The 1980s workplace looked very different from the one we know today.
Long before smartphones, streaming services, self-checkout machines, and instant digital communication, thousands of Americans earned a living doing jobs that technology has since made obsolete.
Some developed rolls of film in darkrooms, while others delivered telegrams, operated switchboards, delivered milk door to door or manually typeset newspapers.
At the time, these careers were completely ordinary and many provided dependable, respectable incomes. Today, however, they sound more like something from a movie than a real way to earn a paycheck.
In this article we share 21 jobs from the 1980s that younger Americans may have a hard time believing actually existed.
1. Video Rental Store Clerk
One of the most ordinary jobs of the 1980s was working as a video rental store clerk.
Video rental store clerks helped customers find movies, opened new memberships, collected rental fees, and restocked returned VHS tapes. They also charged late fees and reminded customers to rewind tapes before bringing them back.
Streaming services, digital rentals, and on-demand television would eventually put physical video stores out of business, bringing an end to this job.
2. Film Projectionist
Another job from the 1980s that has mostly become obsolete is film projectionists.
Film projectionists loaded large reels of film into theater projectors, kept the picture properly focused, and changed reels without interrupting the movie. They also repaired broken film and maintained projection equipment.
Most theaters now use automated digital projectors that require very little hands-on operation, which has put an end to this once-common job from the 1980s.
3. Newspaper Typesetter
Another common job from the 1980s that would leave younger generations scratching their heads about is newspaper typesetters.
Newspaper typesetters arranged headlines, articles, and advertisements into printable page layouts for newspaper companies.
This is a job that used to be done by hand but starting in the late 1980s and into the 1990s, this job was replaced by computers and specialized machinery and even more so by the rise of digital publishing, which made physical newspapers less popular in general.
4. Typing Pool Secretary
Another common job from the 1980s that has largely disappeared is that of a typing pool secretary.
Typing pool secretaries worked in groups, producing letters, reports, forms, and other documents from handwritten notes or recorded dictation. Their speed and accuracy on typewriters were essential in large offices.
Personal computers, word-processing software, and email eventually allowed employees to prepare and revise their own documents, which would bring an end to this job as well.
5. Telex Operator
Another job from the 1980s that most young people have never even heard of was that of a telex operator.
Telex? Is that an app?
Not quite. Telex operators sent typed business messages through a worldwide network of connected teleprinters. The system was commonly used by banks, shipping companies, news organizations, and international businesses.
Beginning mostly in the 1990s, fax machines, email, and other digital communication systems made telex networks obsolete and removed the need for this specific job.
6. Milk Delivery Driver
One old job that younger generations are probably familiar with from movies is that of a milk delivery driver.
As the name implies, milk delivery drivers brought bottles of milk directly to customer’s homes, often leaving them on porches early in the morning. Some also delivered eggs, butter, and other dairy products.
This job began to disappear entirely in the 1980s as refrigeration and supermarkets made this job obsolete.
7. Telephone Switchboard Operator
The next job on our list is a telephone switchboard operator.
Switchboard operators connected telephone calls by plugging cords into the correct openings on a large control board. They also helped route long-distance calls and provided assistance when connections failed.
Automated telephone switching systems and digital technology eliminated the need for most manual call routing, which brought an end to this job.
8. Directory Assistance Operator
Another job that many young people would have a hard time believing existed was a directory assistance operator.
Directory assistance operators searched telephone listings and gave callers the phone numbers of people or businesses. Callers usually reached them by dialing information numbers such as 411.
The rise of cellphones in the 1990s and especially smartphones in the early 2000s brought a swift end to this particular job since it became much easier to find the phone number of any person or business with a quick search on the web.
9. Check Proof Machine Operator
Another job that has fallen by the wayside since the 1980s is that of a check proof machine operator.
Check proof machine operators processed bank checks by entering dollar amounts and account information into specialized machines. They verified that deposits balanced and prepared checks for sorting and payment.
This job became mostly unnecessary once electronic banking and digital imaging became more common in the 1990s and especially into the 2000s and beyond.
10. Paperboy
One job that many younger people are probably at least aware of is that of a paperboy.
A typical paperboy would roll and bag hundreds of newspapers, load their basket on their bicycle, then ride around their local neighborhoods and toss the daily newspaper onto the driveways or porches of each home.
Most newspapers would eventually transition to using adult delivery drivers who could drive around in cars and deliver the papers at a much faster and more reliable pace, bringing and end to this once-common job.
11. Travel Reservation Agent
Another job that used to be common over 40 years ago was that of a travel reservation agent.
