote opportunity after 1-3 years if automation doesn't eliminate role first.
See Also: Emergency Income Reality Check for full competition/scam analysis.
Updated December 2025
View Reality Check →Emergency Income Option - Read Warnings
Why Caution: Extreme competition (500+ proposals on Upwork within hours), offshore workers charging $4-12/hour, platform fees 10-20%, fake training course scams ($2,997 promising guaranteed income).
Realistic Timeline: 50-100 proposals to get 1-2 clients. First 3-6 months: Maybe $200-400 total income. Platform tools (Salesforce Agentforce) automating basic VA tasks.
See Also: Emergency Income Reality Check for full competition/scam analysis and better alternatives.
Updated December 2025
View Reality Check →