COVID-19 and resulting government-enforced business shutdowns have left millions of Americans without jobs, creating a drop in employment unlike any we’ve seen since The Great Depression. According to recent reports, more than 30 million citizens have filed unemployment claims during the coronavirus pandemic — and it’s unclear how long the drop in employment will continue.
But while many industries took a hard blow, a few are now in higher demand than ever before. Many essential businesses are in desperate need of additional resources to serve customer’s growing needs during these uncertain times— and they may very well be your answer to bringing home a consistent income once more.
If you’re able to adapt and pivot a career change, now might be the time to do it. Here are seven industries that are hiring during the coronavirus pandemic:
Perhaps the most obvious need our nation has right now is for dedicated healthcare workers. With thousands of people needing medical attention during this time of extreme COVID-19 testing and infection care, these valuable professionals are needed now more than ever.
According to recent reports from CareerBuilder, more registered nurse positions were posted on their job portal in late March than any other position. If you’re not already pursuing a career in nursing, now might be a wise time to enroll in some online courses and work on your degree. It may take years for vaccines to be created, tested, and distributed and for the coronavirus pandemic to be contained.
Surely demand for healthcare services will remain high throughout these uncertain times — so think broadly. Pharmaceutical companies and pharmacists will also be needed, healthcare providers may need billing support, and every healthcare facility needs an IT team.
All schools are closed during this pandemic, but while classes aren’t being held in classrooms or lecture halls, they continue uninterrupted online. Parents of young children are turning to whatever digital resources they can to educate their kids during this nationwide pause — since virtual classrooms won’t keep them occupied all day. Even college students are having to adapt to full online courses and feeling their own sets of struggles.
In order to keep education moving, teachers are having to adapt to an online landscape, holding live streamed classes. It’s not just traditional “school” either; all forms of education are shifting online— from gym instructors conducting virtual sweat sessions to musicians recording step-by-step video lessons.
If you have a special skill set worth sharing, this might be an opportunity to make an income by sharing your unique know-how online. Domains that host online courses like Outschool and Udemy are great resources to see what’s already out there. Look too for education applications to see if these software producers are hiring developers and creative minds.
Social distancing and statewide stay-at-home orders may be preventing people from gathering in large groups, but that’s not stopping them from communicating. Americans are messaging, calling, video conferencing, and using many forms of technology to stay digitally connected now more than ever.
Consider looking for jobs in remote communication. The video chat platform Zoom, for instance, is hiring. The mass increase in usage is increasing demand for further development of their technology, and the same is happening for other teams across the nation.
The messaging platform, Slack, is exploding with users as are other instant chat tech providers, so be sure to snag these job openings while you can.
With growing financial concerns on the rise, Americans are increasingly worried about their present and future financial states. On a personal level, citizens are seeking the help of financial advisors and planners to help them secure their investments and savings.
On a corporate level, companies are in need of skilled accountants to save their business from financial disaster as sales halt. They need educated guidance on how to shift their spending and production strategies and on next moves for keeping their company afloat.
As a society, we’re in need of creative thinkers with innovative, financially-savvy minds qualified to crunch numbers. Keep your eyes open for jobs in financial planning, analysis, consulting, and beyond. Be sure to check out what traits financial hiring managers are seeking in employees.
Most companies deemed essential during this time of massive shutdown are in need of extra hands on the frontlines. This involves both physical store associates and online management employees.
For instance, many grocers are in need of workers to restock rapidly depleting shelves— and companies like Whole Foods and Aldi have active job postings. There are also gas station operators, with companies like 7-Eleven in desperate need for staff.
Don’t forget to consider companies who are doing massive online sales right now, such as Amazon. These corporations need warehouse workers, truck drivers, and other staff to handle the grand influx in demand and are a great place to search for work.
Engineers of various concentrations are sure to be needed to improve processes and increase demands in production or usage.
Software engineers, for example, are sure to be busy, helping to develop new solutions for technology companies to stay relevant and further support their customers.
Mechanical professionals may be needed to design new machinery for emerging products or to increase the production of products in high demand right now, like sanitization items, masks, etc.
From entry-level to senior positions, be on the lookout for manufacturing or developmental positions for software, construction, healthcare, etc.
Some essential companies will need extra support during the pandemic, when there’s sure to be a rise in questions and inquiries. Any organization with a call center will need the necessary staff to field curiosities about the availability of products or services, updates to business models, etc.
Keep in mind that companies who have previously outsourced their customer support may be shifting to internal affairs to cut third-party costs and seeking personable representatives.
Start your job hunt in some of the industries we covered in this article since they’re clearly in need of additional resources right now — especially if you have some experience that relates to the industry.
Feeling a little rusty when it comes to interviewing? Here are four trends hiring managers are looking for in candidates this year and some phone interview tips for acing the virtual call.
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