Travel reservation agents booked airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, and vacation packages for customers. They relied on specialized reservation systems that were not generally available to the public.
Due to the rise of the internet, travel websites and mobile apps that allow anyone to compare prices and make their own bookings for vacations, this job has mostly become irrelevant.
12. Full-Service Gas Station Attendant
Another job that used to be common in the 1980s that has since become obsolete is the full-service gas station attendant.
These attendants pumped fuel, cleaned windshields, checked oil levels, and could even inspect tire pressure for customers upon request. While this might sound mind-blowing to young people, drivers could remain in their cars while the attendant handled the entire stop for them.
Self-service pumps became cheaper for gas station owners and gradually replaced attendants in most states.
Fun Fact: New Jersey is the only U.S. state where full-service gas pumping is legally required statewide while Oregon also used to require full-service statewide but has since updated its laws to allow self-service.
13. Encyclopedia Door-to-Door Salesperson
The next outdates job on our list is the encyclopedia door-to-door salesperson.
This job won’t sound real to anyone under 30, but encyclopedia salespeople visited homes and persuaded families to purchase expensive sets of reference books. They often promoted the books as an important investment in a child’s education.
Needless to say, the rise of computers and digital encyclopedias have made this job obsolete as anyone can find any information they’re interested in with a simple web search from their phone or laptop.
14. Data Entry Keypunch Operator
Yet another job that has become obsolete from the 1980s is that of a data entry keypunch operator.
Keypunch operators entered information by punching coded holes into cards that computers could read. Businesses and government agencies used these cards for payroll, inventory, statistics, and other records.
As the years went on, computers and digital databases made punch cards obsolete and would eventually bring an end to this job.
15. Film Photo Lab Technician
The next job on our list is that of a photo lab technician.
Photo lab technicians developed rolls of film, produced prints, adjusted color and exposure, and operated chemical-processing equipment. Many worked in independent photo shops, pharmacies, or large commercial labs.
Smartphones, digital cameras and home printers would eventually bring an end to this once-common job, although some specialty film photo lab technician jobs still exist in some areas around the country.
16. VCR Repair Technician
The next job on our list that has become obsolete involves an acronym that many young people today are not familiar with: VCR Repair Technician.
VCR? Is that like virtual reality?
No. VCR stands for videocassette recorder, an electronic machine used to record television shows onto magnetic tape and play them back on a TV. And back in the day, repair shops were common because VCRs were expensive, heavily used, and prone to breaking down.
Once DVDs became more popular and especially once video streaming services became widespread, this job largely disappeared.
17. Highway Map Printer/Distributor
Another job that was once common in the 1980s that is no longer necessary is a highway map printer and distributer.
Highway map workers printed, folded, packaged, and distributed paper road maps for motorists, gas stations, tourism offices, and automobile clubs. Updated editions had to reflect new roads, exits, and route changes.
As nobody will find surprising, GPS devices and smartphone navigation apps made printed highway maps far less necessary and would eventually bring an end to this job as well.
18. Elevator Operator
The next job on our list that has mostly become irrelevant is an elevator operator.
Elevator operators manually controlled elevators, opened and closed doors, announced floors, and assisted passengers. These jobs used to be everywhere – department stores, hotels, office buildings, apartment buildings, and nearly any building with elevators.
As technology advanced and most elevators became outfitted with automatic controls and push-buttons, the need for elevator operators fell off.
In some fancy apartment buildings or luxury stores you may still find elevator operators, although their job is mostly for appearance, not for necessity.
19. Answering Service Operator
The next job on our list is the answering service operator.
Answering service operators took phone calls for businesses when their offices were closed or their lines were busy. They wrote down messages and contacted clients when a call was urgent.
Voicemail, call forwarding, automated menus, and mobile phones replaced most traditional answering services, which made this job obsolete.
20. Payroll Check Printer
Another common job from the 1980s was payroll checking printers.
Payroll check printers operated machines that produced, signed, separated, and organized physical paychecks for employees. They also checked names, payment amounts, and deductions before the checks were distributed.
Direct deposit and electronic payroll systems have made printed paychecks much less common, which has made this job unnecessary as well.
21. Telephone Coin Collector
The last job on our list that used to be common in the 1980s that has mostly disappeared is that of the telephone coin collector.
Telephone coin collectors traveled to public payphones and removed the coins deposited by callers. They counted the money, serviced coin boxes, and reported damaged or malfunctioning phones.
The rise of mobile phones in the 1990s and especially in the 2000s and beyond caused public payphone use to collapse, leaving very few coin-operated telephones to maintain.
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