  This paper explores the evolution of occupations within the context of
industry and technology life cycles, highlighting the critical yet
underexplored intersection between occupational trends and broader economic
dynamics. Introducing the Occupation Life Cycle (OLC) model, we delineate five
stages (i.e., growth, peak, fluctuation, maturity, and decline) to
systematically explore the trajectory of occupations. Utilizing job posting
data from one of China's largest recruitment platforms as a novel proxy, our
study meticulously tracks the fluctuations and emerging trends in the labor
market from 2018 to 2023. Through a detailed examination of representative
roles, such as short video operators and data analysts, alongside emerging
occupations within the artificial intelligence (AI) sector, our findings
allocate occupations to specific life cycle stages, revealing insightful
patterns of occupational development and decline. Our findings offer a unique
perspective on the interplay between occupational evolution and economic
factors, with a particular focus on the rapidly changing Chinese labor market.
This study not only contributes to the theoretical understanding of OLC but
also provides practical insights for policymakers, educators, and industry
leaders facing the challenges of workforce planning and development in the face
of technological advancement and market shifts.
