By Ross Grossman, LMFT

Step 1: Know Which Jobs Are on the Chopping Block

Let’s be honest: some careers are toast. If your work can be done by a bored intern with Wi-Fi, AI’s already got it covered.

• Going Away (fast): data entry clerks, telemarketers, call center reps, SEO blog writers, basic bookkeepers, paralegals who spend 12 hours reading PDFs.
• Next in Line: truck drivers (once Tesla figures out how to make an 18-wheeler stop for a squirrel), cashiers, fast food order-takers, and maybe the guy who still sells you toner for your printer.

If you’re in one of these jobs, don’t panic—just don’t pretend it’s 1995 either. Start planning your exit like you’re sneaking out of a bad marriage.

Step 2: Aim for the Jobs That Survive the Robots

Here’s where the robots choke: anywhere that needs real human trust, touch, taste, or talent.

• Safe Zones:
  • Healthcare (nurses, therapists, surgeons, physical therapists).
  • Skilled trades (electricians, plumbers, mechanics—you think AI’s fixing your leaky sink? Good luck).
  • Education (especially early childhood & special ed).
  • Creative performance (comedians, actors, chefs, fashion designers).
  • Leadership & strategy (executives, entrepreneurs, community organizers).

If the job involves holding a crying baby, negotiating a divorce settlement, or making a roomful of strangers laugh at your pain—it’s not going away.

Step 3: Learn to Ride the Robot, Not Compete With It

You don’t need to be an engineer at Google. You just need to know enough AI to not look like a caveman at work. Here’s what makes you marketable:

• Prompt Engineering 101: Learn how to talk to AI like it’s your assistant, not your enemy. (Think: “Write me a client proposal in bullet points” instead of “Make me rich.”)
• Data Literacy: Learn Excel, SQL, or Python basics. You don’t need to be a programmer—but you should know how to check if the robot’s math is garbage.
• AI Tools for Your Industry: Teachers using AI lesson planners, marketers using AI for campaigns, therapists using AI journaling tools. Know the tools your field is already adopting.
• Cybersecurity & Ethics: Someone has to keep the robots from leaking your nudes. That could be you.

👉 Practical Path: Free courses on Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, or YouTube. Even 5–10 hours a week can future-proof your résumé.

Step 4: Build Human Skills AI Sucks At

• Public Speaking & Communication (Toastmasters > ChatGPT).
• Negotiation & Mediation (you’ll beat a bot in reading body language every time).
• Creativity Under Pressure (comedy, improvisation, design).
• Empathy & Caregiving (robots don’t do “I understand how you feel” unless you count Siri apologizing for not finding your contacts).

These are the skills that make people say, “I want YOU, not a program, in my corner.”

Step 5: Keep Your Sanity Intact

• Financial: Don’t blow your savings waiting for the AI revolution. Reskill now. Diversify your income streams—consult, teach, freelance.
• Social: Surround yourself with people who aren’t just doomsday-scrolling. Build networks, not echo chambers.
• Psychological: Practice flexibility like a muscle. Journal, exercise, meditate. Or at least complain to a therapist (hi, that’s me).

Final Thought

AI is like fire: it can burn your house down, or it can cook your dinner. The difference is whether you’re hiding under the bed or learning to use the stove.

So don’t wait until your job evaporates. Study the tools, reskill into human-heavy roles, keep your sense of humor, and remember—if all else fails, comedy’s still hiring. Audiences will always pay to watch someone else admit they’re terrified.

Sincerely,

Ross Grossman, MA, LMFT
Affinity Therapy Services

http://www.affinitytherapyservices.com