With the global positive cases for the COVID-19 reaching over two crores globally, and over 281,000 jobs lost in the US alone, the impact of the coronavirus pandemic already has been catastrophic for workers worldwide. While tourism and the supply chain industries are the hardest hit, the healthcare and transportation sectors have faced less severe heat. According to a Goldman Sachs report, the number of unemployed individuals in the US can climb up to 2.25 million.
However, despite these alarming figures, the NBC News states that this is merely 20% of the total unemployment rate of the US. Job portals like LinkedIn, Shine, and Monster are also witnessing continued hiring for specific roles. So, what are these roles defining the pandemic job sector?
Top In-demand Jobs During Coronavirus Pandemic
For obvious reasons, the demand for healthcare specialists has spiked up globally. This includes doctors, nurses, surgical technologists, virologists, diagnostic technicians, pharmacists, and medical equipment providers.
This largely involves shipping and delivery companies that include a broad profile of employees, right from warehouse managers, transportation-oriented job roles, and packaging and fulfillment jobs. Presently, Amazon is hiring over 1,00,000 workers for its operations while making amends in the salaries and timings to accommodate the situation.
Online learning companies
Teaching and learning are at the forefront of the current global scenario. With most of the individuals either working from home or anticipating a loss of a job, several of them are resorting to upskilling or attaining new skills to embrace broader job roles. The demand for teachers or trainers for these courses and academic counselors has also shot up. Remote learning facilities and online upskilling have made these courses much more accessible to individuals as well.
Remote meeting and communication companies
The entirety of remote working is heavily dependant on communication and meeting tools such as Zoom, Slack, and Microsoft teams. The efficiency of these tools and the effectivity of managing projects with remote communication has enabled several industries to sustain global pandemic. Even project management is taking an all-new shape thanks to these modern tools. Moreover, several schools are also relying on these tools to continue education through online classes.
Psychologists/Mental health-related businesses
Many companies and individuals are seeking help to cope up with the undercurrent. This has created a surge in the demand for psychologists. Businesses like PwC and Starbucks have introduced/enhanced their mental health coaching. Mental health and wellness apps like Headspace have seen a 400% increase in the demand from top companies like Adobe and GE.
Hiring companies like Shine have seen a surge in the hiring of data analysts. The simple reason being that there is a constant demand for information about the coronavirus, its status, its impact on the global economy, different markets, and many other industries. Companies are also hiring data analysts rapidly to study current customer behavior and reach out to public sentiments.
How to find a job during the coronavirus pandemic
Whether you are looking for a job change, have already faced the heat of the coronavirus, or are at risk of losing your job, here are some ways on how to find a job.
- Be proactive on job portals, especially professional networking sites like LinkedIn to expand your network
- Practise phone and video job interviews
- Expand your work portfolio by on-boarding more freelance projects
- Pick up new skills by leveraging on the online courses available
- Stay focused on your current job even in uncertain times
Job security is of paramount importance during a global crisis like this. Andrew Seaman, an editor at LinkedIn notes that recruiters are going by the ‘business as usual approach’, despite concerns about COVID-19. The only change, he remarks, is that the interviews may be conducted over a video call, rather than in person. If the outbreak is not contained soon enough though, hiring may eventually take a hit.
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