Forbes India: Five jobs that didn't exist a year ago

1. Asset liquidation specialist

When companies cut costs through layoffs, restructuring debt or selling subsidiaries and still flounder, they wind up with one alternative: Asset liquidation. A new breed of specialists step in, and help a company create revenue through the sale of tangible assets. They seek to get the best deal through the sale, which in turn helps the company pay its creditors. A specialist helps as they would already have a list of clients whom they can reach out to, to get the best deal for your company.

2. IFRS Compliance Specialist

Come 2011, India will be all set to be compliant with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). This is a change from the current accounting standards of I-GAAP. Accounting standards and practices vary significantly in both methods - in the way financial statements are reported, in the manner of academic inputs and training. So IFRS compliance specialists are in great demand.

3. Security Installation Specialist

26/11 left many companies in shock because of the ease with which the terrorists could execute their mission. Security installation specialists came in to fill the gap. These aren't the traditional security agencies or a replacement for them; instead, they review the current security in an organisation, and map out the holes in the arrangements, as well as draw up new blueprints for security measures, devices, and training methods needed to train the security staff. They also work with the co-ordination of in-house security staff and those that are on hire from a security agency to integrate the two to work seamlessly in case of an emergency.

4. Green Specialist

We aren't talking about the chaps who maintain golf courses here. These are the ones who are capitalising on the world's new eco-consciousness, showing companies how to reduce carbon emissions, treat waste water, recover resources and become more environment-friendly.

5. Chief Conversation Officer

Twitter and Facebook have been the most talked about Web sites of the previous year, but who really keeps track of the conversations that happen in these online spaces; especially when they are about companies and brands? Some forward-thinking organisations have deployed people to look after their online image. This was previously done informally by Web-savvy employees or the odd enlightened chief executive officer. But over the last year, bloggers began referring to the coming of the "chief conversation officer," - who is responsible for driving conversation about a brand online, tracking what is being said, and handling feedback.

(Compiled by Nilofer D'Souza, Sveta Basraon, Malini Goyal, Mitu Jayashankar)