Industries That Are Still Hiring In The Midst Of COVID-19

Industries That Are Still Hiring In The Midst Of COVID-19

“I just lost my job at the hotel and I have no idea how I’ll find a new one in times like this,” a neighbour Tolani recently shared with me… And my heart sunk.

As a technical recruiter, I just got a surge of new clients living in this exact situation. This is, unfortunately, not a surprise given that as of March 15th, the Department of Labor announced that claims for jobless benefits surged 33%, with California topping the charts at 190,000 claims.

Nonetheless, this swift change in businesses’ daily operations doesn’t have to mean that “no one is hiring.” No matter what economy we’re in, one thing is always certain: there ARE still companies hiring…some are even increasing their need for new employees.

While discussing with Tolani, I devised a plan to find her a new job that still kept her on track for growing her skills in the service industry.  While you may not be working for the same company by the end of this economic and public health crisis, you can still be sharpening skills. For example, your customer service skills at a hotel can transition to online customer support.

Here are four businesses and industries currently hiring amid the coronavirus crisis.

Pharmacies.

Health is a priority now more than ever, and with 44% of Americans today taking at least one prescription medication, and 17% taking three or more, pharmacies are far from closing their doors. The influx in health as a priority has sent pharmacies and health companies into a new wave of needed support. 

Here are two companies who just added a surge of openings:

  1. Walgreens: hiring 20,000 positions across its entire infrastructure from pharmacy technicians, to customer service associates and shift leads.
  2. CVS: plans to hire 50,000 full-time, part-time and temporary employees. CVS has partnered with hospitality companies like Hilton and Marriott to support hiring workers

 Teleworking Software.

Telecommunication has been on a steady incline, with remote work increasing 44% over the last 5 years.  As more states practice safety at home and social distancing, companies have transitioned fully to remote work.  To successfully enforce a work remote culture, employees need a broader reach through video conferences, online meetings, chat, and mobile collaboration services. This means telecommunication has been on a steep and sudden incline with teleworking software as the foundation for this workplace model’s success. Here are some companies that are hiring:

  1. Zoom just added openings on almost all of their teams including technical support, engineering, finance, and customer care.
  2. Slack just added hundreds of openings on their accounting, customer service and sales teams.

 Grocery stores.

The shopping markets have quickly transformed from the unavoidable errand people have on their to-do lists to the only outing throughout the quarantine. Large grocers are stepping forward with a need for swift and high headcount. 

Don’t pass this off too quickly, these aren’t only roles for bagging groceries. Supermarkets are looking for support from stocking shelves to managing supply chain logistics, handling public relations, and software development engineering. There is work to had!

  • Krogers: A nationwide grocery chain, has over 10,000 positions for immediate hire.
  • Walmart:  Is looking to hire 150,000 workers. If you need employment quickly, the superstore has streamlined the process from a standard two-week application process to 24 hours. 
  • Instacart: A company that provides grocery delivery and pick-up, is looped into the hiring spree as well, with 300,000 roles recently listed to fill.  The company is primarily looking to hire shoppers, however, it is a wonderful way to support the sick or elderly while maintaining an income. This is a great stepping stone for Uber drivers, customer service personnel, or anyone in the transportation and service field.  
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Tech Support.

With physical call centres and operation centres closing down, companies are left with the need for agents to still take customer and technical support calls. Especially with the increase in remote work, more people than ever need support with setting up and pairing devices or troubleshooting errors.  Because let’s be honest, not everyone is a smart user with their smart devices… and now everyone is stuck in their house trying to figure their technology out ASAP.

  • Support.com recently announced it is hiring for an unlimited number of remote support agent roles.  These positions will help fill the demand for technical and call centre support. If you enjoy customer service, working with technology, and problem-solving, these roles are great for you. 

Remember, it isn’t necessarily where you are working, but what you are doing that counts.  Spend some time searching for roles that fit within your core skill set.  I worked with my client Jessica to find two roles that fit her customer service background and she already has virtual interviews lined up.  Although they aren’t for hotels, she has found a way to apply and grow her core skill set and work full time. 

Be diligent on your job hunt and look beyond the industry to see what rolls can grow your skills.  Don’t let a down market stop your career growth.

Idris Ewuola (Technical Recruiter at CovenWorks)

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