10 Jobs That Are Booming Right Now
Alison Doyle
If you’re looking for work right now, you have a lot of company. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, over 53 million workers have filed for unemployment benefits since March 2020, according to the most recent data available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
This is the largest increase – and the largest total number of unemployment claims – since the Department of Labor started keeping track of unemployment data.
Who’s Hiring Now
On a positive note, the U.S. Department of Labor reported 4.8 million job gains in June, 2020. There were employment increases in leisure and hospitality, retail, education and health services, manufacturing, and professional and business services.
Grocery stores, pharmacies, and IT support are also hiring according to the CareerOneStop blog, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Many state and local governments are urging citizens to stay at home when possible. This has had a chilling impact on sit-down dining, brick-and-mortar retail, and other related businesses. But online shopping and delivery have surged, and essential services like healthcare and warehousing are hiring rapidly to meet demand.
10 Jobs with Immediate Openings
These 10 occupations are hiring right now:
Cashiers and Shelf Stockers
Before the coronavirus pandemic, cashier jobs were essentially waning. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook projected these jobs to decline by 4% between 2018 and 2028. Now, however, many grocery chains are ramping up hiring to meet the demand for curbside pickup, delivery, and in-store services.
Cashier and related retail jobs require no formal educational credentials, but customer service experience and skills are always a plus. These jobs typically pay around $10 or $11 per hour.
Food Delivery Drivers
Sit-down dining may be suspended in many areas of the U.S., but some restaurants are expanding delivery services. For example, Challenger, Gray & Christmas notes that Domino’s is hiring 1,000 new delivery drivers to meet the demand.
In addition to fast food establishments, many other restaurants are offering delivery via on-demand food delivery apps like UberEats, Grubhub, and DoorDash.
Food service jobs flourish even in normal economic circumstances. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that this specific workforce is expected to grow 14% between 2018 and 2028 – much faster than average.
Shipping and Retail Delivery Drivers
The Bureau of Labor Statistics also reports a huge surge in demand for package delivery drivers at UPS, FedEx, and the U.S. Postal Service. Amazon is also hiring on-demand delivery drivers (Flex) and payroll delivery drivers (Daily Service Partners).
According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, these jobs typically require a high school diploma or equivalent and pay around an average of $30,000 per year.
Registered Nurses
Another fast-growing job prior to the coronavirus pandemic, registered nurses are in high demand right now. Nurse.org reports that travel nurses and respiratory therapists were earning $10,000 a week or $100,000 for a 13-week stint to work in New York City, one of the epicenters of the pandemic.
However, healthcare workers are not known for their focus on the financial. Angelina Walker at Nurse.org writes, “We have been overwhelmed by the response from nurses who simply want to help in the areas that need them... Hotlines have been flooded with nurses saying things like, ‘just put me anywhere, I don’t care about pay, I just want to help.’”
The occupational outlook for registered nurses is strong; the Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 12% increase in RN jobs between 2018 and 2028. Nurses earn median pay of around $71,000 per year.
Respiratory Therapists
Respiratory therapists, who work with patients with breathing difficulties, are another key group on the frontlines of the COVID-19 fight. Like RNs, their pay has increased at hospitals in coronavirus hotspots.
In less dangerous times, respiratory therapists’ pay still tops $60,000 per year. Their jobs are expected to grow 21% between 2018 and 2028, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Administrative Personnel at Hospitals and Health Centers
CareerOneStop reports that many hospitals around the country are staffing up to deal with the COVID-19 crisis – and not every job requires licensing and certification. Customer service and administrative jobs are essential to the mission of healthcare organizations.
Administrative assistant jobs typically pay around $18 per hour according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Fulfillment Center Associates
With consumers sticking close to home, online orders are booming and retail companies are hiring to meet increased demand. Amazon recently advertised for 175,000 full- and part-time positions in their fulfillment centers around the country. In addition, the e-commerce giant states that it will increase its minimum wage by $2 per hour on a temporary basis during the hiring surge.
Online Teachers
Schools across the company have canceled on-site classes and moved online for the duration of the pandemic. As a result, many online learning companies are hiring for teachers and tutors. For example, USA Today notes that the online educational company Outschool is hiring for 5,000 online K-12 teachers.
Teaching jobs are growing, reports the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which projects an 11% increase (much faster than average) in the postsecondary field between 2018 and 2028.
Cleaning Jobs
Essential business operations are doing all they can to stop the spread of infection. As a result, cleaning workers are in high demand across the country. If you don’t mind cleaning and have strong attention to detail, you could be hired quickly by a cleaning company through a job-search site or via an on-demand job app.
Tech Support Specialists
As thousands of white-collar workers are forced into telecommuting situations, perhaps for the first time, IT and tech support professionals will be in demand.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that this job is expected to grow 10% faster than average between 2018 and 2028. Median pay hovers around $25 per hour.
How to Find the Jobs
Glassdoor has a list of the top companies with hiring surges due to COVID-19, a list of in-demand job titles you can search for opening in your area.
Search the top job sites, using keywords for the type of job you’re interested and your location. Many companies have fast-tracked the hiring process for in-demand positions.
Check out HelpOneBillion. There are over 500,000 current job openings from companies who want to hire quickly to fill the positions.
Search social media using hashtags like #hiringnow and #hiring to find immediate openings.
Consider adding #readytowork to your Indeed Resume to alert employers of your immediate availability.